Teuscher Chocolates in NYC

 Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland had a really beautiful window display, crammed full and spilling over in a riot of colour and texture.

Victorian Dinner Party #8

After our aperitifs (a glass of sherry), the ladies were escorted to the table and the soup was served,  a medley of harvest vegetables with a dollop of sour cream.

The next was the seafood course, shrimp cocktail in a bed of greens. And for those who do not eat shrimp, there was an alternative, a Victorian-type prank... a shrimp-like substitute was served with a straight face, false teeth gummies. 

Turkey pot pie (called Blackbird pie for the occasion) was the main course, with haricots vert on the side. I made little bird prints across the top of each pie as if a blackbird had walked across the crust. A spring of rosemary, freshly cut from the garden adorned each.

To cleanse the palate, a small scoop of raspberry sorbet came next, garnished with a small meringue and chocolate spider. 

The raspberry sorbet was followed by the desserts: a Victorian sponge cake, battenburg cake, and gingerbread cake.  After which came tea and coffee, and a choice of meringue, madeleines, and almond crescents. The desserts and tea and coffee were followed by a cheese and biscuit plate (groans from the guests were audible as this was offered) and finally a selection of brandy, cognac and liqueurs. Wine and ice water were served throughout.

Take Off the Chill with a Hot Drink

Hot drinks can take the chill off the coldest day. How about some Mexican hot chocolate? It's easy, just prepare a mug of hot chocolate as you normally would, and add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of chili powder. Stir.

If chocolate isn't your thing (is that even possible?) why not try a vanilla steamer? Heat up a mug of milk and add a teaspoon of vanilla and perhaps a sprinkle of ground nutmeg. Sweeten to taste. For a white hot chocolate, add some shavings of white chocolate to the vanilla steamer recipe and stir until melted.

Other possibilities to consider are hot apple cider, chai tea or any other hot beverage that you fancy.

Won't you join me in a hot drink? We're past the half-way mark in February and that's definitely something to raise a mug too!

Indulge in Chocolate

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One of the benefits of Valentine's Day falling in February is that there's lots of chocolate around. I can't think of a month where chocolate is more welcome. So indulge a little. A small amount of good chocolate goes a long way

"S" Stands for Syrup

Maybe the "S" stands for Simply Biscotti, the cute tiny cafe and bakery where I sipped on this hot chocolate. The "S" in question is chocolate syrup that was squirted onto milk foam, unlike the designs that I posted about on September 17, 2009 which were created using a technique that involved pouring foamy milk into espresso. Chocolate syrup is quick but effective!

Chocolat s.v.p.

Chocolate, what better antidote to the February blues? Badly in need of such a pick-me-up, I looked up this recipe for Pots de creme au chocolat from Paris Bistro Cooking, a book with pictures so incredibly charming it is just as much an antidote as chocolate. Not only mouth-watering photos of the food, but also gorgeous descriptions of the featured French bistros and accompanying images of their exteriors and interiors. A lovely way to be transported to France on a wintry afternoon.

The pot de creme looks a little crusty on the top, but underneath it was the silky smooth creamy mixture that one would expect.

La Cabosse d'or

After a hike up Mont St. Hilaire, having worked up a little appetite, a great place to stop at the base of the mountain, is the chocolatier La Cabosse d'or, just down the street from Auclair's barn. Unfortunately for me, this wonderful chocolate wasn't around when I was young and living just a short distance away. Among the assortment of chocolates we purchased is a postcard of Mont St. Hilaire.

Cioccolato

In my post of September 21, 2009 I wrote about the giant bar of chocolate my sister sent from Italy. On holiday for two weeks, her first Tuscan mission was to find Amedei's chocolate factory in Pontedera, Pisa.

In her own words, "It wasn’t very far away, although it was hard to find. We did find it however and of course, like many places in Italy, it was closed. Everything shuts down for lunch from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Anyway, we arrived at the factory and I peeked over the fence and pressed the buzzer. No answer. I don’t think they are really open to the public.

Not long after, a delivery truck came and they opened the gate. So in I went, determined to get chocolate for my big sister. A man came out and I explained that I was from Canada and was looking for chocolate for my sister. She says it is the best chocolate in the world. He didn’t speak English, but told me in Italian that they didn’t sell chocolate. I asked where I could buy it and he went in to get a business card."

After such a declaration what else could he possibly do? Not to be defeated, my sister asked if she could come in to take a couple of photos. And guess what? She could!

Several snaps later, with free samples to boot, my sister and her husband left to find La Bottega del Caffé ... and my chocolate. And what a charming shop it is. Just look at the shop's exterior. The chocolate purchased, the next stop was the post office to mail it to me. And it was on its way.

Note: Photos were taken by my sister.

Italian Chocolate

Look what my sister sent me from her holiday in Italy! My favourite Italian chocolate. I have placed it on a large dinner plate so you can see just what a huge bar it is. Thick too! This chocolate has a lovely smooth texture as it melts in your mouth and the taste is simply devine. It's not surprising that this chocolate, made in the province of Pisa, has won all sorts of awards.