For those of you who may not know of Rose Levy Beranbaum, I'm quite sure you will remember her landmark 1989 book, THE CAKE BIBLE, as well as her more recent, A PASSION FOR CHOCOLATE, and many other prestigious and award-winning cookbooks. Rose is an internationally recognized expert on the subject of baking and chocolate, and is doubtless one of the most influential Pastry Chefs of our time.
Recently I made the attempt to strike up a conversation with Rose, and I contacted her via email from her website: http://realbakingwithrose.com/ and I was surprised and delighted to hear back from her! I found her to be quite a pleasant, and approachable and generous Lady, and she was kind enough to accept my offer to send her samples of our chocolates, as I was quite keen on reading her appraisal of my work. Following is the link to the article which she has posted to her website:
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2010/08/chocolate_derry_church_heaven.html
Monday, August 9, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
COCAINE TRUFFLES....NOW THERE'S AN IDEA!!!
YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS ARTICLE I JUST FOUND ON CBS NEWS!!! TOO FUNNY!!!
THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON CBSNEWS.COM ON MAY 24, 2010.
Posted by Caroline Black 1 comments
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Sweets seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (CBP) NEW YORK (CBS) A Connecticut man re-entering the U.S. on a flight from Medellin, Columbia is in a whole lot of trouble for his truffles, which authorities say were chock full of cocaine -- street value, $500,000.
Is he part of the Medellin chocolate cartel?
A news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection says Robert Lopera was arrested May 11 at New York's JFK Airport for attempting to smuggle 15 pounds of cocaine, some of which was hidden in knock-off Ferrero Rocher chocolate balls, and the rest in pistachio shells.
Lopera couldn't get this seemingly nutty scheme past federal agents, who had selected him for a closer inspection. He handed over two bags to the agents who noticed "the chocolates and pistachios were unusually heavy."
Authorities say a closer look revealed it was all that cocaine that was weighing down the snacks.
Lopera, who is reportedly unemployed, managed to pay cash for a one-was ticket from Medellin to New York.
Officials say he awaits federal prosecution and could face significant jail time if found guilty.
Tags: cocaine inside pistachio shells , ferrero rocher , crimesider , jfk airport , cbp seizes $500 , robert lopera , jfk airport cocaine seizure , medellin colombia , 000 of cocaine , cocaine inside chocolates , jamaica new york , cocaine disguised as chocolate
Topics: Daily Blotter
What's Your Take? ShockingInfuriatingSatisfyingRidiculous
original link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20005621-504083.html
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
NEW ARTICLE ON US FROM COOLHUNTING.COM
Hello Everyone, I got a nice article posted yesterday from CoolHunting.com. This article has alot of very high resolution photography.....check out their super-cool website! (you'll have to scroll down the food & drink section to find us)
http://coolhunting.com/food-drink/
http://coolhunting.com/food-drink/
Saturday, February 27, 2010
NEW POST ABOUT US FROM TISH BOYLE!!!
My friend Tish Boyle, from Dessert Professional Magazine was kind enough to post us up on her blog! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH TISH, THIS IS SO COOL, AND I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL OUR ARTICLE COMES OUT IN JUNE!!!
EXCERPT FROM ~ http://TishBoyle.blogspot.com
~AS FOLLOWS:
Hershey, Pennsylvania, a.k.a. Chocolatetown, U.S.A., has long been known as the epicenter of American chocolate. But it wasn’t always known as Hershey. Originally named Derry Church, it was the birthplace of Milton Hershey, who launched his chocolate company there at the beginning of the 20th century. They changed the name of the town to Hershey in 1906, a testament to Milton Hershey’s prominence and success as a businessman and benefactor.
Derry Church Artisan Chocolates was founded over 100 years later by another Hershey, PA native, chocolatier Eric Cayton, who named his company to honor the original Derry Church settlement. When he was a teenager, Cayton’s family had a reversal of fortune, and lost everything, including the family home. Cayton ended up living on the streets for two years, “hitchhiking, taking the bus, sleeping on rail cars, in camp grounds, and the couches of strangers, up and down the East Coast from New York City to Key West, FL.” He ultimately returned to his hometown and worked in various restaurant jobs, eventually opening up his own catering business in 1996. But Milton Hershey’s influence on Cayton remained a strong one, and he continued to nurture a passion for chocolate. Cayton eventually turned his passion into a business, opening Derry Church Artisan Chocolates early last year. Made with locally-sourced, organic Pennsylvania creams and butters, the handmade chocolates are all named for towns and cities. Classic flavors include Derry Church (soft caramel in milk chocolate); Milan (hazelnut liqueur flavored milk chocolate ganache in a dark chocolate cup) and Paris (strawberry jam and white chocolate buttercream in a bittersweet chocolate shell). Exotic flavors include Berlin (dark beer in a milk chocolate ganache); Kandahar (pomegranate molasses in a white chocolate ganache); and Oaxaca (chipotle peppers in white chocolate ganache). These chocolates are certainly in a different league than the ones Hershey’s produces. In the interest of full disclosure, I must reveal that Eric Cayton sent me an assortment of his chocolates, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. They are pretty, but not self-consiously so. I would describe them as honest. No elaborate transfer sheet or colored cocoa butter designs—the emphasis here is on flavor, and Eric Cayton’s passion for chocolate comes through in every bite of his finely crafted line of artisan chocolates. www.derrychurchartisanchocolates.com.
Posted by Tish Boyle at 4:47 PM
Labels: Derry Church Artisan Chocolates, Hershey PA
EXCERPT FROM ~ http://TishBoyle.blogspot.com
~AS FOLLOWS:
Hershey, Pennsylvania, a.k.a. Chocolatetown, U.S.A., has long been known as the epicenter of American chocolate. But it wasn’t always known as Hershey. Originally named Derry Church, it was the birthplace of Milton Hershey, who launched his chocolate company there at the beginning of the 20th century. They changed the name of the town to Hershey in 1906, a testament to Milton Hershey’s prominence and success as a businessman and benefactor.
Derry Church Artisan Chocolates was founded over 100 years later by another Hershey, PA native, chocolatier Eric Cayton, who named his company to honor the original Derry Church settlement. When he was a teenager, Cayton’s family had a reversal of fortune, and lost everything, including the family home. Cayton ended up living on the streets for two years, “hitchhiking, taking the bus, sleeping on rail cars, in camp grounds, and the couches of strangers, up and down the East Coast from New York City to Key West, FL.” He ultimately returned to his hometown and worked in various restaurant jobs, eventually opening up his own catering business in 1996. But Milton Hershey’s influence on Cayton remained a strong one, and he continued to nurture a passion for chocolate. Cayton eventually turned his passion into a business, opening Derry Church Artisan Chocolates early last year. Made with locally-sourced, organic Pennsylvania creams and butters, the handmade chocolates are all named for towns and cities. Classic flavors include Derry Church (soft caramel in milk chocolate); Milan (hazelnut liqueur flavored milk chocolate ganache in a dark chocolate cup) and Paris (strawberry jam and white chocolate buttercream in a bittersweet chocolate shell). Exotic flavors include Berlin (dark beer in a milk chocolate ganache); Kandahar (pomegranate molasses in a white chocolate ganache); and Oaxaca (chipotle peppers in white chocolate ganache). These chocolates are certainly in a different league than the ones Hershey’s produces. In the interest of full disclosure, I must reveal that Eric Cayton sent me an assortment of his chocolates, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. They are pretty, but not self-consiously so. I would describe them as honest. No elaborate transfer sheet or colored cocoa butter designs—the emphasis here is on flavor, and Eric Cayton’s passion for chocolate comes through in every bite of his finely crafted line of artisan chocolates. www.derrychurchartisanchocolates.com.
Posted by Tish Boyle at 4:47 PM
Labels: Derry Church Artisan Chocolates, Hershey PA
Monday, February 15, 2010
CANDYINDUSTRY.COM INTERVIEW
CANDYINDUSTRY.COM (just click on title link above for the story, or read below)
Chocolate Heritage Evolves into Artisanry
February 11, 2010
Given that Eric Cayton grew up in Hershey, Pa., it’s not surprising that he was always interested in working with chocolate. Even as a small child, he remembers playing and experimenting with chocolate bars in his grandmother’s kitchen.
On his 15th birthday, Cayton started his first job, working for the Hershey Park Foods Dept. at a chocolate sundae concession stand, creating “walk-away sundaes.”
Eventually, Cayton worked his way up through the culinary ranks … from fast food to line cook, from sous chef to finally working as an executive chef and pastry chef at restaurants, hotels, country clubs and even a retirement community up and down the East Coast.“By the time I had settled back down in the Central Pennsylvania area in the early ‘90s, my childhood connection with chocolate had turned into a full-blown adult obsession,” he explains.
Cayton opened his own small catering company in 1994. He then began experimenting with chocolate truffles, fudge and other candies, selling them to his upscale clients.
“The concept of my chocolates company is simple: uncompromising ingredient quality, unique flavor profiles with balanced composition and aggressive, creative, innovative marketing,” he says.
For additional information, visit www.derrychurchartisanchocolates.com.
What did you think you would be when you grew up?
I always knew, even from a very young age, that I eventually wanted to work with chocolate. I was always fascinated with the life and times of Milton Hershey and the wonderful chocolate company that he built with his own hard work and perseverance.
Name one or some of your favorite movies.
It would have to be Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.”
Describe your perfect dream vacation.
One thing I really, really want to do someday soon is travel to France to tour some of the great French chocolatiers.
What book are you currently reading?
Well, usually my hands have far too much chocolate on them to page through a book, but I recently received A.J. Rathbun’s new book on cocktails, called “Dark Spirits.” Excellent and lively read!
Aside from a family member, whom would you most want to be stranded with on a deserted island?
I would have to say Alton Brown and Bill Maher. I could spend days or even months talking to either of them about all sorts of interesting topics, but specifically food and politics.
What’s your pet peeve?
Probably my biggest pet peeve about human nature is greed — particularly corporate greed!
I’d give anything to meet:
I wish I would have had the opportunity to meet Milton Hershey before he died. As for someone that is still with us, I think it would be pretty cool to have lunch with Bill Clinton or Roger Waters sometime.
The best advice that I’ve gotten:
The best piece of advice I ever received came from a self-help book I read from Anthony Robbins, about 20 years ago, called “Awaken the Giant Within.” Basically, that advice was to stop letting my circumstances and personal emotions influence my decisions, and to simply decide for myself how I will react and take control of my own destiny.
What excites you most about your job?
The thing that excites me the most about running my own artisan chocolate company is how challenging it is to succeed.
Chocolate Heritage Evolves into Artisanry
February 11, 2010
Given that Eric Cayton grew up in Hershey, Pa., it’s not surprising that he was always interested in working with chocolate. Even as a small child, he remembers playing and experimenting with chocolate bars in his grandmother’s kitchen.
On his 15th birthday, Cayton started his first job, working for the Hershey Park Foods Dept. at a chocolate sundae concession stand, creating “walk-away sundaes.”
Eventually, Cayton worked his way up through the culinary ranks … from fast food to line cook, from sous chef to finally working as an executive chef and pastry chef at restaurants, hotels, country clubs and even a retirement community up and down the East Coast.“By the time I had settled back down in the Central Pennsylvania area in the early ‘90s, my childhood connection with chocolate had turned into a full-blown adult obsession,” he explains.
Cayton opened his own small catering company in 1994. He then began experimenting with chocolate truffles, fudge and other candies, selling them to his upscale clients.
“The concept of my chocolates company is simple: uncompromising ingredient quality, unique flavor profiles with balanced composition and aggressive, creative, innovative marketing,” he says.
For additional information, visit www.derrychurchartisanchocolates.com.
What did you think you would be when you grew up?
I always knew, even from a very young age, that I eventually wanted to work with chocolate. I was always fascinated with the life and times of Milton Hershey and the wonderful chocolate company that he built with his own hard work and perseverance.
Name one or some of your favorite movies.
It would have to be Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.”
Describe your perfect dream vacation.
One thing I really, really want to do someday soon is travel to France to tour some of the great French chocolatiers.
What book are you currently reading?
Well, usually my hands have far too much chocolate on them to page through a book, but I recently received A.J. Rathbun’s new book on cocktails, called “Dark Spirits.” Excellent and lively read!
Aside from a family member, whom would you most want to be stranded with on a deserted island?
I would have to say Alton Brown and Bill Maher. I could spend days or even months talking to either of them about all sorts of interesting topics, but specifically food and politics.
What’s your pet peeve?
Probably my biggest pet peeve about human nature is greed — particularly corporate greed!
I’d give anything to meet:
I wish I would have had the opportunity to meet Milton Hershey before he died. As for someone that is still with us, I think it would be pretty cool to have lunch with Bill Clinton or Roger Waters sometime.
The best advice that I’ve gotten:
The best piece of advice I ever received came from a self-help book I read from Anthony Robbins, about 20 years ago, called “Awaken the Giant Within.” Basically, that advice was to stop letting my circumstances and personal emotions influence my decisions, and to simply decide for myself how I will react and take control of my own destiny.
What excites you most about your job?
The thing that excites me the most about running my own artisan chocolate company is how challenging it is to succeed.
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
http://www.ziasatreddoor.com/events.htm
Saturday, January 23, 2010
NICE ARTICLE ON STYLISHGIVING.COM
My friend, Tawnya, from http://stylishgiving.com/ gave us a nice write up the other day, RIGHT HERE:
http://www.stylishgiving.com/2010/01/just-in-time-for-valentines-dayderry.html#comments
http://www.stylishgiving.com/2010/01/just-in-time-for-valentines-dayderry.html#comments
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/
http://www.handmadeinpa.net/2010/01/artisan-chocolate-giveaway/
RECENT REVIEWS
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.
Labels: Chef Eric Cayton, Derry Church Artisan Chocolates
posted by Jeff Franklin at 8:08 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
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.
Labels: Chef Eric Cayton, Derry Church Artisan Chocolates
posted by Jeff Franklin at 8:08 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
RECENT REVIEWS
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.”
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.”
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
MY INTERVIEW WITH A.J. RATHBUN FROM AMAZON.COM
Just dropping in to let everyone know about my new Amazon.com interview with A.J. Rathbun. A.J. Rathbun is a Nationally known author, with several award-winning books published on cocktails, wines, spirits & liqueurs. He was kind enough to send me a copy of his superb new book, Dark Spirits, which I need to get some time to read...so far, from paging through it, I can tell you it looks like a lively read, and it has some absolutely stunning photography! You can find more information on A.J. at his website here: http://AJrathbun.com He is also a professional Blogger with Amazon.com's culinary website, http://Aldenteblog.com I approached A.J Rathbun about a week or so ago with the idea of doing a story on combining alcoholic beverages with chocolates, so we ended up doing an interview, at this link: http://www.aldenteblog.com/2009/12/talking-artisan-chocolates-with-master-chocolatier-eric-cayton.html
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