Oprah's Chocolate Stage Set

Oprah replicated her stage set in chocolate.

We're not the first ones to tell you this, probably. There's been a lot of talk about it, as there always is a lot of talk about whatever Oprah Winfrey does. But we don't quite get why people  are up in arms over this.

I mean, didn't we tell you earlier this month about the model of The Great Wall of China built in chocolate? It isn't as though this is the first use of chocolate for sculpture (or building, if you can't quite see this described as "scultpure"). We've also shown you chocolate fashions, and it seems likely that that chocolate wasn't even eaten after its artistic use.

Is this actually more wasteful than the butter sculptures that used to be a feature of county fairs? Do you think all that food in movies and magazine photo shoots actually gets eaten? Do we need to talk about your Hallowe'en Jack o' Lanterns?

We hope there are plans to make proper use of the chocolate and that it won't all be thrown away, but we also think that there are worse things being done in the world.

Cocoa Meringues

Meringue is a wonderful confection of air and sugar -- no fat, few calories, and a wonderful melting texture. There are many different kinds of meringue, including Italian meringue made with hot sugar syrup, Swiss meringue which is cooked, and French meringue, which we're using here to make a light and airy treat.

Some people like to use cream of tartar or other tricks for meringue, but it isn't necessary if you do it right.
Meringue tips can help if you're a neophyte or if you've had trouble before. Mostly, you need a dry day and no oil on any of your utensils.


Classic Meringues with Cocoa

4 egg whites
2.5 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder


Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Continue beating while gradually sprinkling in sugar and then cocoa. Pipe or drop meringue by spoonsful onto parchment-paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 200 degrees, 25 minutes for chewy meringues or an hour for crisp ones. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if you like.

When You Can't Have Chocolate

The girls in the office have responded to the chocolate vs. vegetable smackdown with serious questions. Some have given up sweets for Lent, some are on diets, some have diabetic people in their households, and they don't want to hear that chocolate is better than brussels sprouts unless we can assure them that they can eat that chocolate without concern.

We are delving deep into this question for them.

First, we don't mean to suggest that cookies -- even our highly delicious and wholesome Sunflower Mix Cookies -- are more nutritious than brussels sprouts.Or even that chocolate is.

That sprout, for example, contains 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein, while dark chocolate contains 2 grams each of fiber and protein and 10 grams of sugar. The sprouts are the winners there. The chocolate gives you 10% of the iron you need for the day, while the sprouts give only 7%, so the chocolate wins on that count -- but the sprouts beat the pants off the chocolate when it comes to vitamin A. Chocolate wins on flavanoids, antioxidants, and magnesium. The sprouts have no fat, though, and the chocolate has 11 grams.

So, yeah, when it comes to sugar and fat, the brussels sprouts are the better choice. People on diets should have lots of brussels sprouts and just some chocolate. Fortunately, you don't need a whole lot of chocolate to get the health benefits.

So here are our recommendations for those who are cutting back on chocolate because of fats and sugars:

• Get the data. It's true that chocolate has more fat and sugar than green vegetables -- but often about the same amount as your favorite breakfast foods or snacks. You can swap an extra slice of pizza for an ounce of chocolate and save half the calories without taking in any more sugar or fat.
• Have a small amount of the good stuff, instead of more of the less luxurious stuff. An ounce of fine chocolate is more satisfying and healthier than a drugstore candy bar.
• Go with cocoa powder. Cocoa-dusted fruit and nuts, hot chocolate made from scratch with water, or meringues made with cocoa powder give chocolate flavor and flavanoids without fat.
• For diabetics, chocolate can be a good surprise -- the sugar in dark chocolate is used more slowly by the body than that in white bread, for example. Choose a higher cacao content (our example is 65%, but you can go higher) and enjoy it with a meal to slow absorption. Check with your health professionals to be sure of the right amount for you.

Giving chocolate up for Lent? We can't help you there. But plan on having a Sweetique Egg for Easter.

Are You Too Rich to Appreciate Chocolate?

A study from the University of British Columbia finds that wealthy people don't enjoy chocolate (or other simple pleasures) as much as the rest of us do.

Researchers conclude that a sense of entitlement -- the feeling that you can have whatever you want whenever you want it -- leads to lessened enjoyment of small happy moments in life.

Even those who aren't yet rich, but are plotting to become rich and spend much of their time and energy on this goal lose a measure of their ability to delight in the simple joys.

If you are rich, we suggest that you titillate your jaded palette with a Sweetique Egg, which might be new to you. Fortunately, you don't have to be rich to get one, so the rest of us can enjoy them, too, knowing that we'll get maximum pleasure from them.

Antioxidants in Chocolate

We know that chocolate contains antioxidants, but this chart from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was an eye-opener! This is a comparison of the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scores for a variety of foods.

Dark Chocolate: 13,120 Milk Chocolate: 6,740 Prunes: 5,770 Raisins: 2,830 Blueberries: 2,400 Blackberries: 2,036 Kale: 1,770 Strawberries: 1,540 Spinach: 1,260 Raspberries: 1,220 Brussel Sprouts: 980 Plums: 949 Alfalfa Sprouts: 930 Broccoli Florets: 890 Oranges: 750 Red Grapes: 739 Red Bell Pepper: 710 Cherries: 670 Onion: 450 Corn: 400 Eggplant: 390 We assure you, we're not trying to diss your favorite fruit and veg. You should continue to feed your kids broccoli and oranges  -- but not till after they've eaten their chocolate.

Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs

We're beginning to see instructions for how to make chocolate-filled eggshells at home.

It can be done. After all, it is a tradition in some parts of Europe to do this. Here's what you do.

You must blow the eggshells out and clean them, and then boil them in vinegar water to sterilize them. Blowing eggs involves poking a hole at each end with a pin and blowing through one of the holes to force the egg out at the other end. You'll then need to color the eggs, and arrange straight pins on foam to hold the eggshells (the ones you don't break while coloring them) without smudging the color.

Then you must temper some chocolate. Ours are a special blend of milk and dark chocolate with hazelnut praline, so you won't get quite the same effect, but you can try. Temper the chocolate, or when you crack the egg it won't look pretty at all. Each egg requires nearly two ounces of first-quality chocolate, so you'll spend as much to make quality chocolate-filled eggs at home as you would to buy them ready-made. Not counting the spilled and wasted chocolate, or what gets burnt or seizes while you're trying to temper it.

Never mind. Soldier on.

Fill the eggs with the melted chocolate through one of those pinholes. Close up the other one, or all the chocolate will run out.

Let the eggs set and then clean them up, since you will have gotten them very messy while filling them. You'll also have to do something with the egg you blew out of the shells.

Frankly, we think you probably would be wiser to buy Sweetique Eggs, Some things -- cookies, say -- are honestly better when you make them at home with love. Other things are better when they're made by experts.

Sweetique Egg Centerpieces

Sweetique Centerpieces make a fun, edible decoration for Easter parties.

Chocolate, Pleasure, and Strokes

A new study has examined and analyzed data from earlier studies which suggested that regular chocolate consumption may reduce the risk of strokes. Researchers have concluded that the evidence -- drawn from studies including up to 44,000 subjects -- supports this conclusion. People who eat the equivalent of a bar of chocolate a week are 22% less likely to have strokes that those who do not.

There are still some questions on the table, though. While it seems likely that the flavanoids in chocolate are the reason for this effect, the evidence is not that clear cut. No studies have isolated a chemical component and tested it in isolation. The evidence supports the conclusion that people who eat chocolate are less likely to have strokes -- but not that chocolate itself reduces strokes.

For example, researchers can't eliminate the possibility that people who enjoy life are both more likely to eat chocolate and less likely to have strokes. It could also be that eating chocolate makes people happier and more relaxed, and that being happier and more relaxed reduces the likelihood of strokes.

Until this question is resolved, it seems that the best advice is this: eat chocolate, be happy.

Mardi Gras!

Today is Mardi Gras -- "Fat Tuesday," the day for using up all the luxurious foods in the house before Lent begins with its dietary restrictions. Mardi Gras isn't the only name for the day, though.

Shrove Tuesday is another name for this day, since people would be shriven, or given absolution following a confession, at the beginning of Lent. Its' also called Pancake Tuesday -- it used to be that eggs and cream and butter were forbidden during Lent, so careful housewives would make pancakes to use up what they had on hand. In communities in the United States and in the UK, Pancake Tuesday is celebrated with pancake races, in which racers flip pancakes in skillets as they run.

In many countries in Europe and South America, the entire season between Epiphany (January 6th) and Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) is Carnival., a season of celebration culminating in today's parties and parades.

In Germany, where Sweetique Eggs are made, today is Karneval or Fastnacht, the end of the season of Fasching. There are regional variations in the names and the customs, but generally Fasching is a time for dressing up and partying. It's reminiscent of the U.S. customs of both Halloween and Mardi Gras.

So go ahead and be a bit crazy today, wherever you are!

Chocolate Easter Eggs

True, some of us still need to observe Mardi Gras and Lent before we celebrate Easter. But all of us can celebrate the fact that Sweetique Chocolate Easter Eggs are in stock and ready to ship!

Sweetique Eggs are natural eggshells filled with a special blend of milk and dark chocolates with hazelnuts. You crack the egg as you would a hardboiled egg, peel it, and there you have a delectable solid chocolate truffle egg. Sweetique Eggs come in a variety of bright colors and festive designs, so they make the perfect Easter basket fillers. They also make very nice gifts for Easter -- they're available in several different packaging options, for everything from gifts for children to corporate gifts.

Visit our catalog to make your selection of Sweetique eggs, and we'll ship them to you in our special padded mailing boxes, for safe arrival before Easter.

Valentine's Day Treats

If you have a heart-shaped muffin tin, you can make these sweet little tarts for Valentine's Day.

First, mix up your favorite peanut butter cookie dough -- or use ours.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg

Combine these ingredients, and drop about a tablespoonful into each muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 4 oz. chocolate and stir in 2 T cream.

Take the tarts from the oven and use a spoon or a piping bag to fill the centers with chocolate.

No heart-shaped muffin tin? You can also use a regular muffin pan with this simple hack: put a paper muffin cup into each space, spoon in the dough, and set a marble at the base of the paper liner, at the edge. This will create a heart shape as the tart bakes.

Chinese New Year Chocolate

This year, Valentine's Day also happens to be Chinese New Year. If you're celebrating with Chinese food, can you also serve chocolate for Valentine's Day?

Really, you can't let Valentine's Day pass without serving chocolate, can you? While the typical sweet ending for a Chinese meal is a collection of fruit such as the one shown here, there are chocolate desserts that blend well with Chinese food. This recipe is fast and easy, but sophisticated enough for party fare. You'll end up with a pale green cookie, half coated with chocolate. Serve it with fruit -- here, white peaches, honeydew melon, and blueberries -- for a lovely dessert that won't be out of place with your Kung Pao Chicken.

Green Tea Shortbread with Chocolate

2 c. butter
2 c. flour
2 T. Chinese powdered green tea
1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 oz. good-quality chocolate
1 T butter

Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate and butter with an electric mixer. Turn the mixture out onto a pastry sheet or a cutting board lined with parchment paper and roll out to a smooth sheet of shortbread. The mixture will be crumbly. Chill 30 minutes.
Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut shortbread and set carefully on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Melt chocolate and butter together. Hold shortbread by a corner and dip half into chocolate. Lay cookies on parchment paper till shiny and set.

Chocolate Fundraisers

Chocolate hearts abound at this time of year, but chocolate with a heart is great, too. Chocolate and fundraising go together perfectly: chocolate provides a sense of luxury far beyond the actual cost, it gives a festive feeling to otherwise ordinary gatherings, and it's almost universally liked and enjoyed.

Here are a few of the organizations doing good with chocolate this month:

• The Ronald McDonald House Chocolate Fantasy Ball
• Red Cross Chocolate Fantasia 
• Elton John Aids Foundation Sweepstakes 
• MSU Museum Chocolate Benefit 
• American Cancer Society Stroll for Chocolate 

Read about these events to get something fun and beneficial onto your calendar or to inspire your own organization's fundraising plans for this year.

And don't forget, for spring fundraising, Sweetique Eggs are a perfect choice -- customize them with your organization's message, or go with our brilliant Easter egg designs.

What's Your Chocolate Percentage?

Many plain chocolate bars now come with announcements about their chocolate percentage. "60% cacao," they proudly announce, or 70%, or 85%, at which point you should probably save it for baking. There's a widespread belief that a higher percentage of cacao is healthier and also better quality.

While this certainly can be true -- we're not going to eat those 10% chocolates -- there are other factors involved.

First, the percentage refers to the combined totals of the two substances we use from cacao: cocoa solids, or cocoa liquor or powder, and cocoa butter.

Cocoa butter has no particular flavor. It's a fat, like dairy butter, but it has some special properties. Chief among these, from the point of view of eating chocolate, is the fact that it's solid at room temperature but melts at body heat. That's why chocolate melts in your mouth so nicely. It's also mostly oleic acid and stearic acid, so it doesn't have the negative health effects of dairy butter. It contains antioxidants, so it doesn't turn rancid. Nice stuff, as butters go.

Cocoa powder is the antioxidant power house. But the percentage on the package doesn't tell you how much of the chocolate is cocoa and how much is cocoa butter.

Beyond that, there are often other ingredients in chocolate confections. A bar of seemingly solid chocolate with a low percentage of cacao is likely to have a high proportion of sugar and cheaper, less healthy fats. But chocolate may contain milk, fruit, nuts, feuilletine, and other wholesome things as well. The percentage of cacao will be lower, but the quality needn't be.

Our Sweetique Chocolate Easter Eggs, for example, contain hazelnuts blended into a special mixture of premium chocolates. The percentage of cacao isn't relevant in cases like these. Taste and mouthfeel are the criteria to use when judging the quality of chocolate treats of this kind.

Last Chance for Love Rocks!

Order Love Rocks today to have them in time to give your sweetie for Valentine's Day! These red rocks are premium milk chocolate with a crunchy candy shell, and they make a great way to tell your valentine that love rocks.

Chocolate Camera

You could follow the very charming instructions at Lomography to make a Chocolate Camera. However, Monday is the last day to order Love Rocks in time for Valentine's Day, so you should probably do that first.

French Macaroons with Chocolate

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, people are buying lots of chocolate (you have just a few days to order your Love Rocks, by the way), but if you're thinking about some homemade expressions of affection, consider French Macaroons.

These delicate bites are getting seriously trendy, but they're not hard to make at home, and the fresh ones are much better than the packaged kind.This makes a soft, chewy cookie.

French Macaroons with Chocolate

3 egg whites
1/2 c sugar
2. c grated coconut
3/4 c. chopped pecans
3 oz grated chocolate
1 t vanilla

Beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form and gradually beat in sugar to form a meringue. Gently fold in remaining ingredients. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop batter onto sheet by teaspoonful.
Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove paper from cookie sheet and allow to cool.

Grate chocolate the easy way by breaking it up into pieces and pulsing in your blender.

Chocolate for Men

Chocolate is the classic Valentine's Day gift for men to give to women. Women even give chocolate to one another in recognition of this sweet holiday. Women don't give chocolate to men in the same numbers -- but they should.

Turns out, chocolate is particularly good for men's health. A 15-year study of men's health found that men who ate chocolate were half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as those who did not. The men who ate the most chocolate, in any form, had a lower death rate over the course of the study from all causes.

This was true even when researchers controlled for such variables as weight, alcohol use, smoking, and physical activity.

 

Does that chocolate gift seem too feminine? You can look for Yorkie bars -- "not for girls" is clearly emblazoned on the wrapper. These aren't sold in the U.S. We say a man should be secure enough in his masculinity to accept chocolate happily on Valentine's Day. After all, it staves off death. Can't beat that.

Valentine's Day Ideas

 

You have less than a week to order Love Rocks for your valentine, so do that first. Then consider these fun ideas:

• Singing valentines You'd be surprised how many organizations in your community do singing valentines as fund raisers. Start with local high schools and colleges -- the music program probably offers this service to help support choir trips. 
• A heart-y meal Make heart-shaped pizza with tomato sauce, heart-shaped breadsticks, and salad with tomatoes. Finish it off with chocolate for dessert.
• Great Lovers in History party game For that Valentine's Day party, write the names of famous historical couples on post-it notes and stick them to the backs of your guests as they arrive. They must find their historical true love among the other guests by asking questions first to determine their secret identities and then tracking down their opposite number. By the time the guests are all paired off, the party will be underway!
• A heart hike Use Google maps to find a heart-shaped route for a Valentine's Day hike.
• Send -ecards Send a traditional, funny or sweet card at Care2, photo-personalized greetings from JibJab, or -- if you must -- snide and bitter anti V day cards.

Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day with your family, your sweetheart, your posse, or all alone with a cathartic movie,  plan now to have a great holiday!

Chocolate Ousts Cocaine

Cocaine's supply chain begins with those who grow coca for sale. It's a dangerous crop, embroiling growers in deadly shootouts and financing terrorism. Since the 1980s, a variety of organizations have tried to persuade coca farmers to switch to other crops, with little success. The high profits of coca compared with other crops made the dangers seem worthwhile to many farmers.

Marketing was the missing link. It's all very well to bring seeds and agricultural expertise to a region dependent on a crop like coca, but without buyers, farmers are understandably hesitant to make the change.

Now, a new initiative in Peru has taken a new alternative product all the way to market.

High end cocoa is the new product, and Peruvian farmers growing cacao on their former coca plantations are a success story. Especially with concerns about child labor in some traditional cocoa growing areas such as the Ivory Coast, Peruvian cocoa is in demand.

The effort took cooperation among chocolatiers, government entities, drug enforcement agencies, and agricultural cooperatives, but sales of cocoa from Peru are now ten times what they were in 2003, when the effort began.

It's a success story all around, with environmental and economic benefits as well as a reduction in violent crime.

Chalk up another benefit for chocolate.