Get help, advice and information on all your Food and Drink issues. http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/chocolate.htm Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:00:28 GMT en For many people the pairing of wine and chocolate for a gift basket is a daunting task, and one they avoid if they can. But if you remember just a couple of simple rules, you can put together a wine and chocolate gift basket that will produce the purest of pleasures and a gift experience that surpasses the extraordinary. What Not to do The most common mistake people make when pairing wine and chocolate is choosing the wrong wine. Dry wines, for example, do not pair well with chocolate. Some of the most common dry wines are: Semillon, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Gewurtraminer. If the wine you wish to give is dry, try coupling it with bread or cheese, or give a wine bottle gift. Light-bodied wines pair best with light, creamy chocolates. Full-bodied wines pair best with strong, dark chocolates. Which Wines, Which Chocolates As a general rule red wines pair most effectively with dark chocolate. Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon pair exquisitely with dark chocol ate and are the stars of the red wine and chocolate gift baskets. Pinot Noir and Merlot also pair nicely with milk chocolate. White wines, because they are drier, are tougher to pair with chocolate. The best white wine and chocolate baskets come with either Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling and milk chocolate. However, another fine choice is Chardonnay and French Vanilla chocolate. Dessert wines are the free spirits of the wine and chocolate baskets; they follow their own rules. Any kind of chocolate (almost) will pair with Champagne and Sparkling wine, while Port pairs best with dark chocolate and Sherry with white chocolate. Stick to the Basics So really, putting together the perfect wine and chocolate gift basket is pretty easy. Remember the rules. Choose the wine and find the chocolate to pair it with, or choose the chocolate first and find a wine to complement it. You will be amazed at what you can come up with and gratified by how well these gifts are received and appreciated. If this is http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/89378_A_Gustatory_Delight_The_Wine_And_Chocolate_Gift_Basket.html Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:47:03 GMT Nowadays there are so many different types of chocolate on the market, that we are literally spoilt for choice. With so much publicity on what we should and should not eat, many people are turning to plain chocolate. Not only does plain chocolate have less sugar than other types, but it also contains a high proportion of cocoa solids. These are formed of pure chocolate and cocoa butter - a hard, white fat. The percentage of coca solids is always listed on the wrapper of the chocolate. Some percentages are as high as 75 or even higher, indicating the chocolate is exceptionally smooth and of high quality. http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/64493_Chocolate_Heaven_Discover_The_Hidden_Treasures_Of_Chocolate.html Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:01:12 GMT A chocolate mold is a cavity, usually made of plastic, used for forming chocolates in desired shapes. A chocolate mold can usually withstand up to 160 degrees F of heat so should be used with low-heat melting chocolate. Some molds are made from rubber or silicone, while other chocolate molds are made from metal. Most chocolate molds produce one sided chocolates which are flat on one side and formed on the other. Some manufacturers provide three dimensional molds that create a fully shaped chocolate. This is usually achieved when two molds are used then joined together in a semi-hardened state. A newer solution to achieving round shaped chocolates is to use a magnetic chocolate mold. This allows the melted chocolate to be placed inside the sphere with the magnets holding the mold together until it hardens in the desired shape. http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/53881_Delicious_Shapes_Chocolate_Molds.html Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:14:23 GMT A chocolate fountain is a fun and entertaining way to provide a cascading waterfall of chocolate for your guests or family. The fountain serves as a decorative device for serving chocolate fondue. The right consistency needs to be achieved to reach the correct texture for the chocolate to fall down the fountain. The chocolate is poured into the fountain in the base, the fountain is turned on to provide the heat which is controlled by a thermostat, and the motor turns the rotating blades to start the flow of chocolate. A corkscrew-type piece, called an auger, turns slowly in a rhythmic-like pattern; this draws the chocolate up to the top of the chocolate fountain. The fountain usually comes apart for easy clean-up as the pieces can be washed in a dishwasher. In most cases, the parts of the chocolate fountain are made from stainless steel for durability and allow the heat to be retained. Most fountains are solid and weigh approximately 40-90 pounds when empty. A small fountain contains about 9 pounds of chocol ate and will feed up to 100 people. A medium sized fountain holds 20 pounds of chocolate and is 30 inches and can feed over 100 people. A larger fountain can provide enough liquid chocolate for over 250 people for a reasonable amount of time. http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/51867_Sheer_Pleasure_-_A_Chocolate_Fountain.html Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:24:27 GMT Chocolate coins are the new way to advertise and market products and services. The corporate world is always coming up with new and catchy ways to advertise their products and chocolate coins can advertise company logos or be used as an incentive program for personnel. Employees of the month programs are a good place to use these chocolate coins to reward the hard working individuals. Many chocolate companies are using a new technology called chocolography to transfer images and logos on to pieces of chocolate to create individual pieces. The new technology allows an image, picture or message to be transferred on to the surface of the chocolate. Some companies are giving these corporate logo chocolate coins to business people attending business meetings, for trade show promotions and to thank their clients for their business. One chocolate coin company has creatively designed a clamshell case for the coins to rest in, thereby protecting the coin for transportation and for a greater effect in advertising. This idea is also being introduced for party favors and wedding favors. The names of the wedding couple or their picture can be positioned onto the surface of the chocolate coins. Chocolate coins also make unique gifts for baby showers and bar mitzvahs. Special anniversary dates or birthdays could be added to make a personalized favor. The chocolate used can be colored to suit the theme of the party or occasion. http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/48902_A_Tasty_Way_To_Get_Noticed_Chocolate_Coins.html Wed, 09 May 2007 08:37:09 GMT Most people have some form of sweet tooth, and many also like the taste and smell of a fresh cup of coffee. Though the tastes of sweets and that of coffee are very different, they make a great match, since sugar helps to offset the slightly acidic bitterness of coffee. One of the best examples of this is the great taste of chocolate covered coffee beans. If you’re a coffee lover, a chocolate lover, or both, chocolate covered coffee beans make a great snack. A Marriage of Flavors http://advice-and.info/Food-and-Drink/48301_Chocolate_Covered_Coffee_Beans_A_Fun_Snack.html Tue, 01 May 2007 22:44:19 GMT