Really?

Okay, I was walking through a local grocery store and was meandering down the aisles. It is the type of store where I have found many unexpected items. My last favorite was the Abuelita Hot Cocoa. I bought it for my sister who just had a new grandbaby. Since this child was a millionth Mexican, I was calling my sister Patti "Abuelita", which is grandmother in Spanish. I know this from reading the highly esteemed http://www.dlisted.com/. The best part was that the grandmother on the front of the box looked more Polish than Mexican. We are also Polish, so I think the box was meant for me.

Yesterday, I went to this same store because they carry the european butter, Plugra, that I use in all of my baking. I also needed to shop the cookie/cracker aisle for a combination to use in a cheesecake crust. I always mix it up so it actually has some flavor and doesn't taste like a robotcouped cardboard box. I saw these cookies and passed them up for one, two, almost three steps before I realized their value. Morning sticks? Really? And they are in a new shape, shall we say? Who eats graham crackers for breakfast anyway? Well, I bought them so I could do a half and half mixture between them and some ginger cookies. I actually hid this box from my teenage daughter because I know her and this subtle humor would not be lost on her. I didn't show them to my husband because the endless "I'll give you a morning stick" would get old for me in half a second, however he would continue to enjoy it for far longer. Oh, and I love that they are honey flavor. Maybe I should call the dessert "The Honey Morning Stick Cheesecake".

These Cakes Are Awesome!!

I was looking around at pastry sites and ended up finding this gem. These are cake disasters, mistakes, and other assorted cake issues. I was laughing so hard that my Mom came in from the other room to see what had me in stitches. This fireman "design" was our favorite out of the bunch.

To see more cakes and to read the story behind this darling of a cake, go to http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2008/05/this-made-me-laugh-til-i-cried.html and enjoy a little cake without the calories. Oh, and I don't recommend ever eating a cake that is entirely colored with black frosting.

If This Tree Fell in the Woods, You'd Hear Me Crying

This is a wild cocao tree in the Amazon region of Bolivia. They do not all look like this and they are not all lucky enough to produce this top notch pod. This is rare stuff. It is picked by locals and they trek it through the jungle to where it can be processed. The beans inside need to ferment, then dry in the sun (real high tech) and then are transported during the rainy season in small boats out of the remote location. They travel in ships to Europe. they are then roasted and conched to bring out their individual flavors and nuances.

So, next time you are biting into a luscious bit of chocolate, consider the journey it took to get to your pearly whites. I order my chocolate from the company that goes through the trouble to get to this remote Bolivian forest. If your chocolate treat is from me, it has made a trek from somewhere wonderful like Bolivia, Venezuela or Ecuador.

For The Love of Chocolate 2009

To say it was fantastic would be an understatement. We were greeted with a bellini from Barefoot Bubbly and given our passport to collect our stamps from each area. The jazz was live and the bon bons and cookies were a delightful way to begin the evening.

We took the elevator to the second floor where we found the second area with the savory chefs. Another bar, like in every area and a row of tables with chefs and their assistants serving spanish mole, shortribs, breads, duck confit, and savory strudel. The next stop was a darkened room reached by going through a draped off hallway. The candles were lit and the dj was spinning a combination of old and new, which worked. The tables were filled with delectables. A fully constructed plated dessert from The Peninsula Hotel that included banana noodles, chocolate, tiny nut biegnet type pastry and a curry accent that worked. A woman offered us a selection of liqueurs, and I chose a B & B. I chose it again 2 more times. Wow. I've had it before, but the temperature was right on this occasion and was smooth. I also had a chocolate martini and am still surprised that I wasn't suffering the next day.

The next room was a surprise with the music of Chris Freeman who was playing for the belly dancers. The hookah pipes were busy and the bar was busy. We watched for a dance or two and then followed along the path to the cocoa sutra room which was again filled with chefs supplying samples of macarons, mousses, bon bons and cakes interspersed with sculptures and flowers.

Another room had plates of truffles sitting on the end tables, all shiny and perfect. I really couldn't fathom eating anything else. As it was, Christian and I were sharing tiny bites of things. I felt disrespectful of the effort of the chefs, however, I can only take so much. There was tea and it was a welcome palate cleanser. It was also chocolate, but light in flavor. This is where we saw a model in chocolate attire. I don't know how it wasn't melting, but I thought she had probably been asked so many times that I skipped inquiring.

We took to dancing around 930 when the dj played some old school rap we hadn't heard since we were dating. It was fantastic to dance and see everyone around enjoying the pastries and music. We finished up around 1030 and turned in our passport. In return, we were given a gift basket with brioche and a chocolate spread. In the brioche there was a chance of winning a prize. A trip to Paris! We didn't win it, but it was cool. We thought it was so well done and plan on returning next year.