The Gourmet Cupboard

There are several styles of Chocolate Wine readily available in different alcohol levels, making use of various production techniques. Every has it’s area on the rack. There’s some credibility in the concept of a chocolate wine grouping. Analysis has shown about a dozen distinctive samples of chocolate wines based on a variety of characters.

There appears to be two primary varieties of chocolate wine and inside those two varieties there is an assortment of flavor profiles and kinds. The two basic chocolate wine varieties are cream based and non-cream derived. So far, there are 4 non-cream based products and 4 cream-based brands. Chocolate shop, choco dman, choco X and Ficklin are all non-cream products. Cocoa Vino, Chocolate Shop, Cocoa di Vine and ChocoVine are all cream-based brands.

Non-cream based brands of chocolate wine are primarily wine infused with chocolate flavors. They are usually translucent and have a viscosity a little bit heavier than the wine that it is created with. These wines are at the same time more commonly come from the vineyard that makes the wine. In other words a different brand name offering from an individual winery, yet in the chocolate wine market.

Cream based brands are more noticeable in the wine bottle. They often tend to be “chocolate milk” looking in nature and are clearly not translucent. Such brands usually tend to stand on there own and there are plenty of flavor varieties to be found depending on the vendor. Cocoa Di Vine, Chocolate shop, ChocoVino and Cocoa Vino are all chocolate wines made up with cream.

Tasting these chocolate wines was a suprise. They were actually very good and generally the quality was very good.

It seems that these wines are not named correctly. Calling them wine (strictly from the measure of alcohol) is a mis-nomer. The wine aficionado is not the one who will most likely tend towards this type of alcohol beverage. Even though once they try a good one, they will turn into a supporter. Nevertheless these wines are unmistakably just not a stand-in for a glass of conventional wine. Chocolate wine tends to be a soon after dinner aperitif, and might be served cool or warm. The routine technique for their use would certainly be that of Baileys Irish cream or Kahulua.

At first glance, vegan chocolate might seem like an impossible fantasy. Can you steer clear of all animal products while still enjoying the luscious flavour of chocolate? Whether you want the vegan chocolate for yourself or a friend, or whether you’re strictly vegan or just trying to avoid dairy products, you’d love to get your hands and tastebuds onto vegan chocolate. Is vegan chocolate possible? Or do vegans forever have to put up with ersatz carob substitutes while others enjoy the delights of true chocolate?

Producing vegan chocolate is easier than you think. You have to remember that although we’re used to seeing and tasting chocolate that has had milk or dairy products added to it, chocolate does not come from a cow (or even a goat). Chocolate is made from substances derived from the seed of the Theobroma cacao tree, known as the cocoa bean. The primary ingredients that go into chocolate – cocoa solids and cocoa butter – both come from a plant source, which is good news for vegans. Most vegan chocolate is dark chocolate: the type of chocolate with 70% plus cocoa solids. This is because vegan chocolate is usually dark chocolate, and it’s only the light coloured (milk chocolate and white chocolate) varieties that have to contain milk. Looking at the label of a 72% cocoa solids block of dark chocolate, the ingredient list contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, soya lecithin and vanilla.. Each of these ingredients passes the vegan test – they’re all from plants – this is vegan chocolate, all right. Read the label if you’re not certain, but most dark chocolate is likely to be vegan chocolate.

Many people are getting very interested in vegan chocolate (a.k.a. dark chocolate) because it is rich in antioxidants, and also contains a large number of trace elements, some of which are hard to find in other dietary sources, especially selenium. Nobody should go overboard and binge on any sort of chocolate, vegan chocolate or not, but eating around 50 g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or more) has a number of health benefits: lowering stress, boosting the immune system and supplying the body with good nutrients. Anecdotal evidence also hints that eating small amounts of dark chocolate can help you lose weight, as dark chocolate has a high “satiety index”, meaning that eating a little of it makes you feel full and satisfied, so you don’t go and eat large quantities of other food.

It’s also possible to find fair trade vegan chocolate and organic vegan chocolate.

You can also enjoy using chocolate in other vegan foods, including baking, by using ordinary cocoa powder. A very easy recipe for vegan chocolate cake that is so simple that children can cook it is given below:

1 ½ cups flour.

1 cup sugar.

1 t baking soda.

¼ t salt.

3 T cocoa powder.

6 T vegetable oil (not olive oil – the flavour is too strong).

1 T vinegar.

1 t vanilla.

1 cup water.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Scoop three holes in the mixture, one large and two small. Fill the largest hole with the oil, and put the vinegar and vanilla separately into the other two holes. Pour in the water over the entire mixture and stir well to make a smooth batter. Place into a greased cake tin and bake at 170°C for 30-40 minutes. For variation, cinnamon and/or sultanas can be added to the dry ingredients.

To find delicous vegan chocolate treats and gifts or to ask more about vegan chocolate, visit Luna Mare Vegan Chocolate. (Click now to get SEO for real readers, not robots, using Semantic Writing by Rick Rakauskas)

It is indeed a wonder how the taste of wine can be different when paired with certain foods. When having wine with a meal most people only consider the wine pairing of the main course. They completely overlook pairing a great wine with their dessert dishes. Wines are great with cheeses and dessert dishes and can give the meal a new direction.

When serving wine with cheese, present your guests with a beautiful array of cheeses. French cheeses that range from the very mild to the extremely pungent can be paired with most wines. Start with the mildest cheese and graduate to the stronger varieties. The Camembert is a great beginning and goes extremely well with Champagne. Brie is an excellent creamy and mellow cheese that goes great with a young red wine. If you are serving a Beaujolais try the Morbier and the Bucheron, an aged and pungent goat cheese, paired with Pouilly Fume or the robust Bordeaux.

For dessert pairings it will take a bit of planning but you can pair wines with most any desserts. Crème Brulee, for instance goes well with a crisp Pinot Gris. This will bring the meal to an end on a mellow note. The character that is brought out in the Pinot Gris when it is paired with this dessert will blow you away.

What is not to like about chocolate cake. Pair your favorite chocolate cake with a hearty Port wine. Vintage port is a fine way to end a meal by itself but when paired with chocolate cake the meal ends in orgasmic culinary delight. It may be a bit much for hot summers but this is one dessert and wine pairing that can really make a statement during the cold of winter.

For those who want something light and tasty pair Champagne with a berry dessert. A simple berry tart becomes a dessert fit for royalty when paired with Champagne. This is a simple, yet elegant end to a fantastic spring or summer time meal. If you really want to go for a classic dessert fresh strawberries in cream will do nicely paired with Champagne. Melons are also a perfect match with Champagne.

Finally, for a taste treat that is a tad on the adventurous side pair a fine Madeira with a dessert like vanilla ice cream with caramel topping. Serve the Madeira at or near room temperature for optimal effect.

Mr. Lindle is a wine broker and a wine aficionado. When he buys wine, he makes sure to always a buy wine online at his favorite stores.

While eating and drinking for pleasure, chocolate must surely top the list as a comfort food. Chocolate can be used for cooking as well as baking, although not all types of chocolate are ideal for use in your kitchen. Some of the most scrumptious desserts on this planet are made out of chocolate, but cooking using chocolate can be probably the most demanding as well.

Just before aiming to cook with chocolate, know several of the basics associated with it, for cooking success! The Process of cooking chocolate comes from the seed of the cacao tree. It is use for cooking has a lot more cocoa butter, about fifty to fifty eight percent concentration, as opposed to chocolate bars sold in shops.

Generally known as baking chocolate, bitter, or unsweetened chocolate, this sort is actually produced from a hardened chocolate liquor. The cacao beans are ground and liquefied until it becomes the liquor. The fluid is then put into molds of bars and permitted to solidify. It is then packaged and offered as the unsweetened dark form. Baking or unsweetened chocolate is what is employed for making desserts, brownies, and frosting, and is the chocolate of choice for the majority of skilled chefs and chocolate masters.

Nonetheless, for the people looking for sweet versions, you will discover variants to the unsweetened selection.

Melting chocolate only a few minutes to melt, as you may have experienced when leaving a bar out in the vehicle on a scorching day. But shifting it from solid to a velvety liquid, that looks even just about throughout, devoid of ugly clumps, may be a more difficult task.

Melting flawlessly as well as equally requires your full attention. Generally, chocolate melts at a comparable degree as your regular body temperature. Heating it too high will separate the cocoa butter, rendering unwanted clumps, or perhaps, you’ll burn it. Expert bakers use a candy thermometer in order to dissolve it accurately, heating dark chocolate to about 100°F to 120°F and melting white chocolate only 115°F.

Semi-sweet or bittersweet, what’s the difference? Whenever sugar, vanilla, and lecithin are included with the unsweetened chocolate, it becomes bittersweet, semisweet or sweetened the type, according to just how much sugar has been added.

Where you are from also has something to do with the various components, there are completely different requirements for the amount of chocolate liquor necessary for the sweetened types. According to Manufacturers’ Association inside U.S., semisweet sorts has to come with 15 to 35 percent cocoa liquor, while bittersweet types must include at the least 35 percent chocolate liquor.

Except the recipe clearly states that you need “sweetened,” “bittersweet” or “semisweet,” the default chocolate that most quality recipes use is the unsweetened baking chocolate. Otherwise, you can damage the recipe since sugar is often included separately, along with a decreased percentage of chocolate liquor inside the sweetened types. This might otherwise possess significantly less pleasing taste, which no true chocolate lover wants.

Guilt-free chocolate desserts doesn’t mean that after you acquire unsweetened over the sweetened variety, that your dessert is more healthy. Do not forget that to sweeten the dessert, you’ll still include sugar in the over-all recipe! You’ll find other possibilities, called diabetic chocolate or sugar free chocoloate, for many who desire to observe their sugar yet still crave that sweet flavor. Of course, many individuals still want the super rich, heavenly dessert bar recipes for their cooking, and other decadent favorites!

For people who have a real passion for cooking with chocolate, there are people who this as a career, they are known as master chocolatiers. Many master chocolatiers begin as a pastry chef, very commonly attending a chef career school, but that is not a manditory requirement. There are also specific schools designed for the sole purpose of attaining the level of a master chocolatier. To these rare individuals, chocolate is a true form of art.

Copyright © 2011 Monica Shah

Most people love chocolate but have never tried the raw food where chocolate comes from: cacao beans. People around the world have treasured cacao beans for centuries – in ancient cultures it was used as a currency. Today you can find it in the raw food section of your local health food store. It comes labeled as whole cacao beans, cacao nibs (crushed beans) and raw cacao powder (powdered cacao beans).

And with the dairy and sugar out of the way, you can enjoy raw chocolate without guilt for so many reasons. Below are four reasons to use raw chocolate.

First, the magnesium in raw chocolate supports your heart. Magnesium helps decrease blood coagulation, thus helping to lower blood pressure and helping the heart to beat efficiently.

Second it helps you stay young. Cacao beans contain high amounts of antioxidants comparable to the levels in green tea and red wine. Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals, major culprits in the aging process.

Third, it helps you focus. Cacao beans can contain up to 2.2% Phenylethylamine (PEA). PEA increases the activity of neurotransmitters in your brain, helping you to stay focused, alert and captivated – like when you are reading a really good book.

Fourth, it creates bliss (yes, every chocolate fan knows this one). Cacao beans contain Anandamide. Anandamide is called the “bliss chemical” because it is released when we are feeling great.

And finally, plain and simple: raw chocolate makes you happy. Raw chocolate is a great source of serotonin, phenylethylamine and dopamine, three neurotransmitters that help alleviate depression and promote feelings of well-being.

Chocolate is healthiest if it is dark with less added dairy products and refined sugars. Raw cacao beans have no added dairy or sugar so they are clearly the best option.

So how do you eat these precious beans? Well, cacao beans can be a little bitter to the raw chocolate newbie. So it is best to combine them with something sweet such as raisins. A great snack idea is a trail mix with raisins, cacao nibs (crushed beans), and your choice of nuts. Or make a chocolate smoothie by throwing them in your blender with milk, soy milk, almond milk or yogurt and your favorite sweetener. A 1.4 ounce serving of chocolate has about as much caffeine as one cup of decaffeinated coffee, so you don’t have to worry too much about the caffeine. But do be careful, I once overdosed on some raw chocolate goodies and was up until three in the morning. To get you started, my favorite raw chocolate recipe is below: a healthy version of my most coveted ‘unhealthy’ treat, peanut butter cups. Enjoy it. I know that I do.

Ideal Balance founded in 2006 to help busy professionals find simple ways to eat healthy, exercise consistently, and find peace and balance in their lives. She conducts nutrition and health coaching, live workshops and various events in New York City and San Francisco.

Monica Shah helps busy professional women with weight loss and healthy living by giving them simple steps that work no matter how busy they are. Monica put all of her secrets on her “fast track to weight loss and healthy living” MP3. To get the free MP3, please go to
http://ow.ly/3NPQ2

Precious Provisions was started in the late summer of 2001 as the result of a trip to New York City and Brooklyn in which two of our founding members were shown great hospitality and generosity by friends and relatives who were, and are, strong members of the Caribbean community there. Since then, we have received much encouragement from friends and customers alike for our long-term commitment to bring fresh Grade #1 Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee products to this country and the world at fair prices and a fixed shipping cost.

We pride ourselves in not only bringing the freshest and best grade of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee possible to our customers in the southwestern U.S. and over the web, but also in our relationship with those customers. To us at Precious Provisions Food Imports, providing personalized customer service and maintaining a strong, long-term relationship with our customers, and everyone we do business with is the real bottom line. As such, all of our members at Precious Provisions constantly strive to find ways of bringing a more positive coffee experience to our customers.

In our search to provide our customers the best possible Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee products, we have sought out the best suppliers of the best beans in Jamaica, as well as contracted with several of the most talented roasters of this coffee in Jamaica, the U.S. and Canada.

PreciousProvisions.com- 100% Pure Blue Mountain Jamaican Coffee, Oaxacan Chocolates, Fine Teas and Gifts! Free Shipping on Orders over $99! Click here!

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Vosges Haut-Chocolat mission is to create a luxury chocolate experience rooted in a sensory journey of bringing about awareness to indigenous cultures through the exploration of spices, herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, nuts, chocolate and the obscure.

Owner/Chocolatier, Katrina Markoff, personally chooses every spice, flower and chocolate that is flown into our Chicago kitchen.

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