The Chocolate Thread

“I just had a warm chocolate chip cookie. :)”

“i gotta go to the store now”

“I'm baking tomorrow.

Now I need hot chocolate chip cookies to follow the biscuits and gravy I intend to have for brunch.

10 mile trail run to follow on Monday. ;)”

“I dunno.....   When I find some I'll just take a tiny bite at first and see what happens!     < G >”

“oooooooooo, brave!”

“You'll know halfway through that first bite.”

“I get the Lindt chili chocolate at Target.

It is good, just a hint of heat in it.

My comfort level though is with 80% cacao.”

“I LOVE chili and chocolate...mmmmm...”

“Bias!!   LOL

My Food Bravado was tempered by a blowout the day after Titanium Chef III.   Now, I'm not pointing any fingers, but.....   I employ more caution with unfamiliar food on the trail than I used to,   LMAO

”

“When we went to the CHarleston Aquarium a few months ago, I picked up a chocolate sampler, and one of the flavors was called "Aztec," with a very nice, very warm chili finish. I'll have to find the the package though, to tell you the name. I'll definitely be ordering this stuff!”

“Lake Champlain chocolates, by the way. I definitely want to get more of their chocolates.”

“This always reminds me of the Frugal Gourmet and his Chocolatl recipe.....   Chicken stock, cocoa powder, chili powder, other spices....   no sugar!

”

“Reminds me of the Hot Chocolate with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream floating in it, smothered with Amaretto that I had last night..

'32oz”

“Mmmm, not cocoa with Irish cream and some vanilla ice cream...total overload!”

“Y'all are killin' me.”

“Once in a while I'll make some hot chocolate with a heavy dose of straight cocoa and just a tiny bit of sugar so it's really not sweet at all.   I just keep 1% milk in the house so I'll *accidentally* spill a couple of tablespoons of whipping cream in there.

Anyway, I use that to wash down the fresh Krispy Kremes.   The sugar balances out just right.

”

“Hey Spindle,

Guess what is sitting on the table in front of me.. Yup, a BIG mug of hot chocolate with TWO scoops of vanilla ice cream...

Here goes the Amaretto...... Hmmmmm Not quite enough.. A little more... Yup.. perfect...

'32oz”

“a brick of dense fudge coated in double chocolate frosting drizzled with warmed dark chocolate syrup dusted in cocoa powder all piled on a crusty brownie base

i just made that craziness up”

“32oz, I hope that goes right to your @ss.

Hateful man.”

“I've never put ice cream in hot chocolate, but some years ago (12+?) Haagen-Dasz made a cappuccino flavor....   and a heaping tablespoon of that in a demitasse of espresso would knock your socks off.”

“Anyone heard of the Xocai healthy chocolate?
I swap out my Ionic Foot Bath treatments and get the Chocolate for payment and it's the best out there.”

“ate at the melting pot(fondue restaurant) for the first time this weekend...wow, not only was the chocolate fondue great but the assortment of things they had to dip in it was great too...one of them was a oreo crusted marshmallow...a;slhdfoawhoawhao;graiu”

“I'm trying to remember the recipe.... I think it was basically Toblerone, heavy cream and smidge of brandy.

Fresh fruit is double deadly.   Apple slices, strawberries.... Blackberries, raspberries, kiwi etc. are fantastic but they're too fragile for dipping, so we'd just put some on a plate and spoon the melted Toblerone over them.

A semisweet chocolate fondue could be an interesting experiment.....

”

“they had one with peanut butter in it but i was the only peanut butter lover at the table...i'll have to go back just for that”

“HMMmmmm ----- chocolate & peanut butter....   That could work!”

“chocolate with peanut butter is overrated.”

“That's downright unamerican!”

“I didn't say it wasn't good, just overrated. I'm more of a chocolate with mint fan.”

“ok I am trying something new tonight... before i drop the vanilla ice cream into the hot cocoa, i am going to put a almond joy into the cup. I figure the almonds will complement the amaretta quite nicely.

Spindle, I'll let you know how it turns out...

'32oz”

“Evil incarnate.

Almond joys are my most fav cheap candy ever. Not sure how the coconut will contribute to the texture mix there.

Remind me to kick you in the shins. Thanks.”

“i too thought about the texture imbalance caused by the coconut..

what to do?
what to do?

answer: jimmies.... sprinkled sparingly over the amaretta topped ice cream...

oh my....

'32oz”

“Explore your dark side, you might win $5000...

http://www.chocolateadventurecontest.com/

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker and Tutti Foodie present the second annual Chocolate Adventure Recipe Contest. We invite you to channel your chocolate inspiration and invent something new and delicious. You just might win $5000 for your sweet, savory or beverage recipe.

Each recipe must call for Scharffen Berger® chocolate—containing anywhere from 41% to 99% cacao—and at least one adventure ingredient from our list. You can melt, blend, swirl, frappé, roast, toast, sauté—do whatever inspires you. We’ll be judging your creations based on creativity, taste, ease of preparation and whether the recipe reflects a spirit of adventure. All entries must be received by Jan. 4, 2009. See the Official Contest Rules for details.

Here's an extra incentive to get cooking: now through December 1, 2008 enter "TFCAC8" into the Key Code field at the top of your shopping basket at scharffenberger.com and get a 15% discount on your entire order!


"Adventure Ingredients"

Basil (Thai, Japanese, or garden Basil)
Mango
Mustard seeds
Plantain
Coriander
Jicama
Black sesame seeds
Tapioca pearls (any size)
Black or pink peppercorns
Tamarind (or tamarind paste)
Chili pepper (fresh or whole dried)
Cacao nibs
Coconut milk
Popping candy (unflavored or flavored)
Kaffir lime leaf
Wattleseed
Matcha tea
Palm sugar


Last year's Winner:   Scharffen Berger Chocolate Wasabi Pom-Poms

”

“Those sound good.

I just tried a recipe I found online for "dense hot cocoa." If you follow the recipe, it's thick hot chocolate pudding. If you halve the amount of corn starch, it's slurpable and wonderful.

2 tablespoons high quality cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 cups milk
any additional flavorings of your choice.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Start warming the milk over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir in the dry ingredients and whisk until completely incorporated. Stir continuously and bring to a boil. This usually brings it to a good consistency but cook it a little longer if you want a thicker consistency. Remove from heat and whisk vigorously to smoothe out any lumps. Add vanilla at this time, if desired.

I serve it in nice coffee little china cups, but you can serve however the heck you want.”

“I have previously thought it would be really neat to have a hot version of Wendy's Frosty. Does this recipe do that? Or does one need to add something granular to it?”

“Godiva is giving away free dark chocolate truffles today @ Times Square.

I am sooo there.....hey don't hate :D~”

“Hmmmm..... reminiscent of the churros and hot chocolate of Spain?”

“Chocolove, "Cherries & Almonds in Dark Chocolate".

55% cocoa content and OMG good.”

“OMG! I love Chocolove. Now I want some.

I really have to stop opening this thread.”

“It's ok. We'll hike it off on the AFT.

The Chocolove was in the markets organic section and cheaper than the chocolate over in the candy aisle. That never happens so of course I couldn't resist.”

“





http://www.williams-sonoma.com/srch/index.cfm?&page=viewall&words=chocolate&sortby=rd

”

“
Madagascar hit by deadly vanilla-killing fungus

Madagascar, the world's largest producer and exporter of vanilla, has been hit by a deadly, incurable fungus that can kill vanilla plants before their pods reach maturity, reports The Associated Press. The development could have dire impacts for the country's vanilla industry which generates hundreds of millions of dollars per year for the impoverished Indian Ocean island nation.

"The situation is critical," Simeon Rakotomamonjy, A Malagasy government scientist and an author of a new assessment on the crop disease, told The Associated Press. "The disease now affects 80 percent of plantations around Sambava and Andapa," major producing areas in the northeastern part of the island. Madagascar accounts for nearly 60 percent of global vanilla production, according to figures from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. In 2006 the worldwide vanilla trade was worth $422 million.

”

“yikes, fresh vanilla is already expensive and hard to find...this won't help”

“It sounds pretty bad -----

The rest of the article says it takes 5 years for the plants to mature, so even if they develop a resistant strain there will be quite a time-lag.”

“Crap. Artificial vanilla sux. :(


My latest chocolate indulgence: Sconza Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans. 70% cacao.

Only Pixie Stix and blow hit the blood stream faster. wheeeeeeee! 8-}”

“

Mission Accomplished

And Pretty Damn Deadly, too.



Two squares down ---- 18 to go.

”

“I MISSED IT!!! WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAA”

“dang it - where did you buy that, Tilt?”