Candy Dish Blog

Okay - this wasn’t my idea. I am not recommending this, as I am not a health professional and as such do not know if this really does make worlds collide. Take this all with a grain of salt or a dah of seasoning. Discussing Belgian chocolatier Dominique Persoone’s recent flavor combinations, Miriam Wolf of Chow writes:

The bad boy of confectionary seems to have made an impression on Paris Chocolate Show-goers with his chocolates flavored with cauliflower and his…wait for it…chocolate biscuits encrusted with chicken skin. Take that, you bacon-candy addicts.

Chicken and chocolate. If you have gone that far, why not try turkey?

What do you think - are worlds colliding too much, bridging the gap between savory and sweet?

Happy Thanksgiving!

What Thanksgiving confections are you enjoying today? No, football does not count.

Yes, we are all thankful for candy. It reminds us of the sweetness of life and gives us a little pick-me-up even when times are not so sweet. In this time of giving thanks and remembering the many blessings we have, some of our staff have decided to share with you what they are thankful for. I didn’t even have to pay them to do this - that’s just how good they are.

Ali: I’m thankful for chocolate fondue. I received a fondue pot for xmas last year and since then I’ve enjoyed many memorable evenings with family, friends, and my children sharing pound cake and fruit dipped in warm chocolate. Oh, the conversations and fun that chocolate fondue inspires…!

Carl: I am thankful for my health and that of my family and my wonderful collection of friends. I am also thankful for leading the charmed life that I have and for the many opportunities, adventures and challenges that lie ahead in my life’s path. I am also thankful for just being a jive turkey and not a real turkey this time of year.

Linda: I am grateful for an opportunity to stop what I am doing and ignore, for a little while, all the cares of this world, and give thought to all that I have to be thankful for. Bounty is the word that comes to my mind….incredible bounty. It is so easy to let my concerns over the economy, friends in need, health issues, world turmoil, and the general strife reported in everyday news to overshadow the bounty. A friend once taught me to develop an “attitude of gratitude”. It is a good discipline that begins with just making the list of my incredible bounty. So thanks for stopping me long enough to work on my list!

Susan: This year, I am thankful for shiny diamonds, transition teams and the fact that even when the economy is in the slumps and there’s no money for a fancy vacation I can still get a hot chocolate and an amazing piece of dark chocolate sea salt caramel for under $4 total!

Susan S: I am thankful for hot cocoa with pumpkin flavored spices, foil wrapped chocolate turkey place settings, candied yams, warm home made brownies with baking chocolate and hot fudge topping, caramel apples, pumpkin cheese cake with chocolate graham cracker crust and, the love of my friends and family.

Tori: I’m thankful for the most supportive family and wonderful friends a girl could ask for. And for a job that let’s me play with candy all day!

Many thanks to my wonderful coworkers who did this without me browbeating them too much. Something we are all thankful for is the number of great readers we have gotten in such a relatively short time, so thank you for sticking with us!

What is on your mind right now that you are thankful for?

Thanksgiving Dinner by QuintanaRoo

If you’re lucky enough to shrug off the duties of actually cooking Thanksgiving dinner by attending a feast prepared by someone else, I strongly encourage you to give some thought to your hostess (or host) gift.  Or don’t think about it and follow my advice.

One word: Chocolate.

Actually, three words: Really beautiful chocolate.

A few weeks ago, some co-workers I attended the Chocolate Show in New York and had a chance to see and taste some of the most beautiful, miniature works of art, like this Raspberry Chocolate from Christopher Michael Chocolatier. The chocolate is described as “fresh raspberry pate de fruit on top of a dark chocolate ganache that’s blended with fresh raspberries”.  Since the company was sampling in their booth, we actually had the opportunity to try this confection and, let me tell you, it tasted even better than it looks.  And it looks divine - all of their chocolates look divine.  Just glancing into the case reminded me how happy pretty chocolates make me.  The company is based in Newport Beach, Calif.  and if you’re celebrating Turkey Day in that neck of the woods, I suggest trying them out (buy some for your hostess, of course - but get some for yourself, too).

Christopher Norman Chocolates were also represented at the show.  This company is the father of all beautiful chocolate creations - even the packaging takes your breath away.  Here’s a sample of the company’s Mosaic Box described on the Web site as stunning collection of hand-painted chocolate tiles, which are gingerly inlaid on the tops of these dark chocolate shells.  The collection features six flavors Pomegranate [Purple], Orange Caramel [Orange], Lemon Thyme [Yellow], Manhattan Dark [Blue], Framboise [Fuchsia] and Green Tea (Green).  If you’re in New York City, swing by the factory’s gallery store and pick up a box for your Thanksgiving fete!

We also saw my good friend Jacques Torres at the show.  He’s a legend from his PBS and Food Network programs, and he’s the Dean of Pastry Arts at the French Culinary Institute.  Those of you who have been following my quest to find the perfect wedding cake will be interested to know that I recently lamented to Jacques that his new focus on chocolate confectionery means I have find ANOTHER baker to make my wedding cake.  In response, he told me he didn’t even make his OWN wedding cake, so that seems fair.  Now I happen to love Jacques’ chocolate chip cookies, and would be thrilled were a Thanksgiving guest to show up with them, but you might prefer to get a box of his assorted chocolates.  Again, those of you lucky enough to live or celebrate Thanksgiving in NYC can pop in to shop at his stores.

If you think that other guests will cover the chocolate gift, there are lots of amazing premium confectionery gifts, too - like Applets and Cotlets made by Liberty Orchards in Washington state and the classic 50-flavor Jelly Belly box.  I actually take the Jelly Belly box to dinner parties a lot because it’s fun to watch people pick out their favorite flavors.

Are you planning to take chocolate or confectionery to your Thanksgiving celebration this year?  Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner and hoping a guest will bring you a thoughtful treat?

As for me … my future in-laws are coming to Washington, DC this year and we’re headed to Ocean City, Md. to visit my parents for the holiday.  Everyone is getting a box of dark chocolate sea salt caramels from Trader Joe’s because it’s a taste both the families happen to love - and that’s something to be thankful for!

My wonderful colleague Carly sent me this article. The newspaper that first brought us the great writings of Ernest Hemingway now brings us something that seems equally great - recipes for pumpkin-chocolate loaf and pumpkin-chocolate bread pudding. Now, you may have thought that there was no higher good than bread pudding. You were almost right. I can’t imagine a better way to dress up this timeless classic (one of my favorites) than with chocolate and pumpkin.

The solid base of pumpkin is a great way to carry the rich deliciousness of chocolate. It’s like “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” being carried by the heft The Old Man and the Sea. Who says dessert can’t be literary?

I can’t wait to try this. I don’t know if I will have a chance to make it for Thanksgiving with my brother and his family but if I don’t, at least there will be more for me. After all, that is the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf by tofutti break

No, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Thanksgiving standards like turkey, potatoes, dressing, cranberry sauce, football and green beans. It’s all great stuff. However, there are a few things we could do differently to add a new flair to some of these traditional dishes.

Main Dishes. Add a glaze on your turkey made from jelly orange slices. Put the slices in a pot with a little water and melt them. Stir over low heat until the liquid is a good consistency. Pour it over your turkey toward the end of the baking.

Side Dishes. Okay - this is where the candy really shines. How many sweet things can you put on the table? It depends on how big your table is.

• Dressing - Mix in a tablespoon or two of powdered cocoa for a rich flavor.
• Carrots - Glaze them with a caramel-ginger sauce.
• Sweet potatoes - No need to make a big deal out of these. Instead of putting normal marshmallows on top, try using Peeps or even circus peanuts. They will melt as easily as the regular marshmallows will and will have a unique flavor.

Dessert. No, I am not an advocate of abandoning pies. My stepmother makes the best pies I have ever had. Thanksgiving at her house is a multi-day mouthwatering event, each meal ending in pie. However, we can out a twist on some old classics:

• Apple pie - Add some caramels to the pie right before installing the top crust. The gooey caramel will drip down into the pie and add a delightful flavor.
• Pecan pie - This one is my favorite. I wonder how it might be with a little chocolate in it. It might even be good with peanut butter cups. That would be daring but would certainly pay off!
• Cake - Walk on the wild side and make a chocolate-maple glazed turkey cake. No turkey required!
• Coffee - Try using M&Ms or a fun size chocolate bar instead of sugar. Not only will it become quite sweet, but it will also have a rich chocolaty taste.

Turkey Basting by my good friend Steve Garfield.

Susan S. went to a meeting in Frankfurt a couple months ago and brought back some exotic European chocolate like I had never seen before. Callebaut Callets are a delightful mix of dark and white chocolate in the form of little pearls. They are sweet and delicious and the form factor makes them fun to eat and share.

The whole product whispers “gourmet” in sultry tones. The chocolates themselves are like little pearls - shiny and delicate and the flavors very well balanced. The box is elegant, with its decorative writing, gold foil lining and fancy flip-top. It’s classy all around.

Here are some photos I did of the product. If your mouth is watering, beat feet down to your local gourmet chocolate store to see if they can get you some of these. It’s definitely worth the effort!

What candies are you passionate about?