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Farm Kitchen

19. Carpe Cocoa: Seize the Chocolate!

Beginner

• Read The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe. If you are unable to find a copy, see what your library has on the history of our favorite treat.
• Sample your local chocolate artisan's wares. Learn the difference between dark, milk, white, etc.

Intermediate

• Learn about cocoa beans: where they're found, and the work that goes into turning them into chocolate.
• Learn how to temper chocolate.
• Make two different chocolate recipes that you've never tried before. Remember, chocolate doesn't have to be sweet; it can be savory, too. (Try a Mexican mole, a delicious sauce used in enchiladas.)

Expert

• Learn how to make ganache.
• Try an authentic hot-chocolate drink. If no one in town offers one, learn to make it yourself and share the results. What makes it different than the overly-sweet concoctions you get from an envelope?
• Host a Truffle Party. Make and serve at least four different types of homemade chocolate truffles. Stumped for flavor combinations? Try Spicy Chili Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate and Peppermint, Lavender and Milk, Dark Chocolate Hazelnut, White Chocolate and Pink Peppercorns, Milk Chocolate with Local Honey ... extra points for coming up with your own recipe. (Just make sure to share it with all of us ... for um, posterity. Yes, posterity.)

April, 2024 Edition