Tuesday, January 26, 2010

VALENTINE'S DAY WINE & CHOCOLATES PAIRING AT ZIA'S AT RED DOOR FEB 13TH & 14TH, 2010

HELLO EVERYBODY...I WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THE PRIX FIXE DINNER AND WINE/CHOCOLATES TASTING EVENT BEING HELD 2 NIGHTS, FEB 13TH & 14TH, 2010. THE DINNERS WILL BE HELD AT ZIA'S AT RED DOOR, 110 N. 2nd St., IN DOWNTOWN HARRISBURG...FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MENU BEING OFFERED AND PRICES, PLEASE VISIT MY FRIEND, ROCCO'S WEBSITE FOR ZIA'S HERE:

http://www.ziasatreddoor.com/events.htm

Friday, January 22, 2010

HANDMADEINPA.COM

I want to send a shout out to my friend Nick, at http://HandmadeinPA.com for running the chocolate giveaway the last couple of weeks. He runs a first rate website that supports Artisans of all kinds, and people that hand-craft all kinds of products, and the arts, so HUGE thanks to him. Please check out his website, and also, check out the contest he ran for us there, at this link:

http://www.handmadeinpa.net/2010/01/artisan-chocolate-giveaway/

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Friday, January 8, 2010

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY FRIEND LYNN, AND HER HUSBAND FROM CHOCOLATEGRAIL FOR THEIR KIND WORDS AND ENCOURAGEMENT!

FROM: http://chocolategrail.com/



derry church artisan chocolates

Sampling a collection of Chef Eric Cayton stunning creations posed a tantalizing chocollectual dilemma: is chocolate greatness achieved by height of taste, balance of flavor, or richness of texture?Rome, a cappuccino and milk chocolate truffle, started the discussion. Initially, savor the rich espresso flavor—Ah, TASTE! Then, subtly, the creamy white chocolate mousse cap adds depth and BALANCE, and you pause, enjoying—you guessed it—a combination of superb TEXTURES which suspend the experience in your mouth. And so it is with each Derry Church Artisan Chocolate.But Cayton is clearly not afraid to take chances! Take for example the Palermo truffle, which features lemon juice, Italian Limoncello liqueur, bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate ganache, topped with thin roasted almonds. Can you imagine? It’s marvelous! And sure to extend your flavor universe.We also thoroughly enjoyed Cairo, the result of smooth medjool date paste meeting aged balsamic vinegar reduction in a bittersweet chocolate ganache. This is not your standard truffle. Rather, it is a delicacy which makes one wonder what they just experienced. Was that for real? Did I just taste dates and vinegar and chocolate and love it? I did!And then there are also the (almost) traditional chocolates. Caramel lovers will swoon over the Derry Church as we did. London presents crisp butter toffee underneath a crust of roasted and crushed almonds. Dublin mixes Bailey’s Irish Crème, Arabica coffee, and milk chocolate ganache. Each of these borders on mainstream, but somehow accomplishes just that much more than you expect. Why? We suspect it’s because Chef Cayton gets it. Taste, balance, and texture!We end our journey with a few of the most creative and provocative chocolates you will find anywhere. New Orleans will captivate, as it offers Bananas Foster ganache (fresh banana puree, brown sugar rum sauce, a splash of cinnamon) with two chocolates. Forget about it! This is greatness! San Francisco proves that Mother Nature can participate in the Derry Church adventure very well, thank you: think Northern California Black Mission figs, organic molasses, roasted walnuts, bittersweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate ganache topped with sugar crystals. And Savannah may have won our Blue Ribbon, combining peach jam in white chocolate ganache inside a bittersweet cup, topped with toasted oat/brown sugar, cinnamon crisp, and a drizzle of white chocolate.After tasting so many of these chocolates, it did not surprise that Mr. Cayton has chosen only the finest ingredients, sourced from around the world, and fresh local butter and cream, for his creations. What did surprise was how marvelously each works together, without a hint of gratuitousness or pretense. The result is some of the most distinctive chocolate treats that we know of, which we intend to enjoy often! And who knows? Maybe help us understand if we’re drawn to Derry Church Artisan Chocolates mostly because of their taste, balance, or texture.
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FROM: http://ChocolateRatings.Wordpress.com


Derry Church Artisan Chocolates
January 11, 2010


John Keats was right when he said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” Chocolate, with its ephemeral nature, won’t be around forever; but, once tasted, fabulous wares will inform all future chocolate experiences.
As a reviewer I naturally gravitate towards the best quality product; but, aesthetics also play a part. Beauty is not just limited to the visual, it’s visceral, even karmic. Perhaps, the packaging is artistic, or the farmers are treated with generosity and kindness. Maybe it’s the lack of pesticides, original flavor combinations, chocolate artistry and design, or an unusual mission; all grab my attention. Sometimes, it’s a minimalist concept, like the two plain black boxes from chef Eric Cayton at Derry Church Artisan Chocolates.

My absolute favorite bonbon in this collection, of the eleven I sampled (there are 26 in the range) was the Palermo. The experience made me think I was a synesthete (someone whose senses are intertwined in unusual ways, so they can taste a sound, or see a smell), since the lemon flavor was so primal I almost thought I could taste “yellow.” An homage to lemon, countered with bittersweet chocolate and the crunch of roasted sliced almonds.
Cairo, a triangle of Medjool date paste, aged balsamic reduction, in a bittersweet ganache was also unusually good and unique. The mini disc of jaggery, an Indian sweetener of less-processed sugar that tastes like brown sugar and molasses, added textural interest.
New Orleans was a darkly enrobed Bananas Foster milk chocolate ganache with cinnamon, rum, and bananas. This was sublimely well-balanced, no mean feat, since banana can easily overpower anything it’s paired with.
Rome, a cappuccino milk chocolate ganache in a dark shell, topped with white chocolate mousse and dusted with cocoa was uncontrollably delicious. The mix of flavors and textures made each bite compelling, like a visit to a new country.
Savannah, an elegant rendition of peach crisp piped into a dark chocolate cup, is topped with a bit of cinnamon streusel and drizzled with white chocolate. Unusual, fun, and quite pretty.
San Francisco is a dark square with a puree of organic Black Mission figs, molasses, and roasted walnuts in bittersweet ganache, dusted with demerara sugar crystals. This combination was dense and incredible satisfying.
There are also toffees and caramels of excellent quality, as well as a white chocolate ganache with chipotle peppers that packed some heat.
If it were me, I would stick with anything Chef Eric enrobes in dark chocolate. The shells are all thin, but not so thin you need a micrometer to measure them. Their lovely temper and crisp texture complement every creative interior just beautifully.
Derry Church uses organic cream, butter, and fruit purees. You can taste the way each chocolate is lovingly handmade.
Luckily, we humans have the ability to re-savor things through memory. I will definitely return to that uber lemon ganache with bittersweet chocolate and sliced roasted almonds as the apotheosis of tanginess, depth, and texture. As the Eurythmics used to sing: “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This.”