Not to long ago I told you all about Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier and their amazing truffles.  Well, sometimes I can’t get enough of a good thing, especially when it is beyond good.  I thought I’d give their Five-Bar Bundle a try.  I am a huge chocolate bar fan.  They were nice enough to add a few more truffles and some other goodies in the shipment for me to try too!  I am such a lucky person!

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier's Dipped Ginger

First thing out of the box and enjoyed in one sitting was the Chocolate-Dipped Ginger.  The ginger is crystallized and dipped in 70% Colombian dark chocolate for a unique combination of tang, zing and sugar.  The ginger is plump and juicy with just the right amount of cocoa content in the chocolate.  Spectacular!

I’m not sure if anyone knows this or not, but Gail made me a fan of the lavender and chocolate combination.  I’ve never been a fan of lavender anything.  She brought me to the other side.  Why do I tell you this again?  Well…I don’t care for chocolate and mint either.  It’s true.  I’m sorry to say.  Can Gail convert me?  She did, and with flying colors.  Her

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier's Shiitake Mushroom and Machu Picchu are part of the Adventurous Collection

Fresh Mint truffle is one of her summer specialties.  The mint? Fresh, not flavoring.  The chocolate?  More of her outstanding dark Colombian chocolate.

Looking for something really unique?  How about a Shiitake Mushroom truffle?  Warm, earthy and smooth.  65% Peruvian chocolate.  Gail Ambrosius brings umami to this little gem of heaven.  Umami is the fifth taste sensation out there that most people don’t even know about.  Your taste buds are not sure what to do, but boy do they enjoy learning!

Another interesting truffle?  Machu Picchu.  It’s over the top.  65% Peruvian dark chocolate with bits of caramelized

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier's Sea Salt Caramel

cacao nibs.  How unique!  Add to that a hint of cinnamon and some vanilla bean and you are transported to an ancient time.  The top of the Machu Picchu is topped with bits of crushed and candies almonds.  Sublime…

Another treat that is something I can eat every single day are the Salted Caramels.  Creamy, smooth, sweet and salty.  Perfectly yummy. Suggestion…buy a large box.

Now for the Five-Bar Bundle.  What is in the Five-Bar Bundle of chocolate goodness?  Bittersweet, Nib, Three Hot Nuts, Cherry Almond and Espresso.  Seriously.  I started with one a day and went from the simple, Bittersweet chocolate bar and worked my way to the more complex.  The Nib chocolate bar is chocked full of gently toasted cacao nibs.  Crunchy, bitter, salty and luscious.  Three Hot Nuts chocolate bar.  How unique!  Spicy, hot, rich and chocolaty.  Pistachios, pine nuts and pepitas are roasted with chipotle and cayenne peppers and topped with chili verde salt.  Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier’s Three Hot Nuts chocolate bar was nominated for Best Chocolate Bar, 2008 Next Generation Chocolatier Awards.  Cherry Almond chocolate bar marries sensuous Michigan cherries with toasted almonds.  Sweet, crunch and chewy all in the same bit.  I kept thinking how good cookies would be with this chocolate bar in them.  Sounds good, doesn’t it? Last but not least was the Espresso Bar chocolate bar.  The Espresso is locally made at Just Coffee Coop in Madison with chunks of espresso beans spread throughout the bar.  What a pick-me-up treat!

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier's Five-Bar Chocolate Bar Bundle

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier never ceases to tantalize all of your taste buds, all of your sense.  When you place your order or are fortunate enough to visit the shop, you will step into another dimension of heaven…

There’s still time to sign up for the Annmarie Kostyk Chocolate Newsletter!  Sign up and receive information and a recipe that no one else will see.  It won’t be posted on the website as I want those dedicated readers to get something special for coming back time and time again.

Divine Chocolate's White Chocolate Bar

The dogs days of summer have once again set their paws upon the city of Chicago.  It is really hot and humid.  I’m really enjoying it, because if you know Chicago weather, it can change at the drop of a hat.  One day int he 70s and the next day we can see snow flurries.  I kid you not.  When I went to the farmer’s market on Sunday, there were still lots of goods to be had by all.  I stocked up on berries as I’m going to start freezing them for the winter.  Once I got them home, I remembered that I had some Divine Chocolate fair Trade White Chocolate stored away for a rainy day.  Hmmm…how about a hot, humid day?  Same emergency!  This recipes is one of my favorites.  I adore mousse.  Not a white chocolate fan?  You will be.  This recipe can be made in a matter of minutes.  I suggest topping this White Chocolate Mousse with any kind of berries.  I like to mix it up to add even more color and dimension.  My niece proclaimed the dessert looked like Christmas.  So it did…  Enjoy, stay cool and enjoy the weather.

White Chocolate Mousse

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
1 pound white chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream

Directions:
Combine sugar and water. Stir until dissolved. Cook unstirred to hard ball stage (255 degrees). Whip egg whites, then slowly add sugar water. Beat in chocolate.  It will partially melt. Cool to lukewarm and fold in whipped cream. Put in one medium serving bowl or 8-10 glass cups depending on size. Chill at least 4 hours.

Serve top with lots of berries and a shake of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream if you’d like.

White Chocolate Mousse

Mayan Indian Art Work

Theobroma cacao is indigenous to Central America as it falls in the cocoa belt which is an area where the chocolate tree prefers to grow and flourish. The cocoa belt falls exactly twenty degrees both north and south of the equator. Theobroma cacao can grow in other areas, but it will not flower. No flowers mean no cocoa pods. It is believed that the cacao has been grown in the country of Belize for over 3,000 years. Actual farming began in the year 250 BCE. Today, cacao is still grown by the Mayan Indians (yes there are still Mayan Indians) in the Toledo area of Belize. Interestingly enough, Hershey’s, a United States company, is working with them along with the United States government for commercial export.

Green and Black's Mayan Gold Chocolate Bar

Green and Black’s, a company of the United Kingdom, was the first to export organic cocoa out of the Belize in 1992. It was the first Free Trade commodity in the United Kingdom. Green and Black’s sold the cocoa under the label of Mayan Black. Since then the growth of cacao has diminished due to lack of government subsidies for cacao, high-cost production, improvement of job opportunities in other sectors and the damaged from Hurricane Iris in 2001 that virtually wiped out Theobroma cacao.

Map of Costa Rica

Another country producing substantial amounts of cacao was Costa Rica. Theobroma cacao was brought to Costa Rica in the 1800s by the Jamaican workers who were working on the railroads and were already successfully growing cacao. Costa Rica already had large crops of banana trees which were perfect cover trees for the Theobroma cacao as the cacao likes to be shaded from direct sunlight. The cacao plantations thrived and cacao farmers prospered. In the 1960s, pod rot hit the entire country of Costa Rica resulting in the loss of 95% of the country’s cacao.

Painting of Theobroma cacao

From the 16^th century through the end of World War I, the farming of Theobroma cacao was dominate in the Caribbean islands. During this time, the islands producing the most cacao were Jamaica, Trinidad and the Windward Islands which include Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines and Grenada. After that time, West Africa took over as the leaders in cocoa production.

Spaniards and Cacao

Theobroma cacao was introduced to the Caribbean islands by the Spanish in the early 16^th century. The Spaniards brought the tree from Venezuela and records indicate that the first planting of Theobroma cacao was in Trinidad. There is a rumor that the British burned a ship to the ground in the late 16^th century thinking the cocoa beans were sheep’s droppings. Oops! At the turn of the 17^th century, Spanish physicians noted the medicinal qualities present in chocolate, many of which are still alive today, and chocolate as medicine was brought into England. Cocoa demand increased.

Raw Cocoa Beans

Venezuela was the largest producer of cacao in the 18^th century. The Caribbean began to increase cacao in both the amount of trees they were growing as well as the amount of cocoa beans they were exporting. Spain tried to prohibit the export of the Venezuelan raw cocoa beans to create a monopoly. From 1728 through 1780, they succeeded. A group of Spanish noblemen controlled the entire Venezuelan crop of cocoa. Cocoa started coming from the Caribbean and other countries, mostly illegally, during this time. Privateers flourished in these years basically taking over control of the cocoa trade which some say lasted until the 18^th century. Pirate ships were seen all over the Caribbean waters making a lucrative living bringing cocoa to Europe. A lot of the ships carrying cocoa were often either seized or burned to gain control of the cocoa trafficking. People wanted their cocoa.

Europeans Drinking Cocoa

Lee McCoy (Photo Courtesy of Chocolate Reviews)

Today we have guest blogger Lee McCoy from the United Kingdom.  Lee has a fantastic blog called Chocolate Reviews also dedicated to the world of chocolate.  He’s just writing from the other side of the vast pond.  I hope you all enjoy his brilliant post and start following not only his blog, but Facebook as well.  You will be happy you did!  Chocolate lovers unite!

America or England? Which Country Is Most Important in the World Of Chocolate?

Let’s talk stereotypes. The British think Americans are big, big in terms of body mass, big cars, big buildings. big attitudes and make terrible chocolate. American’s probably think we’re quaint, easily pushed around and drink tea with one finger pointing to the sky. History proves us English are more adventurous than however.

Walter Churchman

Our first encounter with cocoa beans comes from our raiding of Spanish ships on the way back from the New World in 1579. We did think they were sheep droppings so our involvement with chocolate didn’t start too well. Thankfully we made up ground with Walter Churchman creating the first chocolate bar in 1728 and whose business was eventually taken over by Fry’s in 1761. About this time Bakers started producing chocolate in the States.

Fry's Chocolate

The English continued to revolutionise the chocolate market when Fry’s became the first chocolate company to manufacturer of the highly popular chocolate Easter Eggs. At the same time over in the States, chocolate was also a booming industry as the country had a staggering 69 chocolate manufacturers during the 18th Century [Chocolate: History, Culture  and Heritage]. James F. Gray of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has stated that “chocolate is more American than apple pie” and such a belief rocks the beliefs of many an Anglophile. He contends that chocolate “was a Creole” … invention”. Now, obviously there’s going to be some bias there, but not as much as you may think.

Chocolate

In Britain during the 17th and 18th Centuries chocolate was a preserve of the rich. Prices were higher than in America due to the more expensive transportation costs, the duties charged on cocoa bean imports and the belief of people such as Walter Churchan who stated that his patent on chocolate production should prevent everyone else making chocolate. Also we Brits passed a stupid law that stated that any goods brought to England had to be transported on-board English ships with English sailors. Whilst in America the opposite was true. There was a massive proliferation of chocolate producers due to the absence of excessive import duties, lower transportation costs of the raw ingredients (America was significantly closer to central America and the Caribbean) and a greater supply of chocolate producing machinery.

Map of the Caribbean

But where did all the raw ingredients to make this American chocolate come from? Port records from 1768 to 1773 show that in actual fact 79% of the cocoa imported into America actually came from non-British sources. At this time “British” would have meant the Caribbean Islands under British control, so from that fact alone, our involvement in the production of chocolate is much less than many would have thought given our involvement in the Caribbean slave trade.

Fry's Chocolate Factory

Although there was little or no record of chocolate being imported to the UK from America, Fry still complained that ships from America bringing “very large quantities of Chocolate which is a quality equal to much that is made in England”, thus proving the impact, even then, of American chocolate production.

There’s an interesting juxtaposition between chocolate consumption between England and America too which proved that during the 18th and 19th centuries chocolate had a greater impact on the general populous in America than it did in England as chocolate from America was often used by the lower and middle classes as a morning “pick me up” whilst in England it was used by the upper classes as a sign of decadence – and this class divide still lasts today.

Painting of a Cocoa Plantation

Whereas we Brits were instrumental in the development of many cocoa plantations across the Caribbean, the Spanish and Dutch had a similar involvement in other nations across the Americas and Africa. It would appear that those immigrants into America such as the protestants and Jews escaping persecution, landing in Boston, New York and Philadelphia brought with them an entrepreneurial spirit that had a huge impact in developing chocolate as we know it today.

Cocoa Pods

But the true answer to the question “Which Country Is Most Important in the World Of Chocolate?” is neither America or England. It is every country that produces cocoa. From Côte d’Ivoire with their 37% of world cocoa production to countries such as Bolivia and Colombia which have farmers fighting against the call to produce narcotics and disease to the newer countries such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Malaysia which are struggling hard to get their cocoa in front of chocolate producers and consumers.

Cadbury Chocolate Bar

Even with the shifting production of chocolate into a much wider group of nations America still dominates production in terms of volume and value considering Kraft’s recent purchase of Cadbury, the giant Mars Inc., and the less well-known companies as Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill who do shift some chocolate.

History has shown us that the Brits were producing chocolate earlier than our American cousins, their free-trade ethics and entrepreneurial mind-set let them surpass us in terms of product development. Although the British were largely responsible for the development of cocoa plantations, it has been the Americans that have been hugely successful in the commercialisation of chocolate which can be seen by the global dominance of chocolate confectionery. Even though us Brits prefer to say we are ahead of America in terms of producing more palatable chocolate in the past with

Red Star Chocolate (Photo Courtesy of Red Star Chocolate)

the likes of Divine Chocolate and Green & Blacks, we have very few brands taking the world by storm in the field of fine chocolate. Even though we have a bean-to-bar producers such as Willie Harcourt-Cooze, Red Star Chocolate and Artisan du Chocolat, none of them seem to be getting the woops of joy that the American Amano and Askinosie brands are getting. In fact, for the purpose of this research I tried to rate all the chocolatiers I’ve reviewed. Out of the eleven in the “best” category, there were four French chocolatiers, three American, two Italian, one Swiss and only the one English. That sums it up really.

Now, when can I book a trip and review the rest?

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Chocolate Pastries

Once upon a time in a small house, a penguin and a mouse lived in perfect harmony… How can that be? Have you ever tried any of the luscious chocolates made by L.A. Burdick Chocolate?  If you have, you know what I’m talking about.  If you don’t, you have got to try them.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate French Macarons

L.A. Burdick Chocolate has dedicated their existence to making the finest bonbons, pastries and candy in the United States.  They use only the freshest ingredients from around the world and make their bonbons the old-fashioned, artisan way – they hand-pipe and hand-cut them all.  They use no chocolate molds and no preservatives in their bonbons, pastries and confections.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Harvard Square

Larry Burdick’s philosophy – “I’ve tried to combine a French gastronomic sensibility with Swiss know-how, and American imagination.”  Philosophy received and understood.  I was lucky enough to experience a lovely selection of L.A. Burdick Chocolate bonbons recently and, quite honestly, that was not only the highlight of my day on that particular day, but I planned my day around eating these chocolates in one sitting.  Mission accomplished.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Chocolate Penguins

Let me tell you about some of the magnificent creations L.A. Burdick Chocolate created for me… Our story started out with the penguin and the mouse.  Exquisite little creatures demanding you attention as soon as the box was opened.  The Chocolate Penguin, in all of his glory, was filled with a dark whipped lemon ganache (a huge surprise), his little flippers were made of almonds, and his ensemble was complete with the addition of a dark and white chocolate tuxedo.  He was too cute to eat, but somehow I got over it and ate his mate as well.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Mice

Mice usually travel in a group and this is no exception.  The mice come in dark, milk and white chocolate.  I thought all of the ganaches would be the same, but no!  Another surprise.  The dark mouse was filled with chocolate ganache infused with freshly squeezed orange juice and covered in dark chocolate.  The milk mouse was made up of milk and dark chocolate ganache infused with espresso and covered in milk chocolate. The white mouse, she was my favorite.  She was made of dark chocolate ganache infused with a touch of cinnamon and covered in milk chocolate.  All of their little ears were lovingly crafted from sliced almonds.  A little whimsy was added to the mice.  Mice need a tail after all…a nice, shiny, satin ribbon acted as the tail.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Bonbons

My favorite truffle was the Honey Caramel Truffle.The honey was caramelized with herbs and a splash of vanilla and dusted in cocoa powder.  My taste buds were so happy they couldn’t stand it!  My favorite bonbon was the Richelieu which was a surprise.  I’m usually not a fan of cherries in chocolate, but this was positively sinful!  See top right of the photo to the left.  This bonbon was wrapped up like a present with lines of white chocolate acting as a ribbon and a cherry as a bow.  Inside, milk and dark chocolate ganache  with cherry liquor, cherries and cumin.  Yes, cumin!  Five stars out of four!  Other little bundles of joy in my box included Earl Grey (very nice) made of dark chocolate ganache with Earl Grey tea and just a dab of bergamot, Jaffa (just a hint) dark chocolate ganache whipped with freshly squeezed orange juice, and Pistache (subtle) a white chocolate ganache with pistachios, lavender and Herbs de Provence..

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Marzipan

The nice thing is that although there are nuts used in their shops, you may order boxes of chocolates without nuts or without alcohol.  They are completely accommodating to your needs and glad to do it.

L.A. Burdick Chocolate also offers fantastic chocolate bars, dipped fruits, pastries (including gluten free pastries), nougat (a favorite in my house), marzipan (another huge favorite at my house), hot chocolate and the most precious wedding favors that you’ve ever

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Nougat

seen.  L.A. Burdick Chocolate has three locations and you can shop online, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t indulge in the luxury that only finely crafted, artisan chocolate can bring you. Shop at Walpole, NH, Cambridge, MA or New York, NY.

This is an outstanding muffin recipe not only for breakfast, but for tea or a snack too.  I’ve also used these to make mini-muffins.  A nice schmear of cream cheese, butter or Nutella and you’re good to go for hours!

Chocolate Orange Muffins

Makes 10 large muffins or 15 regular size muffins

Ingredients:
2 medium eating oranges (not juicing), well scrubbed & wiped dry
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 – 3/4 c. fresh juice (from the oranges listed above)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups generously or use foil baking cups.

Finely grated orange peel. Try to take just the orange part. A little white pith will probably adhere. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add the orange peel. Add yogurt, orange juice, baking powder, baking soda and chocolate.  Mix well. Batter will be quite liquid. Sprinkle flour over batter. Fold gently, just enough to blend in the flour. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Fill the cups only 3/4 full since the batter rises.
Bake 15-25 minutes or until golden brown and springy to touch. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Chocolate Orange Muffins

Since there were so many changes needed to the Homemade Oreo Cookie recipe, I just deleted the original recipe and I’m re-posting.  No need to get anyone confused…I surely was!  This is the correct recipe and all of the ingredients are correct and accounted for in this one.  I made them last night and they turned out perfectly.

Once again, you can substitute the Black Cocoa Powder (aka Black Onyx Cocoa Powder) for the regular cocoa powder.  It will make for a more bitter and more authentic Oreo cookie taste.  Hasty Torres informed me that they made Oreos with the black cocoa powder.  Please keep in mind that these are not really Oreos, they just resemble them in looks and taste combination.  These are much better than Oreos and don’t have all of the preservatives and corn syrup.  You may order Black Cocoa Powder throughout the United States, albeit from a limited selection of stores.  It seems impossible to locate in the UK, limited places in France have it, but it is available in Spain I am told.  In the United States, you may order it from the Savory Spice Shop and King Arthur Flour.  King Arthur Flour will ship internationally, but they are frequently out of Black Cocoa Powder.  Don’t get discouraged though!  They always get it back in stock.

Again, under-cooking these cookies make them more like Whoppie Pies and cooking until crisp makes them more like Oreos.  Enjoy!

Black Cocoa Powder (aka Black Onyx Powder)

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Cookie:
125g ( 4 oz / 1/2 cup), unsalted butter
1/3 cup (40 g / 1 1/4 oz) powdered sugar
2/3 cup (85 g / 3oz) plain flour ( all purpose flour)
1/2 cup (60g / 2 oz ) self raising flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (may use Black Cocoa Powder)

For “Garnish” (Optional):
2/3 cup chocolate sprinkles
2 teaspoon powdered sugar to dust

For the Vanilla Cream:
75g (2 1/2 oz/ 1/3 cup) unsalted butter
2/3 cup(85 g/ 3 oz) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F/Gas 4) Line a 32 x 28 cm( 13×11 inch) baking tray with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light creamy. Using metal spoon, fold in the sifted flours and cocoa and mix to a soft dough. Roll 2 tsp of  dough into balls,using the base of a glass,press into 4 cm ( 1 1/2 inch) rounds. Place on the prepared tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

For the Vanilla Cream:
To make vanilla cream,using electric beaters,beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add vanilla essence and beat until well combined.
To assemble the biscuits, spread one biscuit with vanilla cream and place another on top to sandwich together. Using a flat- bladed knife,spread vanilla cream around join.

Optional: Place chocolate sprinkles on a plate and roll each biscuit on the side to coat the join.Dust the icing sugar

Assemble Directions:
Spread the bottom of one biscuit with the vanilla cream and press together.
Roll the assembled biscuit in chocolate sprinkles making sure the join is well covered.

Storage: Store for up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

There will be a re-post of the Homemade Oreo cookies later this week in its correct form.  The blogger who posted it got a lot of it wrong and needed to redo the recipe.  That’s what I get for relying on a recipe and not testing it myself before hand.  It sounded so close to my lost version of Homemade Oreo Cookies that I thought it was okay.  Sorry my friendly readers!

20th Century Chocolate Pot

Today, we are continuing with last week’s lesson on chocolate pots.  Today we are heading into the 20th century and we will be exploring Europe and North America.

Most of the chocolate pots from the 20th century were manufactured in the years between 1900 and 1949.  During this short period, there are many changes in design in chocolate pots.  Floral designs were still popular, but more companies started using specific species of flowers on their chocolate pots.  Scenic designs also became popular depicting people, animals and geisha.  The color palate also became more diverse offering very bright and vivid colors as well as subdued colors.

20th Century Chocolate Pot

Each country began to show their specific style in chocolate pots.  The Germans were bigger at the top and were more rounded towards the top.  The handles were more elaborate and were often gilded in gold.  Silver was used less and less as it became more expensive to use and own.  Porcelain was less expensive, so that was the material of choice.  The Germans still preferred the old-fashioned floral motif with roses being the prominent flower in their designs.

20th Century Chocolate Pot

The French continued making chocolate pots that were big and round at the bottom.  They were mostly white, the color palate was subdued and the design consisted of small clusters of flowers scattered throughout the design or it would depict a scene on one or two side of the chocolate pot.  Gold was used, but mostly as an accent.

England manufactured a huge variety of chocolate pots during this time period.  They made chocolate pots out of copper, pewter, silver and porcelain.  English chocolate pots were shorter than those found in other countries, but they still manufacturer some tall designs.  The metal pots were all very simple and plain.  The porcelain chocolate pots found in England depicted a vast number of subjects including flowers, animals and landscapes.

20th Century Chocolate Set

The Japanese pots, once again, were not used all that much in Japan.  Instead, they were exported to North America and Europe.  They were wide at the top and the bottom and skinny in the middle – more of an hourglass shape.  The Japanese used the chocolate pots almost like a canvas and depicted flowers, animals (both real and mythological), landscapes and people (mostly geisha).

Americans made all sorts of shapes and sizes of chocolate pots.  Some were short and some were tall, but most all of them were made from silver or pewter.  The silver and pewter chocolate pots were very simple in design and were usually not decorated at all.  They were few porcelain chocolate pots manufactured in

19th Century Silver Chocolate Pot (center & just because it's magnificent!)

America during this time.  Some of the chocolate pots made in America during this time reverted back to the original chocolate pot design where the handle was 90 degrees from the pouring spout.  They were the only country making chocolate pots during this time in this way.  Americans also designed a line of chocolate pots specifically for use in hotels and on board trains.

There are few chocolate pots remaining from this time period.  Mostly because there were not many manufacturer in this era.  It is thought that less chocolate pots were produced since it was more fashionable to drink tea and coffee.  Drinking chocolate was considered passe.  Since there has been a growing interest in chocolate, drinking chocolate (both hot and cold) have seen a resurgence.  Perhaps the idea of the chocolate pot will again became all the rage.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3 drops peppermint oil

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk,sugar and salt.  Heat over medium-low heat. When mixture just begins to steam, add the chopped chocolate. Stir until melted. Stir in peppermint oil.  Divide the hot chocolate among mugs.

Optional: whipped cream, chocolate shavings, a sprig of mint and over the holidays a candy cane!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Homemade Marshmallows

Makes 20

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2/3 cup of water
2 packets of unflavored gelatin (about 2 tablespoons)
1 egg white

Directions:
In a small saute pan, heat sugar, vanilla, corn syrup and 1/3 cup of water on high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then stop stirring. Heat the mixture until it reaches 240 degrees using a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes.

While the mixture is heating, dissolve the gelatin into the remaining 1/3 cup of water. Also, in a large mixing bowl, whip the egg white to soft peaks.

Once the mixture has reached 240 degrees, pour it into the gelatin and water (you can do this in a medium-sized, heatproof bowl) and stir to combine. Allow to cool for about 3-4 minutes, and then pour the gelatin/sugar mixture in a slow stream into the whipped egg white, whipping constantly to incorporate. (This is pretty much impossible to do by hand, you need a hand mixer or a stand mixer, because the gelatin will start to set and get really stiff and difficult to whip).

Whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. Pour into a prepared tray lined with parchment paper or powdered sugar, and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Remove from the fridge and cut the marshmallows into squares (or other shapes).

Roll them in powdered sugar, if desired, and serve! You can also dip them into chocolate for a wonderful treat or use them for chocolate fondue!

Homemade Marshmallows

Again, I apologize for the lack of posts this week.  I’ve started a 9-5 job in addition t my writing and I’m trying to get on a schedule.  You’ll see more posts, although not daily, in the future.

A friend pointed out that the cocoa was omitted from the Homemade Oreo Cookie recipe.  I went back and checked the blog that I found it on and she forgot to list the cocoa.  It was very un-chocolate goddess of me to not notice the omission.  The recipe has been updated and is good to go.  My friend also asked if you could substitute Black Cocoa Powder (aka Black Onyx Cocoa Powder).  Indeed, you could.  In fact, Madame Chocolat (aka Hasty Torres) told me that Black Cocoa Powder is what type of cocoa powder used to make the real Oreo cookies.  Who knew?

Today’s guest blogger is Marc Lieberman of Mink Chocolates in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. You may follow Mink Chocolates on Twitter and Facebook.  Mink Chocolates also has a blog to follow too!

What does it all mean?

by Marc Lieberman of Mink Chocolates

Well into my vacation, I dream that instead of putting the nightly
deposits in the safe, Ben puts five bags of cash in the milk chocolate
ganache and all the deposit slips and till tapes in the dark chocolate
ganache. All the while the machines are spinning and everyone is
oblivious to the shredded bits of banknotes floating in their fondues.

Mink Chocolates (The Greyhound. Same as the cocktail. Fresh zest of grapefruit and vodka in dark chocolate ganache enrobed in dark chocolate.)

He rationalizes it as the equivalent of putting the family heirlooms in
the cereal box because the home invader would never think to look
there. I wake up fretting about whether or not that tactic is food safe.

I tell the story over breakfast to my wife who is trying to feed our 2-1/2
year old. Levi gets to pour a glass of water onto his make believe
rock garden every time he eats a big spoonful of Cheerios. Picking
her battles, my wife is convinced she’s won this one. Between
shoveling processed oats into his mouth, and trying to feed herself, I
ask her if she thinks the dream is indicative of my constant state of
worry that the chocolate shop will be in disarray when we get back to
town.

Mink Chocolates (A bite sized s'more. Marshmallow and Rice Krispy square topped with chocolate ganache.)

She thinks it’s simple; there was too much MSG in the previous
night’s Chinese takeout.

Convinced I’ve foretold a variation of some sort of calamity, I send
Ben a text. “How’s it going?” I’m nothing if not succinct. He’s slow to
reply, which is disconcerting because like all my staff, their iPhones
are in their aprons, set to vibrate, and always at the ready. I assume
the Café has either burnt down, or Ben’s leading a staff retreat at the
Lions Pub.

Mink Chocolates's Chocolate Bars

Soon my BlackBerry plays the opening refrain to the James Bond
Theme, the song I’ve set as Ben’s alert. I like to think of him as an
operative and me as the mysterious benevolent chocolate dictator,
and all our communiqués are top secret. “May I speak?” is his cryptic
text that lets me know he can chat on the phone if I’m available. I call
him up.

We exchange hi, how are you’s, then he’s all business.

Mink Chocolates's Traditional Chocolate Gift Box

“Things are quite good”, he says, “people still want to eat chocolate
even if you’re not here”.

I get the numbers, all the phone messages, and updates on various
staff drama, and am temporarily reassured.

“Cohen’s taken it upon himself to make a merchandising statement in
honor of Pride weekend, using only the Queen Cake chocolate bar”,
Ben tells me, trying to contain his laughter. “You’ll definitely have to
put it into production when you get back”.

Mink Chocolates's (The traditional yellow Wellington rubber boots signifies lemon. A big hit of fresh citrus zest in a milk chocolate ganache enrobed in dark chocolate.)

Queen Cake is Mink’s 70% dark chocolate bar hand filled with
marzipan. It’s my take on some versions of king cake eaten during
the carnival season in the South. Didn’t think of it at the time, but I
guess the cross promotion is self evident.

Ben and I hang up. I’m home in a couple of days. They’ve managed
without me, and done quite well actually, so at my wife’s behest, I’m
going to try and chill the rest of the trip.

I hit the pool. I’m trying to finish Candy Freak by Steve Almond, billed
as a journey through the chocolate underbelly of America. I started
the paperback just after Christmas, when the hysteria of the biggest
chocolate season of the year slowly wound down, but put it aside as
both the 2010 Winter Olympics and the start of construction on the
new Mink A Chocolate Café retail outlet at Morgan Crossing was
getting underway.

I pick it up at the bookmark. Two pages into this candy porn
confessional, and I’m fast asleep. I dream that everyone in the Café
is eating my chocolate bars like Big Walter Horton playing the
harmonica, sliding them from side to side. Ben’s playing boogie
woogie blues on an old upright piano. The keyboard not only makes
music, it can send text messages. I learn the deposit is in the safe.
It’s easier to sleep when there’s nothing to worry about.

Mink Chocolates's Bonbons

I have added a job on top of all of the writing I do, so please bear with me this week until I get on a schedule.  I’ll either be posting early in the morning or after dinner.

I’ve got some news for you in the world of chocolate!  First, the world of the commodity trader.  Recent cocoa bean price volatility is due in large part to hedge funds attracted by quick returns taking short-term positions on the commodity, according to a leading analyst. This market has always been pretty volatile.  Traders are calling for increased regulations, but considering Theobroma cacao is grown in developing countries I don’t see that happening.

North Carolina based Nahualli Trading Company, which produces a product comprising shelled cocoa beans covered in dark chocolate, has begun sourcing its beans from Fonmsoeam – an association of certified organic cocoa farmers in Ecuador’s Esmeraldas Province. The company claims that by avoiding using an intermediary and paying a wage above prices identified by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) for organic cocoa beans, it secures a better type of bean for its product.

Paul Mosca said that by going directly to the farmer and not through a broker, the manufacturer can build a relationship and ensure it receives high quality beans. “We buy our beans from just a few farms, and although we place multiple orders in a year, just one order could pay for a farmer’s entire annual salary. And buying direct from the farmer is key to the product and to our customers,” he said.  More and more chocolatiers and confectioners are starting to go this route.

Today’s recipe is for Chocolate Mint Squares. Anyone a fan of the Marshall Field’s Frango Mints?  I love them.  If you love Frango Mints, you’ll love these!

Chocolate Mint Squares

Serves 12

Ingredients:
For the Cookie Layer:
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup flour

For the Mint Filling:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
a few drops of green food coloring (optional)

For the Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
For the Cookie Layer:
Melt chocolate and butter over hot water. In bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until thick. Add nuts, flour and chocolate-butter mixture. Stir until smooth. Pour batter in buttered 9″ square pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Let cool.

For the Mint Filling:
Beat together all the ingredients until smooth. Add a few drops of green food coloring, if desired. Spread over cookie layer.  Cover and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

For the Chocolate Glaze:
Melt together all ingredients over hot water. Drizzle over mint topping. Cover and chill again until firm. Cut into bite size squares to serve.

Chocolate Mint Squares

Mayan Chocolate Pot

Today we’re going to learn about chocolate pots and we also have a lovely recipe for some European Hot Chocolate from Michael Recchiui Confections.  We have all heard of tea pots and coffee pots, but how many people have heard of the chocolate pot?  The chocolate pot is used to serve hot chocolate from.  The chocolate pot isn’t a modern day concept.  In fact, chocolate pots were first seen during the times of the ancients Mayans, but not again until the mid-17th century.  The earliest chocolate pots found in England date to this time.  The chocolate pots were primarily silver.  They were decorated around the top and base with a raised design and the family crest was often stamped into the side.  To be able to differentiate between a silver tea pot and the chocolate pot, the chocolate pot had a wooden handle and was angled at 90 degrees from the pouring spout.  One didn’t want to serve tea from the chocolate pot and vice versa.

English Chocolate Pot

Dutch Chocolate Pot

During the 19th century, when chocolate became more readily available to the masses, chocolate pots changed in look, design and materials.  The chocolate pots were still made of silver, but more frequently they were made from copper, china and porcelain. Floral decorations with roses became especially popular.  European porcelain chocolate pots became larger and more detailed.  In the 19th century, the shape of the chocolate pot changed in Germany and the new design followed in France.  The French took the design on step further and made the chocolate pots slimmer and taller than the German version.

French Chocolate Pot

Japanese Chocolate Pot

Although Japan did not consume much in the way of chocolate compared to other countries, the Japanese were responsible for making a lot of the porcelain chocolate pots for North America and Europe.  The styles, shapes and patterns were all similar with a floral motif.  The only difference was the flowers from Japan were more open and spread out.  They resembled Asian paintings.  The chocolate pots manufactured in Japan tended to be slender like those previously made in France, but they had a simpler handle.  Often times the design was created for a more three dimensional effect with raised surfaces called moriage.

German Chocolate Pot

American Chocolate Pot

American made chocolate pots did not start showing up until after 1850.  Metal chocolate pots were still found all over America and Europe, but the porcelain became more popular.  North American chocolate pots were decorated more simply than those of Europe with the floral motifs covering only part of the pots and the colors being more muted.

More about 20th century chocolate pots next week and a recipe for homemade marshmallows.

Recchiuti Confections European Hot Chocolate

Serves 2

Ingredients:
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
6 ounces water, boiling

Flavorings (choose one)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chile powder

Spirits (choose one)
1 1/2 ounces single malt scotch
1 1/2 ounces eau de vie
1 1/2 ounces apple brandy

Garnishes (choose one)
loose whipped cream
crème fraîche flavored with vanilla
cinnamon sticks
Marshmallows

Directions:
In a small saucepan, pour the boiling water over the chocolate. Add any flavorings or spirits to the mixture now. The amounts listed are recommendations only…you can use as much, as little or any combination to suit your tastes.

Using an immersion blender, mix until the chocolate have completely melted and a foamy froth has developed. You may also use a whisk, but the hot chocolate will not be as frothy.
Pour into serving cups and garnish.

You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe if you’re entertaining a large group. Simply make the hot chocolate base and keep it warm in a double boiler. For a super-fast, super-frothy individual serving, I suggest using the steam wand on an espresso maker.

Rather than making it with milk, European way to make a rich, creamy cup of hot chocolate by stirring in a dollop of loose whipped cream.

European Hot Chocolate (Photo Courtesy of Recchiuti Confections)