I used to get white chocolate bunnies for Easter when my mom read that chocolate is bad for asthma and allergies. I hated white chocolate! Funny thing is…dark chocolate is now found to be good for asthma and allergies and I really like high quality white chocolate. Mind you it’s not that great for you, but it is quite tasty when done right. Try Divine’s white chocolate bar. It’s to die for! So here’s some little tidbits about white chocolate.

White chocolate originates from the cocoa (cacao) plant, but it is not ‘chocolate.’ According to the FDA, to be called ‘chocolate’ a product must contain chocolate liquor, which is what gives it the biter intense chocolate flavor (and color) to dark and milk chocolates.

White chocolate contains cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar, lecithin and flavorings (usually including vanilla). Cocoa butter is the fat from cocoa beans, extracted from the cocoa beans during the process of making chocolate and cocoa powder. Cocoa butter has very little ‘chocolate’ flavor.

Cocoa butter is one of the ingredients used to make real chocolate, it is gives chocolate the ability to remain solid at room temperature, yet melt easily in the mouth.

Cocoa butter is one of the most stable fats known, containing natural antioxidants that prevent rancidity and give it a storage life of 2 to 5 years. It is used for its smooth texture in foods (including chocolate) and in cosmetics and soaps.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

8 to 10 servings

6 eggs, separated
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup grand Marnier or pear brandy
10 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped (please use a bar chocolate)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
Mint sprigs, shredded chocolate and/or fresh berries for garnish

1) Combine the egg yolks, sugar, and pear brandy in a small mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the eggs become light yellow, about 5 minutes (the mixture should fall in ribbons when beaters are lifted). Transfer to the top of a double boiler over simmering water or place the mixing bowl in a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, whisking constantly, until quite thick, 4 – 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2) Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and add the chocolate to the egg mixture, stirring until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

3) Meanwhile, in a chilled bowl beat the cream until quite stiff. Wash and dry beaters. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form but mixture is not dry. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the whipped cream.

4) Spoon the mousse into 8 large wine goblets or other dessert glasses. Place in refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2 – 3 hours. Garnish before serving.

Annmarie Kostyk loves chocolate!

Many of us have all heeded the call to avoid enjoying all things which are, at all, well…enjoyable. However Annmarie Kostyk has some great news that some people have known all along; chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, is actually good for you! You know those tales we all hear growing up from our alcoholic uncle that a glass of wine a day is good for you? Well in her new book, “Chocolate is Healthy: Myths, Truths, and Delicious Recipes,” Annmarie Kostyk reinforces all that’s true, shoots down all that’s false, and gives ringing credence to the call to get out and enjoy some chocolate already!

In her engaging, page-turner, Annmarie Kostyk has come to set the record straight. She does so with a comfortable conversational gabble which will leave your sensory taste buds craving some serious Cadbury and Hershey toot-sweet! However the author does not try to sell you a sham either; Ms. Kostyk quickly alerts all present that excess is bad, restraint is good, and anything can have a negative effect on your physical, mental, and dental health. However Ms. Kostyk also does allow that she has a serving of chocolate virtually every day which should give hope to some who read this article trying to crack the code: chocolate=healthy.

There are reams of information in “Chocolate is Healthy” which fact-hounds will find interesting. To the overpopulation-conspiracy-theorists who believe that the world’s supplies of rations will be drawn down to zero in due time, Ms. Kostyk relays that “more plantation owners and chocolatiers that own plantations are trying to grow more Trinitario and Criollo hybrids to create more flavorful chocolate.” Perhaps one day there will be a dark chocolate for everyone! Even the individual who craves the silky lustfulness of milk chocolate may one day find solace in these dark chocolate hybrids.

Ms. Kostyk is also on rumor control. She quickly dispels myths about dental issues stating that “dark chocolate does not cause acne; tooth decay or cavities. In fact studies have shown that dark chocolate actually helps the teeth!”

For your hyperactive child who can’t get enough sweets, Ms. Kostyk even hints at serving them some dark chocolate! “Chocolate is Healthy” contends that not only will the taste shift occur early and mature accordingly, leading to healthier life later on, but also “Chocolate does not have large amounts of caffeine…(is) not addictive…(does) not cause hyperactivity…(and) chocolate does not make you fat!” All these facts should put many at ease and make mom feel better about suckling junior on the dark chocolate bottle.

“Dark chocolates are an antioxidant powerhouse that is actually good for you,” in some circles called “the perfect food,” Annmarie Kostyk’s “Chocolate is Healthy” is a real boon to any who crave sweets but don’t want to suffer the repercussions. Make sure to study the back of the book; there are a number of recipes and other concoctions which should further bring everyone in under the dark chocolate tent. In an ideal world it would have already happened, Annmarie Kostyk strives to alert the world so that one day everyone may realize that “Chocolate is Healthy!”

The Chocolate Lovers’ Guide and Tasting Journal by Annmarie Kostyk is a non-fiction book combining the fundamentals of chocolate including types of chocolate, varieties of chocolate, storing chocolate, tasting chocolate and your impressions, and a place to record your chocolate’s history and tasting as well as saving your chocolate’s wrapper. It is a device to record your journey through your chocolate world creating a road map taking you back to your cherished chocolate favorites. The book is available at www.Amazon.com for $12.95.

Join us on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 for a chocolate tasting at Le Flour Bakery and Market from 6 – 8 PM. During this time you will learn about the different types of chocolate available to you, the varieties of chocolate, how to store chocolate and conduct two chocolate tastings. There will also be time for questions. If you would like to bring your own chocolate bar(s) for tasting in addition to the ones provided, please feel free to do so.

For this class, you will receive a copy of The Chocolate Lovers’ Guide and Tasting Journal written by Annmarie Kostyk, a local author. In addition, you will be provided with two (2) different chocolate bars for tasting and a bottle of water to cleanse your palate between tastings. Please be sure to bring a pen. Tasting is best done with a clean palate first thing in the morning. Since that isn’t the case, please make sure that you don’t eat anything with strong flavors during the day of the tasting. Examples of strong flavored foods are onions, garlic, cabbage, peppers, spicy food, fried food, fast food, strong cheeses and beer.

The cost of the event is $25 and must be paid in advance at Le Flour. There will be no refunds and the last day to sign up for the event is Friday, October 16, 2009. Should you have any questions, please contact Le Flour at 773-631-1400 or visit their website at www.leflour.com. You may also contact Annmarie Kostyk at thecocoapod@yahoo.com for detailed questions about the event.

Pemberley Publishing is proud to announce the release of the book Chocolate is Healthy! By Annmarie Kostyk.

The first book of its kind, Chocolate is Healthy! is a non-fiction book encompassing both the health and food genres teaching the audience about debunking myths and fallacies regarding chocolate and introducing them to the wonders of what chocolate can do for them. Each of the myths, fallacies and health benefits will be discussed in detail and each of these facts will be backed with up information from major studies. There will also be a final chapter on what chocolate is doing to the health of the environment and what some of the world’s finest chocolatiers are doing to help. Chocolate is Healthy! also includes a selection of recipes to incorporate eating dark chocolate and cocoa into your daily meals.

The chocolate industry is booming in the United States creating a $14 billion a year business and high-end chocolates account for $2.5 billion in annual sales. In 1999, the United States spent $1.059 billion on chocolate for Valentine’s Day alone! Ninety percent of the country eats some form of chocolate every day. The average U.S. citizen consumes twelve pounds per person annually on straight chocolate alone, whereas in Switzerland, the per capita consumption is 22.4 pounds per person – twice that of the U.S. consumer. Why the discrepancy? The Swiss have known for a very long time that chocolate is good for them. It is part of their culture; it is a way of life.

In the United States we have just recently become aware of real chocolate. We see the health benefits of chocolate touted in various articles in the press and periodicals. The problem is that we grew up on chocolate candy, not real chocolate. Chocolate candy was a treat. It was an occasional splurge when we were good. We were told it was bad for us and that we should not eat it often. Chocolate candy is bad, but real chocolate is good for you. Good quality dark chocolate is the best. The bar should possess 70% or more cocoa content for the health benefits. The reason for this is that the more cocoa you have in a bar the less sugar and the more flavonoids. A chocolate bar containing 70% cocoa possesses very little sugar. The health benefits are outstanding. Dark chocolate has an array of good fats, antioxidants, high mineral content and nutrients. Dark chocolate has positive benefits to brain function, mood and energy. Numerous studies have touted chocolate as the ultimate food since it helps diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, asthma, allergies and even acts as a cough suppressant.

The book is currently available to the public on www.Amazon.com and www.PemberleyPublishing.com and to the trade by contacting Pemberley Publishing in Chicago, Illinois.

Company: Pemberley Publishing

Contact: Annmarie Kostyk

Website: www.PemberleyPublishing.com