http://www.thetastyshow.com/ The Tasty Show is the chocolate blog of chocolate enthusiast Dana Zemack. Notes on chocolate tasting, pairings, and daily experiences in the delicious world of fine chocolate. en Copyright 2009 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:05:38 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss LaunchSquad. And here we are in January 2009. Much as I've been slacking in the blog department, I didn't waste any time bringing chocolate into the mix here at my new digs - the holidays put me in the spirit to introduce my fellow PR enthusiasts at LaunchSquad to my chocolate obsession. And behold - see below the menu for the very first chocoparty I've done for my own company (rather than other people's companies - which are good too, but, you know, different...) A momentous occasion, and a delicious one at that. I created this menu based on the responses of a small group of friends during a last minute 'testing session' that we held in my little studio apartment two nights before my company chocoparty. I'm always amazed at the sheer range and intensity of the responses to the pairing menus I've presented. In any pairing, I find that it's less about pleasing everyone (which becomes more and more impossible as the group gets larger), and more about experimentation and discussion. Here is our full menu + a few of the tasting notes my co-workers jotted down on little notecards I handed out before our tasting: Valrhona Jivara Lait 40% + Chimay: The Valrhona Jivara is a classic sweet milk - an excellent, relatively neutral place to start. The idea here was a simple pairing based on the sweetness of the chocolate and the sweet malts of the beer. This one got a pretty varied response, ranging from "Better separate!" to, "Although the Chimay on its own is a bit sweet for my palate, paired with the milk chocolate, I was better able to detect the subtler, maltier properties." Michel Cluizel Mangaro Milk 50% + Anchor Steam Holiday Brew: This pairing was one of the most beloved of the afternoon. As for each element on its own, many loved the ultra creamy intensity that Michel Cluizel is so well-known for, and the beer, brewed right in San Francisco, got good reviews all around ("This beer is amazing!"). (On an unrelated note, one fellow taster offered an alternative non-chocolate pairing that she discovered last Christmas while she was, um, mildly intoxicated. If, by chance, you accidentally drop a candy cane into your Anchor Steam Holiday beer, don't fret. Just leave it there for a while, then drink and enjoy.) Recchuiti Dark Milk 55% + Aventinus Eisboch: This pairing got some of the most contrasting responses of the six. Around half the people at LaunchSquad HATED the Eisboch. The other half LOVED it. People's written comments ranged from "Bark tasting" and "BAD" to the more middle ground, "pairing was a bit too sweet for my taste," to "Wow, this is fascinating!" And just a couple nights before, this pairing got rave reviews. Fascinating. Amano 70% Madagascar + Westmalle Tripel: Quite different than all the others - subtlety was the theme in this pairing. Amano's Madagascar, with its soft, even notes of dried fruit and figs, needed a beer that wouldn't overpower. The Tripel is airy, lighter than the other beers in the pairing with a fruity note that mingled gently with the chocolate. A pretty popular pairing overall. One of my personal favorites. Domori 70% Venezuela + Ommegang: I've been a raging fan of Domori's Madagascar bars in the past, but I have to admit that this particular Venezuela variety hit me like something of a bitter, rude awakening... it wasn't my favorite, nor that of most of my fellow tasters, that's for sure. I paired it with the ever honey sweetness of Belgian-style Ommegang Ale to bring the bitter notes down a notch, and would say that the pairing was relatively successful, though I did overhear a likening to "wet concrete." Ha. TCHO 70% Ghana + Lindemans Raspberry Lambic: Always a classic. "The most delicious of deliciousness!" was one of my favorite comments of the afternoon. For the most part, you can't go wrong with raspberry and dark chocolate, and I often conclude my menus this way because it leaves my fellow tasters with a wholly pleasing sense of the experience. The chocolate in this pairing was most certainly one of the favored dark chocolates of the six we tried. It was one of the "beta" bars released by San Francisco's very own TCHO, one of the industry's newest chocolate-makers based not too far from my office. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2009/01/if_youre_going_to_make_a_comeb.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2009/01/if_youre_going_to_make_a_comeb.html Pairings belgian chocobeer chocolate pairing Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:05:38 -0800 My friend Irina has great taste in cake. For my birthday, she found the above caramel pear mousse torte at Athans, which wins the award for Best Place in Boston to Get a Birthday Cake for People Who Like Delicious Things. Then she put cute little candles that were wrapped in foil kind of like peanut butter cups. OH and then there was this nice note on the cake box. Beau-u-u-tiful! ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/07/there_is_one_minute_left_in_my.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/07/there_is_one_minute_left_in_my.html Not Chocolate Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:59:18 -0800 75% chocolate bar that was made with cacao beans that came from a farming community in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico. My bar, as you can see, was number 660 of the total 1,392 bars that were made. Chiapas made it's own special mark on chocolate history in 1648. Here's the story: The ladies of Chiapas liked to indulge in their chocolate drinking several times a day, so much that they were having their maids bring it to church and serve it to them during sermons. The bishop didn't like that, and tried to stop them by excommunicating anyone who dared drink chocolate during church. They didn't like that, and sent him poisoned chocolate. Then he drank it and died! And so the saying went, "Beware the chocolate of Chiapas." I learned about this story in this book, by Thomas Gage (who was there!) Pg 161. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/07/beware_the_chocolate_of_chiapa.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/07/beware_the_chocolate_of_chiapa.html Chocolate I Ate Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:00:46 -0800 Boing Boing today. A fascinating inside look at TCHO Chocolate's curious chocolate laboratory. TCHO Chocolate founder Timothy Childs talks about his converted turkey ovens, how he plans to run the chocolate factory from his iPhone, and NASA's role in it all, among other things. Also, at 4:58 there is an awesome explanation of what is really happening when chocolate is tempered. Note that this is the second part of a 3 part Boing Boing series. The first part can be viewed here. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/07/andwere_back.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/07/andwere_back.html Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:44:01 -0800 As of right now, the adorable and delicious Tasty Show Chocolate Tasting Kit for Two is available online in the Tasty Boutique. I am totally thrilled. A short blurb about the kit that's in the current issue of Stuff@Night Magazine says, "These are no kiddie-birthday-party treats, either: paired with adult beverages (Zemack suggests a fullbodied red wine or dark beer), the tasting makes for an excellent stay-at-home date night or gossipy evening with friends." Stuff@Night also has a great pic of this newly available 'chocolate board game' (of sorts). ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/the_tasty_show_chocolate_tasti.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/the_tasty_show_chocolate_tasti.html News Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:10:58 -0800 The "Amendoa" from Athan's, featuring alternating layers of vanilla sponge cake and vanilla mousse finished with chantilly cream and toasted almonds. Both lovely and delicious. My dad liked it, which means that it was a good choice. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/the_winning_cake.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/the_winning_cake.html Not Chocolate Picks Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:06:46 -0800 My dad's birthday is on Saturday. I am in search of an impossibly beautiful extraordinary birthday cake. The two layer classic + frosting & piped roses is cool... but isn't quite what I'm going for. That said, here are some of the excellent options that come to mind: Athans Bakery: This bakery always has a wonderful selection of French-style cakes and tortes featuring various combinations of creams, mousses, fresh fruits, and other elements. I LOVE the cakes here. But for once, this isn't about me. Will my dad love them too? Tatte Bakery: This bakery is all about sensuous tarts, some featuring really rich fillings of almonds, pecans, or cashews with caramel and others on the lighter side with fresh fruits likes kiwis or figs. Very lovely to look at. I'd consider a fig tart, which looks and sounds pretty delicious. But it's not really cake. But does that matter? I'm not sure. Burdick Chocolate: There's really just one cake here that's birthday style. It's got a raspberry chocolate ganache and is definitely quality but I've had it before (more than once!) and so has the fam, and I feel that we're all ready to move on to other things. Truly Jorg's Patisserie: The first time I heard of Truly Jorg's was a few years ago when I saw this cake in the Boston Globe, which totally blew me away. Who knew cakes could be all slanted like that?? That might be a little much for this occasion though... I'm less familiar with Truly Jorg's than I would like, but I do know that I really enjoyed the napoleon I had there several months ago, and that they have a wide array of visually stunning tortes, tarts, and cakes, and there is a vanilla orange cake that sounds really delicious... Sweet Cheeks Cake Company: I already know that these cakes are not an option, because they need to be ordered in advance, and apparently, I'm a big procrastinator. When I looked at their list of flavors, I saw one called Mom's Classic Birthday Cake... but nothing for Dad. However, the Orange Celebration Cake could be a strong contender (it's all about the orange flavors, really). But these impossibly cute, colorful little cakes might appeal more to the ladies... just a hunch. Which cake will win? My adorable friend Ariel drew the cake pictured above on my Facebook page using the graffiti application. See the little teacup sitting next to it? Hard proof that cake is best enjoyed with tea. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/the_search_for_an_extraordinar.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/the_search_for_an_extraordinar.html Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:08:51 -0800 It's 90 degrees in my house, my car is in the shop until tomorrow, and it's a little late to be waiting outside for a bus to the nearest ice cream place. I searched through my fridge to see what I have to make it myself. I found a carton of heavy whipping cream that was 90% empty. I just made ice cream out of about 2 ounces of heavy whipping cream, 3 ounces of whole milk, a teaspoon of sugar, and a couple drops of vanilla. Total yield was about 3 tablespoons of ice cream, not counting the stuff that was frozen to the ice cream maker bowl. Better than nothing. http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/desperate_measures.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/desperate_measures.html Not Chocolate Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:58:40 -0800 Last night I led a beer + chocolate tasting workshop at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Around 20 of us tested out various pairings of pure chocolates, chocolate desserts and artisanal beers. I'm sad that I forgot to take a photo of the glorious array of chocolate treats that we sampled - but all I can do now is post a picture of the fabulous drawing of a cow saying "moo" that one of the participants in the class drew next to "Valrhona Milk Chocolate" on the pairing menu. Here is the pairing menu in its entirety: Ommegang + Valrhona Jivara 40% Milk Chocolate Aventinus Eisbock + Cafe Tasse Milk Chocolate Guinness Extra Stout + Valrhona Manjari 60% Dark Chocolate Guinness Extra Stout + Theo Madagascar 65% Dark Chocolate Chimay Ale Premiere + Fran's Chocolate Smoked Salt Caramels Ipswich Ale Oatmeal Stout + Kickass Chocolate Cupcake Left Hand Milk Stout + Petsi Pies Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie Lindemans Lambic Framboise + Taza 80% Dark Chocolate A few of these pairings are old favorites, and several others were a little more experimental. I tested out most of the menu at a pre-tasting tasting two nights ago with my friends David, Dmitri, and Brett, who were kind enough to swing by my house late night and super last minute to offer up their tastebuds for some chocobeer! ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/pairing_menu_from_my_beer_choc.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/06/pairing_menu_from_my_beer_choc.html Pairings Spirits Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:01:41 -0800 This is a picture of one of the pretty display cases at Aroa Fine Chocolate, which features truffles and confections made with Venezuelan El Rey chocolate. Aroa opened recently in Boston's South End. My friend Christine and I popped in there yesterday to keep the whole Venezuela theme going after having lunch at the nearby Venezuelan lunchspot Orinoco. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/aroa_fine_chocolate_in_the_sou.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/aroa_fine_chocolate_in_the_sou.html Chocolate I Ate Chocolate Shops Fri, 30 May 2008 09:32:00 -0800 Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream. We used the same simple ingredient proportions as the brown sugar peach ice cream I made a couple days ago - it was super easy, no cookbooks required! Homemade Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Ingredients 2 ripe bananas 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup whole milk 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup halved walnuts 1/3 cup dark chocolate pieces* Tools Ice cream maker Mash the bananas (peel first, please) in a bowl until they are a just little chunkier than a puree. Add the brown sugar and blend thoroughly. Add the milk, cream, and vanilla, and mix well. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions. After the mixture is partially frozen (around 10 minutes into the process), add walnuts and chocolate pieces (while the ice cream maker is still going) and allow the ice cream maker to run its course to complete the process. Also note - for the chocolate pieces, we used Cote d'Or Orange for an added orange twist. *For this recipe, we used untempered chocolate pieces. To make it, we melted the chocolate bars, poured the liquid chocolate onto parchment and spread it into a thin slab, stuck it in the freezer to harden, and then broke the untempered chocolate into pieces to add to the ice cream base. The reason we did it that way is that tempered chocolate is very hard at room temperature, and considerably more so when frozen. Untempered chocolate is much softer at room temperature, and when it's frozen, is about as hard as room temperature tempered chocolate. Chocolate pieces that are put into ice cream are often untempered so that they are a little less brittle in their frozen state. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/homemade_chunky_monkey.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/homemade_chunky_monkey.html Not Chocolate Recipes Thu, 29 May 2008 20:03:16 -0800 My nice friend Aaron emailed me this New York Times article that came out today about miracle fruit parties ("Flavor Tripping") in New York. I have never tried miracle fruit - but have been dreaming of hosting my own miracle fruit parties ever since I saw this blog post around a year and a half ago. I obsessed about it and told everyone in my office about my plans to have the most awesome miracle fruit party ever. At that point, however, miracle fruit was not available online, and after trying to call some farm in Florida more than thirty times over the course of a week, I finally searched on eBay and found a miracle fruit plant that I purchased immediately. I waited on edge until it arrived in the mail, only to learn that it would take a short six years for the damn thing to produce berries. . . and then everyone in my office made fun of me (especially you, Eric, and you're still on my shit list). Traumatic, I know. How many parties do I have to have until I'm satisfied? Last week it was a chocomusic party, then I wanted to have another cupcake week, and now it's miracle fruit parties? I'm so mad that I haven't tried miracle fruit yet. I'm in a jealous rage. I have to go make some lists of things now. It's the only thing that calms me down. The above image signifies the utter agony I feel that I have not yet hosted a miracle fruit party. It was taken by my friend Dan Reed. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/miracle_fruit_emergency.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/miracle_fruit_emergency.html Events Not Chocolate Wed, 28 May 2008 13:05:41 -0800 new cupcake bakery called Sweet is now open near Newbury Street. And here's a story I found about the owner. Is it time for another Cupcake Week at the Tasty Show? ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/good_morning_cupcake.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/good_morning_cupcake.html Not Chocolate Tue, 27 May 2008 10:37:42 -0800 When I was making brown sugar peach ice cream earlier this afternoon, I envisioned the title of this post as "The Day Ice Cream Saved Me From Boredom," but then I texted my friend Jeff and asked him if I could swing by and deliver some 'awesome' (which, in this case, was ice cream) and the whole focus of the post shifted. (Either way, the ice cream recipe is at the bottom of this post.) Delivering awesome to your friends can be done in many ways. I chose to do it with homemade ice cream. The parameters of such deliveries are as follows:

• It has to be awesome and enjoyable.
• It has to be spontaneous.
• You must bring everything with you so that your friends don't have to do anything or supply anything in order to take part in the awesome.

Here are some pics: Lovely white peaches The two main flavors in the ice cream - mashed up peaches and brown sugar Tiny heart-shaped (or bum-shaped, depending on which way you look at it) spoons, colored bowls, a mini ice cream scooper, and orange napkins, and a basket to put them all in. Happy friends. Brown Sugar Peach Ice Cream I adapted the recipe after looking at a bunch of fruit ice cream recipes online. I used white peaches because of they have a delicate flavor that I love, but you can also use regular ones. Ingredients 5 ripe medium white peaches 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup whole milk 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Tools Ice cream maker Peel the peaches and remove the pits. Then mash them up with a food processor or just put them in a bowl and mash them up with your hands or some sort of tool that mashes. The end result should be a little chunkier than a puree. Add the brown sugar and blend thoroughly. Add the milk, cream, and vanilla, and mix well. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/delivering_awesome_to_your_fri.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/delivering_awesome_to_your_fri.html Not Chocolate Recipes Mon, 26 May 2008 23:39:47 -0800 Tatte Bakery in Brookline. Never have I seen pastry crusts so rich and sensuous as the ones lining their counter tops. ]]> http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/sometimes_a_pastry_crust_can_t.html http://www.thetastyshow.com/2008/05/sometimes_a_pastry_crust_can_t.html Places Fri, 23 May 2008 20:16:27 -0800