by Elizabeth
on February 24, 2012
It is the final week of Chocolate Month at Chelsea Market Baskets, and we’ve enjoyed visits to the store from some of our favorite chocolatiers including: Tumbador, Tu Chocolate, H.S. Chocolate Co., Akesson’s, Raw Shakti, and Comptoir de Cacao. There seems to be a recurring question from our customers at these demos, especially when it comes to the Leonidas pieces in our chocolate case: What is a “praline?â€
The confusion stems from the fact that American
pralines are so different from their European counterparts. American pralines are generally made with whole pecans (which are bountiful in the South) that are added into a warm batter of cane sugar, butter and cream. Once they are cooled, the American praline is a stand-alone confection with a creamy consistency, similar to fudge.
A European praline (sometimes spelled praliné), meanwhile, generally refers to a chocolate filled with crushed, caramelized almonds called “pralin†that was developed in France (see picture at left). Sometimes a praline will designate that it is made with sugared hazelnuts instead of almonds. This mixture is folded into a chocolate ganache which is then enrobed in a hard chocolate shell. The connection between the two pralines (American and European) is the original caramelized nut- in both sweets you’ll get a sugary, nutty crunch! [continue reading…]
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by andy
on February 10, 2012
Saturday, Feb 11th CMB we will be hosting
H.S. Chocolate Co. You might think that stands for High School Chocolate Co. since the flavors of candy bars and filled chocolates are based on the classic flavors of childhood, but it’s actually the last initials of creator and lifelong “chocophile†MaryAnne Hoekstra Shekar! Stop by between 12 and 4pm to try her grown up takes on nostalgic treats.
Also on Saturday mid-morning, we’ll acknowledge the big Valentine’s Day holiday with a demo of
Kusmi Tea’s Sweet Love. This Paris-based tea is luxurious and warmly spicy, and the hot pink packaging is perfect for any sweet loves!
Sunday, Feb 12th from 1-5pm, taste a new discovery from the recent New York Chocolate Show:
Comptoir du Cacao and their unusual “flaky pralines.†Trust us, you’ve never had anything like this before!
And on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday 2/14,
Tea Forte will demo their Dolce Vita, “Sweet Life,†dessert tea collection during lunchtime, from 12:30 to 2:30pm.
It is a sweet life at CMB: as a special offering for Valentine’s Day, we have special
Bequet Caramel Boxes in for a non-chocolate treat, and the
Prestat Heart-box Truffle Collection will be available through the evening of the 14th!
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by Elizabeth
on February 7, 2012
“There’s a moment in a marriage, whether two days or two hundred and twenty-two days into it, where you’re standing side by side in the morning barefoot on the cool kitchen floor. Everything is quiet but the hum of him making you coffee just the way you like it, with all that frothy milk and sugar. You’re stirring together his favorite pancakes, sprinkling a few blueberries in the batter and then it hits you: these simple moments are somehow the best in life.
This could happen over a fork fight for the last peach in the jar, or playing rock paper scissors for whose turn it is to do dishes. It can happen, and will happen over and over again if you let it. That is the essence of this book.†And so begins the newest addition to our Chelsea Market Baskets library, The Newlywed Cookbook by Sarah Copeland (click here for a quick visual into Sarah’s life as a newlywed in The Newlywed Cookbook video).
Through anecdotes and recipes of her marriage, Sarah’s inspiring writing makes The Newlywed Cookbook indispensable to newlyweds, oldlyweds, and almost-weds! After working for the Food Network, Sarah has the know-how to keep your pantry stocked for any occasion- whether you’re hosting a party, brunching at home on a lazy weekend, or making a quick weeknight dinner, and also offers advice on getting the most from your local market in any season. 130 recipes and pages of gorgeous photography make this a wonderful book to peruse or cook through cover-to-cover!
CMB is fortunate to have known Sarah when she was working in the building, and we are thrilled to be hosting a book signing and recipe tasting party in the store this Thursday, Feb 9th from 6:30 to 8:30pm. We will have plenty of copies of The Newlywed Cookbook on hand for you to have personalized- this is the easiest wedding or shower gift you have ever given!
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