The Chocolate Diet

Belligerent Fruit

2011-07-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

The brandied cherries were a good start. Two things I hate about tasting liquor and fruit are that the fruit is always too soft and squishy for me and the flavor is cloyingly sweet. I want my fruit to have more pluck! My first batch of cherries were pitted and drenched in brandy with a small amount of sugar syrup. After a few weeks, I set a bunch of them out to dry. With most of their color drained out into the brandy, these cherries looked inedible. With the lack of sugar, they didn't taste that great either. Think of a sangria with not enough sugar and you will understand. Enter fondant and chocolate. Mmmm... Fondant is easy and fun to make and, in my mind, is the most simple way to realize the complexities of sugar. Once they were dipped in fondant (flavored with brandy, of course) my drunken, anemic, and quite disagreeable cherries were transformed. Dipping them in dark chocolate completed the flavor profile. For the next batch, I added peppercorns, star anise, and cloves to the brandied cherries. Quite tasty. So tasty, in fact that they were gobbled up before I could break out the camera.

Now inspired, I am working on a line of spirit infused fruit. Pears and Gin, Peaches and Rum with Habanero Chili, and Pineapple and Tequila. More to come.

Hold On To Summer

2011-05-20T09:26:00.001-07:00

I always think about brandied cherries around December. Not a good time to think about making them unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere. This year I got off to an early start.

So simple, yet I'm often so busy eating the cherries during our summer that I forget to preserve any for use during the winter months. The worst part is that I have to wait for six weeks to taste them! I guess I have six weeks to come up with ways to use them. That's not so bad.

Oyster, Party of Two

2011-05-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

I love to eat raw oysters. I don't find them any more of an aphrodisiac than freshly shucked summer corn. I just love them. Normally at the Hillcrest farmer's market I stop by the Carlsbad Aquaculture stand to have my usual Sunday breakfast, five Luna oysters. Deliciously briny, they taste just like the ocean.

In early April I was on vacation with my family, cruising down the inland waterway from Charleston, SC to Jacksonville, FL. The find for me on the trip was an oyster shucker modeled after an 18th century design. Very cool. I had to have one. "The greatest part about buying this shucker," the kind sales lady explained, "is that when you are at an oyster party, you will never lose it because it is so unique!" I smiled excitedly and thanked her, not willing to reveal the fact that not only had I never been to an oyster party but that I had never actually shucked an oyster.

After arriving home with my new treasure, I found myself at the Sunday market buying my usual breakfast and confidently buying a dozen oysters to take home with me. So excited, I immediately called my mother, another oyster lover. "Mom. I just bought a dozen Luna oysters from Carlsbad Aquafarm. Can you come over, teach me how to open them, and eat them with me?!" Her reply - "I'd love to eat them but I've never shucked an oyster." What??!!! "Ma, you grew up eating seafood, tearing apart crabs and lobster in record time and eating oysters." "I know," she replied. "I've just never shucked any." My mother arrived and we opened a few. It was very messy business and a bit crunchy at times from the bits of shell we mangled, but we managed and enjoyed them.

Back to the market for a shucking lesson and another dozen. It really isn't that hard once you get the hang of it. I've heard that once you open them and slice through the adductor muscle, you should turn them over "belly" side up for presentation purposes.

Now I'm just waiting for that invitation to an oyster party.

The Best Hot Chocolate

2011-05-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

OK. So I know that I said that my favorite non-alcoholic drink is club soda with a lime twist. Here is my favorite drink of all time. Hot chocolate made with water, not milk. Of course, the better the chocolate, the better the drink.

Good chocolate, like wine, beer, and golf apparel, is subjective. What is "the best" chocolate? For me, it has to be dark, usually 70% or more. For this batch I used a mixture of Andoa Noire - a 70% from Valrhona, and Grand Cru Hacienda - a 74% from Felchlin.

Ingredients
6oz chocolate
2 cups water

Preparation
Melt chocolate with water. Transfer to a blender for 30 seconds. Serve.

If you have any leftover, wrap it up and put it in the fridge. It tastes great cold too. But not as good as that first sip when it's hot.

If any of you reading this use milk or white chocolate, let me know how the recipe turns out for you. I'm curious, but not curious enough to try it!

Road Trip

2011-05-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

This piece of fast food was so captivating, so perfect in form, that I had to document it.

Long trip driving north
No organic vegetables
Who brought Mylanta?

Declined fries with that
Coke bubbles soothe my stomach
Must pack food next time

Razing The Bar

2011-05-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

So warm today! It feels like summer. I was thinking about a project I started last year to write a non-alcoholic drink book. Most of my friends and family were totally confused by the thought of it. "Ummm... O.K. But what's the point?" Our gatherings revolve around two things, food, and drink. When we eat we talk about what it was that we ate earlier and what we will make to eat later. Oh yeah, and it's always 5:00 somewhere. Pretty much wherever there are two or more of us together it is 5:00. At times it can be exhausting. I do drink alcohol and don't plan on giving it up any time soon but I consider myself to be a responsible drinker. I am small and have no choice in the matter. The little card that comes in the mail with the car registration? The one that looks like a sizing chart for panty hose? My height and weight are way up in the left corner. "One drink in one hour = possible D.U.I. Two drinks in one hour = DEFINITE D.U.I." Enough said. All of this got me thinking about the ritual of alcohol.

In the world of alcohol there are fancy glasses and various tools that you will never get to play with if you settle on a club soda with a lime twist (my all-time favorite non-alcoholic drink). Muddlers, shakers, strainers, and shot glasses are mysterious tools to the non-drinker. Well, maybe not a shot glass but definitely a muddler. My spell-check doesn't even know what to do with that one. So, I thought, why not create a book of drinks for those of us who, for whatever reason, have chosen not to drink alcohol but still want the ritual of creating a really good tasting drink?

So to celebrate this day of summer weather, I broke out my martini shaker and mixed up a tasty strawberry lemonade.

Ingredients
4 strawberries
1/2 oz fresh ginger, sliced thin
1/3 c. lemon juice
1.5 oz pear syrup
4 oz water
Ice
Mint

Preparation
Using a muddler, mash together strawberries, ginger, and half of the lemon juice in a martini shaker
Add the rest of the lemon juice, the pear syrup, and water
Add ice, leaving room for shaking
Shake well, strain into two martini glasses
Bruise a couple of mint sprigs and float them on top

Enjoy your drink and your day!

Alive and Blogging

2011-04-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm back! My only excuse for not keeping this blog up is that I get too preoccupied in what I am doing and don't take the time to write anything down. So here I am giving this blog thing another shot.

I participated in Art Alive this past Thursday and had a wonderful time. I brought over 1,000 chocolates (a little over sixteen pounds!) to the museum fundraiser. As I arrived to set up I started to feel like Dorothy in the poppy field. So many flowers! The museum itself was a display, with fresh flowers from floor to ceiling. No time to be seduced by all of the sights and smells, I got right to work setting up and passing out chocolates to the attendees. The most fun for me was seeing all of the flower themed outfits and hairstyles and having people come back for seconds, sometimes thirds or more. I did make it back to the museum on Sunday to view the exhibition, where master flower arrangers created designs inspired by famous works of art in the museum. Incredible! My favorite was by Marilyn Panel from the Point Loma Garden Club. Her piece, inspired by Emile Bernard's Breton Women in a Ferry Boat, reflected the painting beautifully. Sorry, no photographs were allowed. My favorite chocolate of the evening? My Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle.

Less than two weeks!!!

2009-11-16T12:12:00.000-08:00

With less than two weeks until Thanksgiving, I have the following menu planned.

Imperial IPA
Persimmon Sorbet

Belgian Abbey Ale
Endive stuffed with gorgonzola, carmelized onions and dates
Hummus Trio – garlic, red, and green curry hummus with sliced vegetables and naan bread

Pumpkin Ale
Roasted turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy
Roasted seasonal vegetables with a balsamic glaze
Braised kale with mushrooms and boar bacon
Beet salad with feta and toasted pumpkin seeds
Rolls
Sweet potato salad
Pumpkin ravioli with butter and sage

Chocolate Porter
Apple bread pudding
Chocolate pecan pie
Chocolate truffles

Mmmmmm...

Feast minus eight

2009-11-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

On October 30th, my niece-in-law gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Welcome to the world Halia! Halia did not feel like waiting until her due date in late November, so she and her family will be spending a quiet Thanksgiving up north. I will miss them all!

Thanksgiving 2009 - First Course Veggies

2009-10-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Along with Papas a la Huancaina, for the non-meat-eaters, Masala Mushrooms on Point Toast.

Thanksgiving 2009 - First Course

2009-10-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I am thankful for this year is the upcoming birth of my nephew, Kyle's, first child. He and his lovely Peruvian wife, Fiorella, will be joining us this year along with Fi's mother, Maura. For our first course, chef Kyle will make Calimari Cakes with Corn Risotto. Maura is thinking of making Ceviche, Papas a la Huancaina, or Seco de res. I hope she will make all three but she is busy helping out her daughter and son-in-law prepare for the upcoming birth so we will have to wait and see. Our first course will be paired with Pat's Belgian Abbey Ale.

Bourbon Red Turkey from Kimber's Farm

2009-10-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Bourbon Red Turkey is named for Bourbon County in Kentucky’s Bluegrass region where it originated in the late 1800’s. I was so excited to find that Kimber's Farm, located in San Marcos, sells the Bourbon Red. A heritage turkey, raised in San Diego county??!!!! Too good to be true? Apparently so. I received a call back from the farm saying that they were closing up shop and didn't have any turkeys this year. When I asked if they knew of any other local suppliers, I was told that they didn't know of any. After hearing this news and feeling like I needed a major tryptophan boost, I called my mother. After laughing at me for being such a food snob, she agreed to find me a suitable turkey that may not have been raised in San Diego but would certainly do just fine for our dinner table without costing hundreds of dollars. Thanks mom!

To start the feast, a Thanksgiving toast

2009-10-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

I would like to start our meal with a toast. To liven the palate and prepare for the feast, I'm thinking of pairing Pat's Imperial IPA with a small bit of persimmon sorbet.

Thanksgiving 2009 - Part I

2009-10-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

Next to Halloween, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Family, friends, and food - what could be better?! This year we are all in for a special treat. Handcrafted beer! My sister-in-law's sweetie, Pat, is our brew master.

I am basing our Thanksgiving menu this year on Pat's beer. Here is what I have to start with.

Imperial IPA - A moderately hoppy, high alcohol, full-bodied brew that is medium to light in color. Pat will be bottling this beer tomorrow. We sampled it today and it is amazing! With grapefruit overtones, I will pair with something fruity but not too sweet.

Belgian Abbey Ale - A medium bodied, high alcohol brew (Pat, we will need to hire a Cloud 9 shuttle to take everyone home after dinner if you are not careful here!). With hints of raisin and cherry, this Belgian will have an alcohol finish with minimal bitterness.

Pumpkin Ale - Low in bitterness and medium in alcohol (we must pace ourselves!), this Pumpkin Ale will be a full-bodied spiced beer. Pat was cooking this batch today. Mmmm... sweet barley tea and a house that smelled like pumpkin and spice.

For dessert we will enjoy, what else, a Chocolate Porter! Pat used organic, fair trade cocoa from Sweet Earth Chocolates in this brew. Another that he will bottle tomorrow, this porter is dark, chocolaty, and after fermentation will be quite full-bodied.

Now that I have the beer list, I will be filling in the food portion of the menu over the next few weeks.

Destination Kensington

2009-09-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

I finally made it to Destination Kensington! I was invited by Louise at Rex Downing Realty to hang out and pass out chocolates. I had a great time meeting neighbors and getting input on my latest truffle, Balsamic Vinegar Chocolates topped with Himalayan Salt. That flavor definitely got the greatest reaction from the crowd. Many were not interested in trying it but in any group there was always one person who was game. After waiting to see the reaction from the brave souls, others followed. I think most everyone who tried it liked it. They were the first truffle to disappear from the tray.

After two hours of passing out chocolates at Rex Downing, I wandered down the street to meet my family at the Kensington Cafe, then off to the Kensington Pet Supply to say "Hi" to Liana and Rich, then down further to listen to live music in the parking lot at the Kensington Vine. What a nice evening! I am looking forward to the next Destination Kensington in November.

Tasty Reading

2009-08-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

I opened my mailbox this morning to find that the latest issue of Gastronomica had arrived!!! Published by the University of California Press just four times a year, it always seems that as soon as I forget when I received the last issue, the next one arrives. The articles are so quirky and I learn such random information. It is my favorite thing to read. Another one of my favorite magazines is Edible San Diego.

Gastronomica deals with topics new and old and covers food topics such as what Samuel Clemmens ate during a river cruise in the south or such delicacies as Agutaq, a dessert made from seal fat and berries and enjoyed by some Alaskan natives. Edible San Diego deals with all things edible in San Diego. Ironically, in the latest issue of both publications, the topic of distilled spirits is covered.

The editor of Gastronomica, Darr Goldstein, talks of her search for something distinctly American in the culinary world. She discovered Tuthilltown, the first craft distillery in New York State since Prohibition. I was taken with the business and how they have fought to be treated in business more like boutique wineries and microbreweries rather than lumped with the huge conglomerates.

Turning to Edible SD, contributor Candice Woo wrote an article about Ballast Point Brewery, San Diego's first licensed distillery since Prohibition! Head brewer Yuseff Cherney has crafted 3 Sheets Rum, both white and aged, and has recently released Old Grove Gin. I can't wait to try gin from a local craft distillery!

I read also that Edible San Diego would no longer be published through Coast to Crest Media, Inc. I am bummed...

Just one truffle?

2009-08-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am always making chocolates so I always have extras lying around. I offered a rose caramel to a friend of a friend who was at my house the other day. He politely declined. I didn't even hear the reason why. He didn't even want to try one?! Just one?! I was crushed. I know it's ridiculous but it's just the way I am. The feeling reminded me of one of the most memorable dining experiences I have ever had.

My mother-in-law works and plays hard. She amazes me. I love her. Once at a dinner to celebrate one of her many work-related accomplishments, she booked a table at The Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. Not just any table - she managed to get a table for six in the kitchen of this four-star restaurant! She had clearly outdone herself. The experience was both indulgent and horrifying to me. Or, more appropriately, horrific in its indulgence.

The food was to die for. Exquisite course after course arrived at our table - oysters on the half shell, lobster, roasted quail, foie gras, the food and drinks kept coming. I felt obliged to eat everything but that was impossible. After about two hours into our gustatory adventure, our host took us on a tour of the heart of the kitchen and wine cellar. As I stood up for the tour I glanced over and saw a chef assembling a room service tray. It dawned on me that these fabulous chefs that I watched from my seat at our table who spooned the quinoa so beautifully next to the roasted quail on my plate were the same individuals who were knocking out hamburgers and french fries for the hotel guests who decided to dine in their rooms! I will never look at a room service burger the same way again!

So back to my tour. As culinarily overwhelmed as I felt and knowing that dinner was not over yet, I was relived to be able to stretch my legs a bit. Walking through the wine cellar and learning about their most impressive collection was very entertaining. We then wound our way around to the pastry department. That's where it happened. A young woman was piping chocolate mousse into dark chocolate molds. She had next to her a tray lined with chocolate truffles. As I quietly watched her work, she turned to me and offered me a truffle. Standing there staring blankly I thought that if I put a single thing into my mouth at that moment, no matter how small, that something terrible might happen. I had no room left in my stomach. This was not fair! I politely declined. I recognized the look on her face. I had cut her to the quick. She resumed her work but the damage had been done. For there is no greater joy in creating food than to watch someone take pleasure in what you have made. To cook for myself is satisfying. To cook for those who enjoy my cooking is pure rapture. We made our way back to our table and, hours later, finished our meal. I sampled every delight that was served to me that evening, except that one truffle. My husband and I went back to our room, changed into jeans and t-shirts, and walked the streets of New Orleans until well after midnight before finally heading off to sleep.

Looking back I am sure that the executive chef feeds you so much to make sure that you never think about asking to eat in the kitchen again. It worked. While I occasionally am reminded of my slight, I only have a hint of regret when I think of my refusal to eat just one truffle. Throwing up in the kithen of a four-star restaurant would have been a much bigger insult and led to quite a different story!

Trip to Akasha Restaurant

2009-08-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Vegans, vegetarians, and meat lovers unite! There is something for everyone at Akasha Restaurant. Chef Akasha Richardson opened her restaurant/bar/bakery in February of 2008 in beautiful downtown Culver City in western Los Angeles. My daughter and I ate in the bakery area on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I could go on and on about how great this place is but instead I just took a picture of the chicken and mango salad that I ate. Yep, it was as good as it looks! The staff is very friendly and seems to have a personal relationship with everyone who walks through the door. Finally, the prices are very reasonable for the quality of food that is served. The next time you are in the area, don't miss this gem!

Road Trip!

2009-08-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

I am off to Akasha Restaurant to deliver chocolates and sample chef Akasha's offerings.

Hot Chocolate

2009-06-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

It is a cool, gray San Diego morning and I am craving hot chocolate. For the most pure hot chocolate experience, I use water, not milk or cream. My current favorite chocolate is a 71% bar from Equal Exchange.

Melt 6 ounces of chocolate in 2 cups of water.
Transfer to a blender and blend for 30 seconds.
Heat to desired temperature.

Serves four.

Chocolate and Wine!

2009-06-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

I have been interested in pairing wine with chocolate for some time now but haven't managed to pull it off. While I love wine, I have to admit that I don't know a whole lot about it. I know what I like and that is about it. Enter my old college house mate, Maurice DiMarino. Currently the Wine Director at Island Prime Restaurant on Harbor Island, Maurice is as passionate about wine as I am about chocolate, guiding customers in their wine selections while they dine in addition to hosting classes at the restaurant. Ah! Someone to help me! After explaining my dilemma, Maurice was kind enough to meet with me. I provided the chocolate, Maurice provided the wine.

One of the biggest challenges in pairing wine with chocolate, he explained, is that if the chocolate is sweeter than the wine you are pairing it with, the wine will taste bitter. So that's my problem! I love a complex Cabernet but other than pairing it with Chicken Molé, my chocolates just won't work. Luckily I only work with dark chocolate (not too sweet) so Maurice was able to generate some fabulous pairings. Below is a brief summary.

For my Lemon Juniper, Rosemary Caramels, and Pistachio Nougat, Maurice suggested a Demi-Sec Champagne, Riesling, or Muscat. From spicy foods to caramels and chocolate, I had no idea that Riesling was so versatile! My Orange Ginger Chocolate Truffle paired quite nicely with a Vin Santo with Maurice also suggesting a Riesling aged in wood. The Vin Santo brought out the citrus in the truffle without over powering the chocolate flavor. Moving from citrus to berry fruit, we sampled my Raspberry Chocolate Truffle along with a most amazing Banyuls and equally impressive Black Muscat. Both wines brought out the berry flavor without interfering with the smooth, dark chocolate finish. The biggest challenge I brought to the table was my dark chocolate truffle flavored with Stone Imperial Russian Stout. This is one serious truffle! Could Maurice possibly pair wine, beer, and chocolate? At the same time???!! Absolutely! After the first taste of the stout truffle, Maurice went straight for a simple Blanc de noirs sparkling wine. Again the marriage of flavors was phenomenal. He also suggested I try a Zinfandel or Cabernet with the stout truffle. A Cabernet?! Maybe there is hope for my wine pairing after all! Thanks Maurice!!!