Chocolate heaven discover the hidden treasures of chocolate

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. The most popular chocolate of all is milk chocolate. Most children adore it. Sweeter than plain chocolate it has extra sugar, full cream milk, and vanilla added to it. Then there is white chocolate, which contains only cocoa butter, milk, sugar and vanilla. Because of the added milk, both this type of chocolate, and also milk chocolate, need to be melted with care over a gentle heat. Otherwise they will thicken, and although edible, will not re-melt. Chocolate drops (or nibs, as they are sometimes called) are easy to melt. The can be used as a decoration on cakes or as an ingredient in the popular chocolate brownie cakes. Some firms sell chocolate for use in a current favorite ‘chocolate fountains’. These make an eye-catching image for a special occasion, with the melted chocolate continually flowing like a colored waterfall – just ready for guests to dip marshmallows, strawberry’s and other small fruits, into the ‘fountain’. It is a good idea to have plenty napkins around to catch the drips! Those who are diabetic often complain about how restricted their diet is, but at least they can have a piece of chocolate. Diabetic chocolate is on sale in various outlets, and has a lower percentage of sugar than other chocolate. Apart from chocolates and bars of chocolate, we can also buy chocolate flakes, these contain both cocoa butter and vegetable oil. The butter adds flavor, and the oil helps to give the flake its crumbly consistency Some specialist shops sell blocks of cocoa butter. This can be melted, mixed with cocoa powder and used to paint sepia colored pictures onto cakes or plaques. Vermicelli is yet way another type of chocolate. These tiny strands are used for coating truffles and cakes. Occasionally the name can becomes confused with Italian vermicelli - fine strands of pasta! A current fashion is to decorate a wedding cake with curls of chocolate like tall rods standing around the sides of the cake. They can be home made but it is a time-consuming job and not easy to make them all a similar size. So it is a good idea to buy from a specialist shop, when they will all be an equal length and thickness Another type of coating which is bought by confectioners is known as Ganache. This mixture of cream and chocolate is very versatile. Melted and flooded over cakes, it is delicious to eat, and sets with a gloss. The higher the quality of the chocolate used, the greater the sheen on the coating. Alternatively, it can be left to firm and piped Modelling chocolate another commodity which can either be bought or home-made. This consists of liquid glucose and chocolate. The glucose makes the paste pliable and easy to model - chocolate roses are particularly popular. And finally, we come to a type of ‘so called chocolate’ which can cause confusion. Packaged under various headings it is often called Chocolate flavor cake covering, or chocolate flavoured coating. They all have one thing in common - although they contain cocoa powder, the cocoa butter has been extracted and replaced with vegetable fat, which is why the manufacturers cannot call it chocolate. The addition of vegetable fat makes the ‘chocolate’ easier to melt and work with. But it has a drawback – because of the lack of cocoa butter it does not have the same eating quality as pure chocolate. © Pat Lock 2007

The wine industry regions of southern california

California is a state that produces 90% of all wine in the US, and the vineyards in the north, in Sonoma and Napa, are among the most famous in the world. However, they do not have the only quality vineyards in the state. The wines from the younger southern California wineries are on an equal par to their cousins of the north. The majority of southern California wine is produced in two areas, the vineyards of Santa Barbara, 100 miles north of Los Angeles, and those close to San Diego, 100 miles south of the city. Both areas have been deeply involved in the growth of the California wine industry, an industry that now ships over 450 million gallons of wine a year to the US and other countries. Santa Barbara’s Vineyards The costal mountains east-west positioning creates the valleys that open onto the Pacific Ocean. The flow of fog and breezes that result from this bit of serendipitous geography produce the perfect conditions for the world-class varieties of wine that are the pride of Santa Barbara. The moderate climate produces the most favorable conditions that grapes need for optimal sugar and acid levels. There are also several “micro-climates” near the Pacific Coast and the Pala Mesa mountains. The fifty mile coast from Point Conception to Rincon forms the longest east-west shoreline on the west coast. The vines here grow on anything and everything, from the rolling hillsides to the exceptionally warm valleys, where summer temperatures often reach 100F or 38C. This climate allows the vintners to work throughout the four seasons: the pruning and weeding is done during the winter, new planting begins in the spring, canopy management in the summer and finally the annual harvest in the fall. This area has a comparable climate to the Rhфne valley in France, and the winemakers have responded similarly. One particular vineyard is situated on a hillside 1,000 feet above sea level, with ideal northern exposure making it the perfect location for the Rhone varietals that are grown here. There are an abundance of European grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sangiovese and Syrah. This diversity is made possible by the large number of micro-climates in the region. For example, the cool-climate Chardonnay does well because of the occasional snow on the mountains. In contrast, the heat-loving Syrah thrives in the warmer micro-climates. The winemakers also took on the bold challenge of growing the difficult Pinot Noir, a wine resonant with strawberry and herbal aspects. While there were almost no vineyards in the county twenty-five years ago, today the wine industry is a $100 million dollar business. The Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valley alone grew to 8,000 acres under cultivation in the twenty years between 1975 and 1995. Between 1995 and 2000, the number jumped to 18,000. Today there are over 21,000 acres of these vineyards and half of the grapes are being shipped to winemakers outside of the county. Temecula The cultural rivalry between northern and southern California is also reflected in the wine business. This is a young industry here; the majority of the southern vineyards didn’t exist 20 years ago. The first wines were produced in Temecula in 1971. Twenty-two miles from the Pacific Ocean, the 1,400-foot Temecula plateau is situated between peaks of the Coastal Mountain range. The afternoon breeze blows the smog away, and the unique micro-climate in the area benefits from a higher solar intensity than Napa Valley. The vineyards of Temecula are kept moist by large underground aquifers. The soil itself is high in decomposed granite. This helps drainage and keeps the soil free of Phylloxera, an invasive insect that destroyed large numbers of old European wine regions. It still remains a problem today. Close by is Shadow Mountain vineyard. Located in the mountains above San Diego, this is the highest vinery in California at 4,400 feet above sea level. All grapes grow in Temecula, including Chardonnay, White Rhфne, Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet and the Italian Nebbiolo, which is harvested as late as November. The region produces a wine with a fruity character, in contrast to the woodiness which found in other California vintages. The religious men of the Mission of San Juan Capistrano were the first winemakers in southern California, and after 200 years, the industry is now in full-bloom. Due to the partnership between wine scientists and winemakers, the 1,800 acres of commercial vineyards of southern California are more successful than ever.

Top coffee recipes to impress the loved ones

Have you ever tried preparing fancy coffee adding whiskey or other things? Yes! Coffee can be prepared adding various recipes to it for the taste you want. The tradition of serving coffee with a different relishing flavor has been there since ages. There are as many ways to prepare coffee as there are races in the world. Discover here the art of preparing a variety of the most experimented beverage in the world. There is no longer any need to step in a restaurant for sipping your favorite cup. You can prepare it with a difference, every day to the wish of your gusto and enjoy a cupful of it being hypnotized in its flavor. The modus operandi is very simple and you simply need the ingredients of the recipe for the kind of the taste you want. Let's reveal the secrets of some of the ecstatic flavors of coffee beans: Cafe Borgia This Italian serving needs hot chocolate, whipped cream and grated orange peels as its main ingredients. Take two cups of strong Italian coffee and mix it with another two cups of hot chocolate. You can make the proportion as per your need but the coffee and the chocolate ratio must be the same. Pour it in the mug and add the cream and the orange peels...And its ready for an amazing sip! Irish Coffee A cup of Irish Coffee lights up the mood and fascinates truly in Irish way. A cup of it requires Irish whiskey, cream, and sugar. Prepare a cup of strong coffee, then add one shot of Irish whiskey and the amount of sugar you need. Put the cream over the top. It's ready for the shot! Caribbean Coffee This is a sweet coffee for a sweet mood. Feel the taste of coco in a tart flavor. You need baked grated coconut, coconut water, milk, sugar and cream if you are willing for a little change. Make three cups of strong coffee. Mix the grated coco, milk and coco water in a pan and heat it till it is creamy. Put some extra grated coconut in the cup to be served, pour the coffee and the milk mixture prepared along with some sugar. The sip of it will take you to the beaches of Caribbean! The Mexican Mocha You require two cups of strong coffee, chocolate syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, whipping cream for the mocha to comfort you in the scorching sun. Mix the chocolate syrup, cream, cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg in a cup. Pour strong coffee prepared into the mug and add little bit of cinnamon in it. Add some chocolate syrup and stir well. Pour the mixture of cream over it. Have it and feel it! While trying these coffee recipes, you will be a coffee expert. Be innovative in your coffee preparations and give it name you want and surprise your friends and loved ones.