Mars gives away free Real Chocolate

Mars Chocolate is giving away Free Real Chocolate. They are promising not to use anything but cocoa butter in their products. This is in response to other chocolate companies (Hershey perhaps?) who are lobbying to make chocolate without the cocoa butter and still call it chocolate. If I had to choose between a Milky Way and a Hershey bar sign me up for the Milky Way... still I can't help thinking that this is a sneaky tactic, but...

Who am I to turn down free chocolate? :)

Borrowed from Tasting Table (which is a really great mailing list for those of you in the NYC area)

Mon. 01 Jun '09

Cooking | NEW YORK CITY

Parlor Trick Jacques Torres Ice Cream opens in Dumbo

Even Jacques Torres agrees that comfort food is a saving grace in the fallen economy. After noticing a drop in sales for his high-end chocolates, the pastry chef reassessed his business model and decided ice cream was the answer. Just opened next door to his flagship store and chocolate factory in Dumbo, Jacques Torres Ice Cream is a natural match to the goodies his shops already sell. His chocolate-covered Cheerios and malt balls appear as toppings, while his chocolate-chunk cookies house fist-size ice cream sandwiches. Unlike most ice cream makers, Torres mixes his own base from scratch: The result is purer flavor and a soft, luscious texture. Chocolate banana is the chef's favorite variety, though we're just as content cooling off with bean-studded vanilla or sweet pink strawberry. Plus, fruit sorbets are airy and dairy-free, and frozen yogurt is thick and tangy. In addition to selling the frozen treat in the new parlor, Torres will also offer scoops from ice cream carts stationed at both of his Manhattan shops this summer--but only in Brooklyn can you request fresh-made waffle cones and bowls. And though he's still perfecting the recipe for his chocolate sauce, Torres promises it "will be the best in town." Now that's way better than a cherry on top. Jacques Torres Ice Cream, 62 Water St. (between Main and Dock sts.),

Guylian Fondue

I found some microwavable fondue at the store the other day and thought it might be fun to give it a try. I bought the Guylian variety because it looked a little more high class. You put it in the microwave and voila! you get to dip things in it!

As far as chocolate goes, it was pretty good. Though I think my microwave over-nuked the chocolate which made it a little like burning, but so far so good.

The only problem came when I tried to reheat what I put in the fridge the next day. The chocolate started to boil (because I put it in too long) and the smell spread all over the apartment. I have to remind myself that chocolate is very temperamental, and doesn't like to be burnt. ^_^

Just had the most amazing peppermint hot chocolate!

I know this post is going to seem a bit random, especially since I haven't posted in a while, but I just had a lovely peppermint hot chocolate from Crumbs on 54th street. It's one of their new stores, and if you don't know Crumbs just think high-end cupcakes (or cuppycakes as I like to call them).

The store itself is tucked away in a huge office building. The staff were all really quirky and fun. I ended up getting an Elvis cupcake and their "trial" package. One of the workers suggested I pace myself, but I had just signed up for personal training at the gym. This, if anything, is my last chance at something devilishly delicious. It's veggies and grilled chicken from here on out, but who says I can't go out in a blaze of delicious chocolatey glory?!

I'm such a stickler for temperature when it comes to hot chocolate. If I can't drink it without setting my mouth on fire then it isn't worth it. The hot chocolate from Jaques Torres and Starbucks tend to burn the roof off my mouth (though to be fair to Starbucks you can get it at "kid temperature" which isn't as hot). But the one from Crumbs was perfect. And the peppermint flavor was perfectly balanced with the chocolate.

I have the feeling that, like Starbucks, the quality of Crumbs' beverages depends greatly on the barista, but if you have a chance get to Crumbs and try their hot chocolate. Yeah yeah so it's a little hot for hot chocolate, but it's worth it. And if you really can't stand it, get it on ice. Though I'm sure the ice cubes will make the hot chocolate taste...er... well you get the idea. :)

Thin Mints! (or "I found a Girl Scout!")

So I know I've been remiss in posting recently, but with finishing up the semester and trying, without much luck, to stay away from chocolate for a while (gasp!), I've been neglecting this blog only because life gets in the way.

That said, I am happy to report that I have some wonderful news! I found a Girl Scout! Now you might wonder why this is important. Why, might you ask, is this such a life-changing situation? It means that I have a new source of my favorite cookie, the THIN MINT!

Growing up, I was a Girl Scout. I wasn't a very good Girl Scout and I wasn't very good at selling cookies either. My mother ended up buying nearly all the boxes of cookies I was required by the Girl Scout laws and bylaws to sell. This didn't turn out to be such a bad thing. I got to eat Samoas (coconut and chocolate covered cookies) and their shortbread cookies, but my favorite of all the Girl Scout cookies were the Thin Mints. Now that I am no longer a girl scout, these cookies are much harder to come by. You can't find them in any store, and recently I've been canvasing my neighborhood to try and find someone, ANYONE, who even knew a girl scout. Finally, at work I discovered I work with a teacher whose daughter is a girl scout.

EPIC MAJOR SUPER SCORE!!! ::fistpump::

But back to why this is the greatest discovery since Columbus found America
Thin Mint cookies are mint cookies, wafers really, that are covered in a layer of chocolate. These cookies take me back to my childhood. I don't really think I can be objective about them, and who knows they might not really taste that good. They taste great to me, but I know plenty of folks who don't like them. But I'm happy to have a box of delicious minty nostalgia to take me back. And they're also really great to dunk in milk!

Lily O'Brien's Chocolate Cafe

So it's been a while since I've posted anything here, but I thought I'd share with you one of my new found faves. Lily O'Brien's Chocolate Cafe is located near Bryant Park and boasts an impressive collection of truffles, gift boxes and drinks.

The cafe itself is a mix of retro styling with purple and turquoise accents. I felt like I walked into a cafe that was trying really hard to be chic and seem rich and decadent, but something felt forced about the place. Maybe it was the brown walls or the swirling decor that made me feel uneasy. Maybe it was the faux crystal chandeliers or the woman painted on door to the ladies' room. But this is a chocolate CAFE after all, and maybe I am expecting too much. I tend to do that when it comes to chocolate. And I also qualify, that I am a bit jaded and believe that chocolate should speak for itself. If a place is overdecorated it makes me think that the chocolate might be lacking something.

After buying a box of truffles, their honeycomb bar and toffee bars, I sat down and ordered a small cup of their signature hot chocolate. The hot chocolate comes in different flavors depending on what kind of chocolate you want used. The chocolate is melted and served at the perfect temperature. I hate hot beverages that burn my mouth, but these, and I say these because I went back and got a second one after the first one, were perfect. The Signature Hot Chocolate, which I recommend, is warm, milky and has very subtle chocolate flavoring. The dark chocolate is a pure shot of unadulterated chocolate, rich and hard to take all at once. This is one hot chocolate that deserves to be sipped and savored.

I will say a bit about their truffles, though I find that the best thing about Lily O'Brien's is the hot chocolate. Overall, I found the chocolate used in their bars and truffles was very thick and heavy. The milk chocolate was very sugary and I found some of the chocolates lacking in flavor. My favorite pieces were the ones done in white chocolate including their Creme Brule truffle. Also I was surprised by the toffee bar which was more like a caramel bar. When I think of toffee I think crunchy. This is not to say that their chocolate is bad, quite the contrary, but if you're going to try one thing at this store make it a hot chocolate.

Lily O'Briens Chocolate Cafe is located at:
36 West 40th Street, Bryant Park, NYC 10018
http://lilyobriens.com/

Chocopeanutbutterbonanza

I love chocolate and peanut butter. I mean peanut butter usually makes anything taste better, (ok maybe it doesn't make vegetables taste better...) but I think the richness of chocolate and thick gooey peanut butter are amazing together. Recee's has always been a not so guilty pleasure of mine, and I'm glad they've found as many ways to use their peanut butter as they possibly can... but that's another post for another day.

Today I am writing about Haagen Daz ice cream and Ghiradelli's Milk Chocolate and Peanut butter bars.


So let's start with the bad news. I was disappointed with the overall bland flavor of the Ghiradelli's chocolate. The milk chocolate did nothing for me and the peanut butter couldn't make up for the lack of flavor in the chocolate. I wouldn't even call the flavors subtle; they were just uninspiring.

On the other side of the spectrum is the Haagen Daz's peanut butter and chocolate ice cream. This flavor has become one of my favorites of late. Somehow they manage to swirl in chunks of smooth peanut butter in a flavorful chocolate ice cream. The peanut butter is surprising, and I find myself searching the container for the little flecks of it, and when I'm done I always want more. The chocolate ice cream is warm and has a really strong cocoa taste. If you cant' tell already I'm a huge fan.

If you can find it in your local deli this ice cream is a must try, at least once. Your chocolate loving taste buds will thank you.