Tables Are More Ethstetic Than Utilitarian 6

What is a table? In the world of food, a table was thought to be a key element, not only in the placement meals - but also in the gathering of the guests who invited, would devour it. In current times, the table has taken on a backdrop appeal, more suitable as a place to position the laptop, and very little is discussed there - as digital gadgets have replaced the once lively meal time chatter.

Days are becoming far less about meals and more about classes, appointments, events and schedules. Both children and adults have increasingly growing activities to occupy their time, and statistics show that 40% or more, of surveyed families do not sit down to eat meals together on a regular basis.

One popular brand know best for canned vegetables, Libby's (can you say pumpkin pie?) has brought attention to this state of affairs, by actually launching a whole month of awareness. The campaign entitled "Get Back to the Table Month", is aimed at driving home the benefits of sitting down to meals as a family, to US consumers via the website www.getbacktothetable.com.

According to the website some of those benefits regarding children:

• Perform better in school
• Have a lower risk of smoking, drinking, and drug use
• Have higher self-esteem
• Develop stronger interpersonal relationships
• Eat healthier
• Teenage girls develop a healthier body image

Not only are their statistics, but tips on being frugal, coupons, and recipes.




One of the featured recipes is Mexican Tortilla Soup. It is pictured above. A very simple recipe anyone could follow. For a more festive presentation of this soup, more as a side or appetizer instead of an entree - try ladling the soup into into small ramekins or high walled tea cups (without handles), then make up some tortilla fries as garnish.

Tortilla fries can be of varying thickness - what ever you want the final result to look like.

Have 2-3 inches of oil in a pan, allow to get to 350 ° . Start with either corn or flour tortillas tortillas, and taking a vary sharp paring knife or pastry wheel (pizza cutter), which I feel works the best, lay the tortillas on a cutting surface. With sweeping brief cuts, make long strips across the tortilla. When you have a nice pile.

Grab a handful of the tortilla strips, and gently drop the handful into the oil. Fry until they turn golden, or crispy. Make sure the oil is strained from the finished tortilla fries. Let rest on paper towel. When about to serve add the piles of tortilla fries to the soups serving containers, this keeps the fries crunchy.



You can also do this with fresh wonton wrappers, to add to salads or other dishes. Just follow the above steps.

Formula: Scratch Italian Puff Pastry 5

"Pasta Spogolia Al Vermouth Blanco" is a commercial baking formula, and should be reduced for home usage, down to 1/3 or even 1/4 of the original formulation. This formula requires a 20 QT mixer. It is a Full Developed dough. Ingredients are measured by weight - NOT volume.

This is a really lovely puff dough to work with on the bench, it has a nice feel and tastes pleasing.


# = pound (US standard)
BP = Baker's Percent (disregard if not culinary professional)

Formula:

• 3# 10 oz. Organic Bread Flour Baker's % (80)
• 1# 8 oz. butter (use European style, has better plasticity) BP % (20)
• 1 1/2 oz. salt BP % (2)
• 1 oz. malt BP % (1)
• 7 oz. white wine (boxed is fine for this) BP % (10)
• 1# 4 oz. water BP % (27.5)
• 3 1/2 oz. eggs BP % (3)

Butter For Roll-in/Fold-in

• 3# 10 oz. butter (use European style, has better plasticity) BP % (80)
• 1# 8 oz. Organic Bread Flour
  

Procedure:

Dissolve salt in cold water.

In a 20 QT mixer with the hook attachment, mix the flour, butter, salt & water until well incorporated. Add the eggs and white wine. (slowly pour in) [NOTE: The amount of water needed depends on the hydration of the flour - different batches of flour from the mill will be drier than others, thus requiring more water that stated. You should always add extra liquid slowly 1 ounce at a time, to avoid over saturating your dough.]

Give the dough an intensive mix. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Mix folding butter & remaining bread flour. flatten the folding butter into a square and reserve in the reach-in /refrigerator.

{When working w/ puff dough - it is critical, for the flakiness & layers to form, to NOT push the edges of your dough down (as if pie dough), you must handle the edges delicately, or it will hinder the steam from forming during bake-off (steam = proper puff & rise).}

Place the butter square (from reach-in) on top of your chilled dough, on the lower half of the dough. Fold the dough in half, completely covering the butter - preform these steps:

1. Roll out the dough until it's length is 3 times it's width.
2. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter.
3. Rotate the dough 90° and roll out the dough until it's 4 times it's width. (Be sure to roll the dough perpendicular to the first turn.)
   
4. Wrap the dough n plastic wrap, place it into the reach-in /refrigerator for 45 minutes.

Remove the dough and repeat steps 1-5 as stated above . (roll dough : 1 x 3, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 4)

The dough is now ready to be used. This dough makes up great pastries - turnovers, palmiers, savory pastries - whatever you desire.

Related Posts:

Commercial Formulas Featured On Renaissance Culinaire

Formulas for Muffins, Scones and Pastries Featured On Renaissance Culinaire

Baking Theory Notes: Archived 26

Here is a list of archived Baking Theory Notes featured on Renaissance Culinaire. These notes focus on the chemistry and properties of different ingredients and their relationship to baking. This page will be updated as more theory notes are added.



Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte
Mixing Geekdom
Fermentation Chemistry
Yeasts
Proof boxes / Hints for new Bakers
Chemical Leavening &
Dough Strengtheners
Dough Preparation &
Fermentation
Functions of Eggs
Dairy Products Used in Baking
Sweeteners
Other Flours
Rye
Bread Troubleshooting
Bread Baking
Salt & Yeast
Fats
Wheat / Flour

Sassy Sunflower Pops Cookies - Healthy & Fun 25

Baking with kids can sometimes be challenging. Creating something while keeping kids occupied or interested is no simple feat. Creating a healthier cookies is on not only on parents minds but also on the minds of many health conscience individuals. I would like to introduce you to a great website with some really fun recipes. Sure to please any kid, even that inner child of yours.

...this will
tempt anyone



with visions
of healthy
lovely treats
to decorate &
devour

I was so excited to be picked for
blogging about the Snackivate website.
It came with perks from Kellogg's company -
namely 2 full size boxes of Kellogg's
Frosted Mini Wheats used to experiment
with the recipes on the site, and a cool
little plastic gadget that you put into
the freezer (the cup has gel within the
walls of the cup,to insulate the milk and
to keep it cool),which once frozen will
hold your milk,while the top (it screws
into the bottom) holds your favorite cereal.
This is a nice little gadget for mom's or
dad's toting kids around. Or even college ,
students or teenagers on the go, in be-
ween classes, who haven't the time to
grab a decent breakfast (I think we've
all been there).

The Snacktivate website is a place for anyone looking for health conscience lot's of downloadable recipes, ranging from all different meals of the day to sweet treats, some samples are pictured above, that would be fun to make with children. There are nutrition tips and more for parents, relatives and teachers. Below is one of the featured recipes from Snackivate website.

Recipe: Sassy Sun Pops
I have added some notes on making this Veg/Vegan friendly. You will need to experiment with different ingredients to find the best formulation for Veg/Vegan style cookies using this recipe.

Prep time: 10 min.
Bake time: 12-14 min.
Servings: 33

These cookies are baked at 350 °F for 12 - 14 min.
Materials Needed:Candy sticks, that are oven proof (you can find at your favorite craft store, i.e Micheal's)
Almonds
Flaxseed
Cookie Sheet
Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 cups (AP) flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup butter or margarine (soft) (supplement Earth's Balance stick for vegan cookies)
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs (if going veg/vegan there are many egg replacers out there, you may want to experiment with what works best in cookies for you - consider the extra dry ingredients by way of the cereal and try opting for something with more moisture content)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 60 frosted bite sized mini-wheats OR 60 un-frosted mini-wheats (unfrosted is the best vegan alternative due to the gelatin in the frosting) , crushed (pulse in a food processor, or put into a zip lock bag and beat w/ rolling pin)

Procedure:

1. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, add peanut butter, Gran. Sugar, Brown sugar and mix on medium-high w/ electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs & vanilla. Beat well
4. Beat in crushed cereal and flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
5. Drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet . While pressing down, use back of fork to make across hatch into cookie dough.
6. Add oven proof cookie sticks by pressing stick into one side of the dough of each cookie.
7. TO create sunflower: press flax seeds into the center of each cookie dough round. Press raw whole almonds into the outer edges of each round to form the petals of the sunflower design.
8. Bake at 350 °F for 12- 14 min. or until golden brown, remove baked cookies with spatula from cookie sheets immediately and let cookies cool on wire wracks.

This recipe is adapted from Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies a recipe © of Kellogg's NA Co. 2008. All Rights Reserved.


Hope you can recreate the fun time I had creating these with my 5 yr old daughter. It was a blast. She loved adding the spoons of dough to the cookie sheets and making the "sunflower" designs. Enjoy!

Baking Theory Notes: Cake Baking and Ingredients 6

It all started as...
----->Bread dough enriched with butter and spices, leavened with yeast and air was whipped into the dough.

----->ca. 1837 : Baking Powder revolutionizes cake industry (allows for consistent leavening)

moist coconut cake by babe_kl

Characteristics of Cakes:

*Pound / White / Yellow

• Batter - high ratio cake (fats) , Chemical leavened.

*Angel Food

• Foam - Air leavened, uses whipped egg.

*Chiffon

• Combo of Batter & Foam - whipped eggs added to batter

Ingredients:

1. tenderizers
2. moisteners
3. flavorers

*Flours Used in Cake baking

• Mainly cake flour (7-9% protein, soft milled)
• Can use AP, Pastry,

Why Specific Protein Count needed, how it forms Gluten Structure:

1. Bleached flour (has carotenes taken out)
2. Flours are Made with Matured Wheat - if using a heavier protein percentage (i.e in bread flour etc, will cause cake structure to become dense, unstable and collapse into it's self.
3. Moisture content comes from the flour

*Sugars Used in Cake Baking

What sugar does for cakes:

1. Acts as a Sweetener
2. Extends the shelf life of the cake
3. Aides in creaming (process of whipping air into the batter)
4. Gives cake crust it's color
5. Spreading action (the process of melting during bake off)

Related Posts:

• Baking Theory Notes: Chemical Leavening, Dough Strengthener, Crumb Softeners
• Baking Theory Notes: Eggs
• Baking Theory Notes: Sweeteners
• Baking Theory Notes: Fats
• Baking Theory Notes: Wheat / Flours
• Baking Theory Notes: Salt & Yeast

Hot Pepper Gingerbread Muffins with Orange-Maple Butter 6

Thanks Darwin Bell For Use of his Photo.

I found this recipe in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, Which I will review in a future post.

This recipe sounds so good. I love ginger and cardamom. And maple butter is one of those taste memories from childhood- my grade school would have waffle days, and they would serve these waffles made from scratch, big pale yellow round ones the size of a plate. The waffles were barely browned - so that they were soft and warm and not crusty on the outside. And on the top they would serve a scoop of fluffy maple butter, so when you spread it onto the waffle, the maple butter would sink into the individual spaces in the grid, exploding into your mouth at each bite....yumm! I have never forgot that taste.


To Make Hot Pepper Gingerbread Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350°F , use the center rack. Line your muffin tin with muffin papers (or grease / spray).
Makes 12 muffins
(you can refrigerate this batter over night if you need to, just fill your muffin tin cups, then refrigerate.)

Ingredients :

• 1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. powdered dry mustard
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 freshly ground white pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3 TBsp. freshly grated gingerroot (use a microplane - best tool for the job)
• 2/3 cup strong boiling hot coffee

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl whisk these dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, salt, powdered ginger, dry mustard, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cardamom.
2. You will need a kitchenaide or other electric mixer with a whip attachment. Beat eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until thick. With a slow steady pour - add the oil and molasses. Stir in the ginger.
3. On medium speed add the dry ingredients in three batches. alternate with the hot coffee, mix well after adding each ingredient. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Pour the muffin batter into the prepped muffin tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Orange Maple Butter

Ingredients:

• 8 TBsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature.
• 2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest
• 2 TBsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp fine grain salt

Procedure:In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, zest, maple syrup and salt until smooth. Serve at room temperature.


Serve the muffins with the orange maple butter. This butter keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Allow it to soften to room temperature, whip if necessary.

The Sweet Melissa Baking Book Recipe © Melissa Murphy. All Rights Reserved.


Related Posts:

• Contest : Cookbook For 5 Lucky Random Winners
• And The Winners Are - Drum Roll Please...

Recipe & Procedure : Tuile Cookies Curls 7

This is a formula adapted from Le Cordon Blue Professional Baking 3rd Edition. It bakes up to 90 cookies, so you may want to divide this recipe in half or maybe even thirds if making for your self. You can also make this formula ahead of time and store the batter in the fridge for up to a week before use.

TUILE COOKIE / Stencil Paste BATTER
I did mine in a kitchen aide mixer. Preheat oven for 350 F.

• 3 oz Butter
• 4 oz confectioners sugar (a.k.a powdered)
• 3 oz of egg whites
• 3.5 oz cake flour

Total batter weight equals 13 oz

To make the batter: Cream the butter and sugar until creamy, add sugar until mixed thoroughly. Whip in the egg whites. Sift in the flour, mix until blended. *Let the tuile batter set up for a few minutes before using.

I suggest baking the tuile on a sheet pan with parchment, or use a silipat (if you don't have one yet -- GET ONE. They rock).

You can use any sized or shaped stencil you want, just make sure the material of your stencil will hold up to the moisture from the batter.

To use your stencil : Position the stencil on the area of your sheet pan you want the cookie to bake. Use a small offset spatula, take a small tsp sized lump of batter, lay this at the foot of your stencil. Hold the stencil onto the pan - with the other hand use a forward motion - slide the side of your offset spatula the length of your stencil, use the stencil as a guide. What you are trying to achieve is a thin level layer of batter that fills up your stencil, as the excess is removed.

Once your stencil is full: Gently lift the stencil with an upward motion to release the stencil from the batter that will stick to the pan and form your specific stencil shape. What you want to achieve is a cookie that holds the stencil shape and forms equal and very evident sides once the stencil is removed - this will tell you whether you did the above procedure correctly.

Don't feel bad if your first tries end up with terrible results. Most people aren't used to stenciled cookies. Just keep reminding your self you are trying to create something yummy too. Make sure you work quickly, and if you need to halt baking for a period of time, refrigerate your batter.

Alternate method: You can spread the batter directly on the silipat and once baked you can cut into shapes. Let the shapes cool and harden, garnish away.

To Bake : You will need to stand and watch these cookies. Even more so the more batches you bake-off, as the oven temperature will increase the baking of your tuile cookies the further along you are. Bake your cookies for 5 minutes. Take them out when you just notice the very edges browning.


To Make "curls": After you have pulled the tuile cookies out of the oven, When they have been out of the oven for 30 seconds, quickly slide a spatula under them (while still warm) use a rounded stick (such as a dowel or even a thick wooden spoon handle) and wrap each softened cookie around the stick to your liking. Let it cool, and then remove the hardened cookie from the stick.

You can also bend them over a rolling pin or other round objects to achieve a special look.

Tuile Batter & Stencil

I made a simple stencil by cutting shapes out of sturdy cardboard (in this case a cake box) with an exacto knife.

Here is the finished product.

Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte 3

This post is referencing a previous post dated Feb. 11 2008 : Food Photography : Strawberry Banana Torte

So David here are those details, as promised. I created this post using Google Docs. Google Docs rocks my blogger socks off! I can just click a button and post a nicely formatted post. I plan to use this tool more in the future.

The purpose of this post is to show you readers how to find a base cost for a plated dessert and what goes into those calculations


Costing Formulas:

☆ Ingredient weight (divided by ingredient unit cost) = ingredient cost per lb/oz
☆ Ingredient cost per lb ( divided by number of oz) = cost per oz
☆ Ingredient cost per oz/lb multiplied by formula ingredient weight = final ingredient cost. ☆ Final ingredient costs added together = total dessert cost
☆ Total dessert cost ( divided by dessert serving number / weight) = per serving cost
☆ Per plate cost added to garnish/decoration cost = total per plate cost

# = lb

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lb	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used in
Milk	4# = $1.59	0.40	.03	1.5 oz	.05	French sponge
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	6 oz	.24	sponge
Egg	18# = $16.80	.93	.06	2.5 oz	.15	sponge
Cake Flour	50# = $9.99	.20	.01	4 oz	.04	sponge
AP Flour	50# = $11.94	0.24	.02	2 oz	.04	sponge
Vanilla ext.	8# = $65.40	$8.16	.51	.125 oz	.06	sponge
B. Powder	10# = $12.90	$1.29	.08	.17 oz	.01	sponge
salt	25# = $7.30	.29	.02	.05 oz	.01	sponge
Butter	36# = $52.56	$1.46	.09	1 oz	.09	sponge

Banana Scented Marscapone

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Marscapone	#3 = $7.76	$2.59	.16	8 oz	$1.28	frost
Banana Compound	38.8 oz = $13.50	$5.60	.35	1.5 oz	.53	frost
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	.04	4 oz	frost
Vanilla Ext.	8# = $65.40	$8.16	.51	.25 oz	.13	frost

Total

------

-----

$1.58

.10

--------

Dessert

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Strawberry Puree	2.2# = $10.51	$4.96	.31	8 oz	$2,48	sauce
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	8 oz	.32	sauce
Water	--------	------	-----	12 oz	-----	sauce

Total

------

$1.60

.10

-----

-------

garnish

Midori Simple Syrup

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	8 oz	.96	syrup
Midori liqueur	24 oz = $20.95	$13.92	.87	4 oz	$3.48	syrup
Water	--------	--------	-----	4oz	----	syrup

Total

-----

$2.74

.17

------

garnish

Honeydew - Midori Sauce

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Honeydew puree	.62 per melon	------	------	¼ melon	.16	sauce
Midori liqueur	24 oz = $20.95	$13.92	.87	2 oz	$1.74	sauce
G. Sugar	50# = $25.70	0.57	.04	8 oz	.32	sauce
Midori simple syrup	-----	$5.92	.37	6 oz	$2.22	sauce
Cornstarch	25# = $14.98	.60	.04	.75 oz	.03	sauce

Total

-----

$4.48

.28

----

-----

garnish

Dessert Garnishes

Ingredient	Cost per unit	Cost per lbs	Cost per oz	Ing. weight	final cost	Used as
Choc. Plate Design	11# = $36.19	$3.59	.22	¼ oz	.06	garnish
Strawberry Sauce	-----	$1.60	.10	¼ oz	.03	sauce
Honeydew-Midori sauce	-------	$4.48	.28	.5 oz	.14	sauce
Fresh strawberry	1# = $1.99	$1.99	.12	2 oz	.06	garnish
Fresh Kiwi	.33 each	-----	----	1/5 kiwi	.07	garnish
Choco. Decoration	11# = $36.19	$3.59	.22	¼ oz	.06	garnish
Strawberry puree	2.2# = $10.51	$4.96	.31	.5	.16	Dec.fill

Dessert Cost

Total Cost	No. Servings	Per Plate Cost	Garnish cost	Final Plate Cost
$1.24	8	.16	.58	.74

These prices reflect the cost of making the dessert alone by ingredients involved and do not reflect the menu cost delivered to the restaurant customer. There are many ways to calculate the menu cost of an item, which includes using specifc formulations to calculating labor cost and a variety of other factors.

48210-080330-399239-18 Rate content:

© 2008 All Rights Reserved. No Portion of these formulas or document may be reproduced or copied without permission.

The Culinary School of Thought : Why Food Blogs should not "tickle-me-emo" 1

Should food blog authors talk about drama in their personal life , in their posts ? What separates a foodie post from an average blog post? Is it the willingness to obsess over food? Or is it the absence of teenage angst?

Something keeps me from describing my year. A year I will never forget. I could divulge the sketchy details...let them consume the page until your eyes grow watery and strained --- but something tells me to move on to less polluted and more food oriented subject matter.

I am really torn on posting events of my private life on this blog. Especially since in 2008, I have committed to being a better food blog author. It is kind of like I've taken an oath to blog food - and nothing but the food.

2007 was a year that did not slip quietly into the realms of ordinary. Not a chance, there was no meager repose. Topsy-turvy. Not only for the rest of the world, these indeed are strange times. Elections. World in Crisis. Fashion disasters. Inventions aimed at making people more lazy. Uncertain economy. Dollar value plummeting.


So I digress. This is a food blog after all, not a "tickle-me-emo ^w" teenager-on-Myspace sob-fest. As Jim Rome ^w would say:

"That IS NOT a reason to GO!" --- Jim Rome

So on a lighter , more nostalgic note - I have had a lot of time to think about blogging and what I am wanting to do with my food blog in the future. I have had this blog since Dec. of 2004 (WOW!) and in that time the blog has gone through many stages of metamorphosis - from template design - as I discover new info on html design ; to advertisements; to the content its self.

The readership has grown (THANKS!) and I think the blog template has become a more mature version of former ones . I have always tried to distance myself from blogging the same content as food blogs that fellow foodie Mahanandi says are:

"....traditional "always-all things-all-purpose flour" corporate promoted cooking..."

and in a way that suits my style of writing very well.

The thing that stays constant is my love of writing and the insatiable passion of learning everything I can about culinary : whether that means food / technique / history.

Merriam Webster lists the term Disciple as :

Main Entry:
dis·ci·ple
Pronunciation:
\di-ˈsī-pəl\
Function:
noun
1: one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines ^MW of another: as b: a convinced adherent of a school or individual.

That is one reason I leave "student" in my blog description --- I will and continue to be a life long disciple of the culinary school of thought.

I author this blog not only to give me an outlet for my writing, but also to make note of things maybe other foodies can relate to, or to offer some info on certain techniques or info that may be more in depth than say that page on "recipes-gone-wild.com", all the while documenting and archiving my school notes for reference at a later date.

I do interlace my love of photography and music throughout this blog and can't help throwing in a smidgen of sarcasm or poetry or irony, it's my nature.

I am here to let you know my food blog is here for the long haul. I will be introducing more content, more frequently in 2008 and hope this is a year to awaken more creativity and foodie fabulous.

Happy New Year!

Baking Theory Notes: Mixing Geekdom 2

Popular Dough Styles Methods of mixing dough, in bakery settings. If you analyze your home recipes procedure, you may notice most of your home bread or pastry recipes might mirror:" sponge & dough" or " straight dough" methods.

*Sponge & Dough Method

Very widely made.

--->Basic Formulation / Procedure:

1. Mix half of the flour, yeast , malt , water @ <72°f> = sponge.
2. Let it rise 3½ hours --- shake it, if it is done it will drop away from the sides.
3. Remove sponge from your container, add to mixer with remaining flour, salt etc.
4. Mix until gluten is developed.
5. Bake

Advantages of Sponge & Dough method :

• Better Flavor
• Flexible --- In sponge stage you can leave sitting on the bench.
• Better (tighter) crumb

{ This equals to ( 2) mix s and (2 ) fermentations {one in bowl , one in oven}

*Straight Dough Method

1. 1 mix
2. 1 fermentation

Advantages of Straight Dough Method:

• Faster
• Uses less electricity
• Easier on equipment
• Less Labor

*No-time Straight Dough Method
No fermentation. Additives cause "rise" activating Enzymes that normally developed during fermentation.
Basic Formulation / Procedure:

1. Mix ingredients. Warm up the dough (i.e via mixing friction)
2. Add more yeast
3. Add Fructose (yeast can eat this faster)
4. No Rounding --- Scale & put into pans to bake

Disadvantages of No-time Straight Dough Method:

• Flavor IS compromised (from lack of fermentation)
• Bad shelf life (unless you add additives)
• No flexibility --- from mixer to oven (reminds me of "from zero to sixty")

For more info on dough related baking info go here.

Baking Theory Notes: Fermentation Chemistry 4

Fermentation

Remember: Fermentation starts when the mixer stops!


Control Fermentation through:

1. Temperature
2. Time

What happens during the fermentation process?

• Gas is produced --> Carbon Dioxide {When Dough is mixed gas is caught by the gluten and the gas rises}
• (water & flour cause enzyme activation)
• Gluten is modified --> Dough becomes balanced so dough is workable : Elasticity --> Extendability
• Flavor is developed (Acidity)
• Alcohol is developed ("Alcoholic fermentation")

*To test the "alcoholic fermentation" theory ---> when you are ready to mix your formula, open a starter, either one retarded or left on the bench (Ciabatta or Croissant are especially potent!), lean in --- (as a former instructor would explain: "you rip back- because alcohol has hit your brain", he had such a big grin when he said this ) I am telling you --- it'll knock your socks off. The more "bake-tarded" (my own baker slang) you become, the more you anticipate smelling those starters! Ha HA!



Enzymes:


click here to see a bigger sized diagram of the chemical changes of fermentation.

Definition:
Biochemical Catylist: an organic substance formed by living cells (yeast), is able to cause changes in other substances {i.e bacteria, fungus or both } without changing it's self .

Diastatic = has enzymes
Non-diastatic = enzymes have been killed

Diastic Enzymes:

---> Supplied by flour / or Malt (sugar)

1. Alpha-Amalase works on Amylose ---> Converted to Dextrin (sugar)
2. Beta-Amalase works on Amylopectin ---> Converted to Maltose (sugar)

*These diastic enzymes are important because they work on STARCH.
---> Wheat is 70% starch (bran is protein)

Starch:

--->Amylose --->
--->Amylopectin--->

Diastatic Enzymes from flour (from milling) work on the damaged starch (i.e gelatinized (from heat / baking) and convert it to sugar (2% of starches) .

End result is mostly Maltose. Yeast cannot metabolize maltose.

1. Maltase (enzyme) ---> converts to Fructose, Dextrose / Glucose)
2. Sucrose [beet or cane] (granulated sugar) ---> Converts into Glucose
3. Invertase (enzyme from yeast) ---> converts Glucose into Sucrose

Yeast takes maltose (enzyme) and converts it into Fructose, Dextrose / Glucose {allows yeast to eat it).

These processes take place if:

1. Optimal Temperature
2. Right moisture Content
3. Allowed Optimal time

Zymase (yeast) ---> Reacts with simple sugars and injects CO2 into the dough causing it to rise. Produces alcohol.

Simple Sugars:

1. Fructose = CO2
2. Glucose = CO2
3. Dextrose = CO2

Proteolytic Enzymes

1. All from flour
2. Can be found with Diastatic Enzymes

---> Protease ---> Converts protein ---> Modifies the gluten so dough is workable (softens and makes extendable)

*Over mixing dough will break dough down into "slime". I've seen this happen, it ain't pretty. Kinda resembles the stay puff marshmallow man (as the ghostbusters cross streams)
when he is obliterated --- a bumpy, jiggly white mass. yuck.

Blogosphere blurb / Recipe: Pear Chocolate Belle - Helene 2

Culinary Revival --- That is what Renaissance Culinaire translates into to English. Now that my template is updated in "new" blogger, and it looks o.k I can now get down to the business of baking. After recoding the html and going through each post to label them individually, I realized that 2005 was the "golden" year of this blog. That this was a model for the blog that you readers loved so much --- and in all fairness I plan to deliver my posts in that spirit, once again. ---lets say VIVA BLOG CONTENT!

O.k I haven't a picture for this dessert... But I plan to bake it next week, so I will update the post with some assembly & finished dessert pics later.


Pear Chocolate Belle - Helene
This was adapted from an editorial in The Columbia.

Cake Ingredients:

¾ Cup butter or Margarine+ , softened
2 ½ Cups flour
1 Cup Brown Sugar+
½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
4 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate , melted
1 Egg , slightly beaten+
1 cup milk+
4 small, ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut in half. (or substitute for canned halves --- drain, and pat dry w/ paper towels)

++For Vegan/ Vegetarian :

Substitute Earth Balance (( in the block form)) in place of the butter.
Use 2 oz of Extra Firm Silken Tofu in place of egg.
Soy or coconut milk can be substituted for milk.
Substitute your natural sweetener ( I.\e Turbinado) in place of sugar --- adjust accordingly, more or less depending on the sweetener.


Cake Mix Directions :Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
Add flour and sugar; beat on low speed until crumbly. Remove 1/3 cup of
the butter mixture; set aside. Add baking powder, baking soda,
chocolate, egg and milk to remaining butter mixture in bowl. Stir just
until dry ingredients are moistened.

SPREAD one-third of the batter into greased 9-inch spring form pan. Place pear halves,
cut sides down, in a circular pattern over batter. Drop spoonfuls of
remaining batter over pears; spread to evenly cover pears. Sprinkle
with the reserved crumb mixture .

BAKE 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

Cake Finishing:
Using a pastry brush, brush the cooled cake with *Brandy Simple Syrup. Spoon slightly cooled **Spiced Carmel sauce onto the cake, allowing the caramel to drip over sides.



*Brandy Simple syrup
2 cups water
1 cup white sugar ( Or vegan sugar)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup brandy

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, combine water, sugar and lemon zest. Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Strain into airtight container, removing the lemon zest. Allow to cool, then cover and store in refrigerator. When ready to use, mix in brandy. Brush onto cake

*Spiced Pecan Carmel
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
½ tsp Cinnamon
¼ nutmeg
Toasted Pecan halves

DIRECTIONS:
Put granulated sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and crumble brown sugar over. Melt sugar, undisturbed, over moderate heat until granulated sugar is mostly melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Carefully pour in cream (mixture will bubble up and caramel will harden slightly) and stir in nutmeg, cinnamon . Simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1 cups, about 10 minutes. Cool to just warm.

++Vegan Spiced Carmel Sauce:

2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
½ Cup soy milk
½ Cup vegan sugar
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Cinnamon
¼ Cup water + 1 tsp water
Toasted Pecan halves

DIRECTIONS: Stir cornstarch into soy milk and set aside. Place Vegan sweetener , spices and one tablespoon water in a non-stick saucepan. Over medium heat, stirring constantly color will appear light brown, add 1/4 cup cold water, allow the syrup to come to a low boil. Reduce heat and add soy milk while stirring. Once incorporated , gradually return to boil, stirring constantly until thickened & glossy / smooth. Add vanilla and remove from heat. Add toasted Pecans. {if too thick/sweet, add additional soy milk , stirring constantly.}

Chocolate Suppliers & Retail Suppliers 20

I am compiling a list of International Sources for Chocolate Suppliers / Retailers / Books listing Suppliers. Here is a detailed list by Country / State / City, with web links if available. A combination of my own research - With commentary on specific areas from a group of chocophiles that I am a member of.












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Directory Websites

*ChocoMap.com: Great resource --- Find a Chocolate Shop in your area, search by region, and get detailed reviews of the shops listed.

Direct Suppliers

Chocolate Producers

US

• Amano Artisan producer.
• Amedei US (distribution ) Artisan producer . New small dedicated Italian producer based in Pisa with a poetic philosophy about the making of chocolate. The results are pricey, but include some of the best chocolates around.
• Askinosie Artisan producer.
• Chocolove Artisan producer .US supplier dedicated to provided great chocolate - with love, shipping chocolate specially made in Belgium.
• Divine ChocolateUS (A.K.A The Day Chocolate Company) Major Producer. Fair Trade Chocolate.
• Guittard Major Producer. Fourth-generation family of chocolatiers, originally from France, have been supplying professionals like Recchiuti for a century and half. They now have a retail line of very high quality chocolates.

• Patric Chocolate Artisan producer.
• Theo Chocolate. Artisan producer. A new and exciting chocolate manufacturer and the first bean-to-bar organic chocolate producer in the USA. Absolute commitment to quality alongside organic and fairtrade practices makes them virtually unique and one of the most promising artisanal chocolate producers in the country.
• Green River Chocolates
• Jacques Torres Chocolate
• The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory
• Qzina
• Scharffen Berger
• Schokinag Chocolate North America
• Sweet on Vermont Artisan Confection Artisan producer
• Wilbur Chocolate

UK

• Chocolate Society :Promoters of fine chocolate, representatives and distributors for Valrhona in the UK. Originally a club Founded in 1991 supplying chocolate to members, the Chocolate Society have gradually transformed into a successful commercial operation with a shop and online ordering and a range of their own products made with Valrhona chocolate.
• Delvaux Artisan producer. UK based maker of premium based chocolates based on the Belgian formula.
• Divine Chocolate (A.K.A The Day Chocolate Company)Major producer. Fair Trade Chocolate.
• Green & Black's .Major producer. Pioneers in the organic and fairly traded chocolate field, Green & Black's have managed to take their brand from health food obscurity to major supermarket player, branching out to become a general organic sweet food producer. Their chocolate is becoming more and more famous. Owned by Cadburys.
• L'artisan du Chocolat .Chocolatier.French by name, Belgian by craft, but actually a genuine London based chocolatier whose entire range is produced in London using chocolate from some of the best large-scale produced fine chocolate.
• Montezuma's . Artisan producer. Small English chocolate producer based in Chichester in West Sussex in England, who say they produce quality organic and natural chocolate products in an environmentally friendly way.
• Plamil Health/Whole Food company . UK health food producer mainly known for producing dairy free and vegan products, including chocolate substitute bars made with carob.
• Rococo .Chocolatier.

Europe

--->Belgium

• Callebaut Major producer .A name we might not know of in the English-speaking world, most of us have probably eaten their chocolate some time or another - Callebaut mainly produce chocolate at an industrial level for other manufacturers, as well as for smaller producers and restaurants. Founded in Belgium in 1850 they have grown to be a massive scale producer (as Barry Callebaut) with production facilities all over the world. Whenever you are eating a chocolate bar marked as ‘Belgian Chocolate’ you are probably eating Callebaut.
• Dolfin Artisan producer .Small, fairly young, Belgian company producing a range of naturally flavored chocolate bars sold around the world.
• Galler .Artisan producer. Belgium chocolatier with a focus on filled chocolates and bars, but with a few good bars of pure chocolate.
• Leonidas Major producer. Leonidas’ fine products are available all over the world. To help us show you the most relevant information, please select your country from the list and choose a language.

• Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier. A rare thing, a small artisanal chocolatier producing chocolate and other confections made from chocolate they produce themselves, from single origin beans they have personally sourced.

--->France

• Abtey French wholesalers that specialize in wholesale confectionery products. Wholesale chocolate suppliers that provides online re-sellers with Easter Chocolate products, Easter animals, Show-boxes, gourmet filled chocolate wholesale. Situated in Heimsbrunn, this Praline wholesaler also distributes wholesale ballotins, Christmas chocolate and boxes, French Chocolate products.
• Bernard Castelain Chocolatier. Provence based chocolatier, making award winning chocolate since 1994
• Bonnat Artisan producer. A true family chocolate maker for over a century (their motto being ‘Artisan Chocolatier from father to son since 1884). Passionate about their product, they have been producing single origin ‘Grands Crus’ since 1910. As well as a selection of traditional assortments and flavored bars, they offer a range of seven top class Grands Crus chocolate bars.
• Bonneterre Health/Whole Food company . A French organic food produce
• Cemoi Major producer. With roots going back to 1814, Cemoi is the brand name for a conglomerate of French and other European brands producing a wide range of better quality confectionery products.
• Kaoka .Health/Whole Food company.
• Michel Cluizel Artisan producer. A French family business and one of the best chocolate houses in the world Cluizel, a benchmark for others to follow.
• Valrhona .Major producer. Valrhona are a major producer of quality chocolate, recognised by chefs and chocolatiers the world over. An inspiration in the world of fine chocolate, they have a growing range of bars and products, including ‘grand cru’ chocolate and the recently added ‘vintage’ chocolates.

--->Germany

• Feodora .Major producer.
• Gut (Ess) Tun Health/Whole Food company. German body fat nutrition project, that also appear to sell endorsed products.
• Hachez Major producer . Established in 1890 in Bremen, Germany by the chocolatier Joseph Emile Hachez. Concentrating mostly on traditional gift products, Hachez also produces a few medium quality bars based on specific bean types. Their chocolate tends to be a little dense and glutinous.
• Liebhart Gesundkost Health/Whole Food company.German health food manufacturer.

--->Italy

• Amedei Artisan producer . New small dedicated Italian producer based in Pisa with a poetic philosophy about the making of chocolate. The results are pricey, but include some of the best chocolates around.
• Domori Artisan producer.A leading light in the rise of the new Italian fine chocolate producers. Domori take their art and the cacao bean itself very seriously, producing one of the most extensive ranges of varietal chocolates available.
• Guido Gobino Artisan producer.

--->Scotland

• Kshocolat Artisan producer.

--->SPAIN

• Blanxart .Artisan producer

• Chocovic Major producer. Spanish fine chocolate producer with roots dating back over 120 years.
• Enric Rovira .Artisan producer.

Canada

Asia

South America

--->Ecuador

• República del Cacao Artisan producer

--->Venezuela

• El Rey Major Independent Venezuelan producer. Fair Trade Chocolate.

Africa

--->GHANA

• Jamieson's Chocolate

--->Madagascar

• Malagasy Artisan producer.

--------------------------------------

WHOLESALE

US

• Jacques Torres Chocolate

• Qzina
• Schokinag Chocolate North America
• World Wide Chocolate

CALIFORNIA

---> San Francisco

• Scharffen Berger

--->PHILADELPHIA

• Assouline & Ting

--->VERMONT

• Lake Champlain Chocolates

------------------------------------------

Confectionery Suppliers

EUROPE
--->FRANCE

• The Meilleur du Chef

UK

• Vantage House suppliers of chocolate machinery, moulds & equipment. We are agents for international companies, providing a range of quality products to suit your production. This website has our FULL online catalogues for you to browse!

--->LONDON

• Home Chocolate Factory

US

• Bella Cabosse
• chocolatesource.com
• Cocoa Supply
• Gourmail Chocolates
• Qzina
• Schokinag Chocolate North America
• World Wide Chocolate

GEORGIA

• Chocoley

HAWAII

• Cocoa Outlet a full service distributor of fine chocolate and cocoa products, plus a large selection of pastry and bakery ingredients for the hospitality, food service, and bakery trade. While primarily serving the Hawaiian Islands, Cocoa Outlet is now supplying establishments throughout the United States and Canada. You will enjoy the high level of service that Cocoa Outlet provides, as well as the high quality of their products
• The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory
  

MINNESOTA

• Sweet Celebrations

MISSOURI

--->ST.LOUIS

• Cioccolato - Chef & Chocolatier Store

OHIO

• Zingerman's Delicatessen
  

UTAH

• Bakers C&C

NEW JERSEY

• E CHOCOLATES

NEWYORK

• Zabar's

PA

• Wilbur Chocolate

--->PHILADELPHIA

• Caviar Assouline
• Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop

VERMONT

• Green River Chocolates

• King Arthur Flour

VIRGINIA

• La Cuisine

WASHINGTON

--->SEATTLE

• chefshop.com
• ChocolateMan

CANADA

• Qzina

-------------------------------------

@Retail Suppliers

World Wide

• Starbucks .The now famous international coffee chain. They've taken some stick over the sources of their coffee in the last few years and under pressure now carry an increasing range of fairly traded products. Luckily this now includes a rather good 70% chocolate.
• teuscher chocolates of switzerland
• LEONIDAS

US

• The Meadow
• Cost Plus World Market – a decent selection & prices of the most popular fine import bars and usually at decent prices. Check expiry dates closely though.
• MOONSTRUCK
• Bernard C. Chocolates
• SEE'S
• ETHEL'S CHOCOLATE LOUNGE
• Whole Foods

By State:

CALIFORNIA

• MOONSTRUCK
• Bittersweet : the Chocolate Cafe

--->Los Angeles

• BonBonBars

• Boule – another bonbon shop.

• Chocolate Box Café – in La Canada. Not locally made but imported from Belgium. They have an interesting line of buttermilk ganache chocolates that deserve a look. Their best pieces are in milk chocolate.
• Chocolates a la Carte - Location info"The Leader in World Class Chocolate Designs". We carry all types of dessert containers, finishing touches, 3 confection lines, a pastry line, and can custom make anything that you may need in chocolate.

• Chuao Chocolatier – technically the closest one is in Orange County. El Rey chocolate.Handmade, Handcrafted single origin gourmet chocolate confections truffles and bonbons Hot Chocolate Mix and single origin chocolate bars.

• Edelweiss Chocolates – very traditional chocolate sweets in Beverly Hills, their preserved fruits are very good.
• Jin Patisserie – in Venice, known far and wide for their tea room and chocolates.
• K Chocolatier – wildly expensive and quirky hours (weekdays) but some very tasty alcohol filled chocolate, generous samples.
• L’Artisan du Chocolat – fresh, innovative & attractive. Oh, and expensive.
• Littlejohn Toffee & Fudge – the fudge is okay, I think they have some great sponge candy covered in chocolate and New Orleans style pralines. Not really a chocolate shop.
• Valerie Confections – right next door to L’Artisan du Chocolat, more on the elegant comfort side of things. Toffee, nougats, bonbons and now petit fours & tea cakes.

And stores for bars & boxes:

• Cost Plus World Market – a decent selection & prices of the most popular fine import bars and usually at decent prices. Check expiry dates closely though.
• Garvey Nuts – it’s a wholesale place in City of Commerce (just off the 5 near the outlet mall Citadel). They sell lots of novelty candies, including the better ones like Madelaine’s
• Mel & Rose’s Wine & Spirits – immense selection of both upscale chocolatiers & bars as well as import consumer candies from all over Europe, Japan & Australia.
• Mr. Marcel – at the Farmers Market. Good selection of chocolate bars, though the prices are often 50% more than Cost Plus which is just a few yards away.
• Munchies – a little gem tucked away in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood that’s completely Kosher. They have a large selection of international stuff, mostly bars and a great sale on Ritter.
• Surfas - Culver City kitchen supply company that has a good selection of baking products and just plain old bars, including just about every Valrhona.

--->SAN FRANCISCO

• Bernard C. Chocolates (75 O'Farrell Street, 415-781-2601). Very good bonbons, molded chocolates, and truffles. You'll have quite a variety of flavors from which to choose. Conveniently located in Union Square.

• CHOCOLATE COVERED (over 325 diff brands, many rare and new, blew me away!)
• Guittard Major Producer. Fourth-generation family of chocolatiers, originally from France, have been supplying professionals like Recchiuti for a century and half. They now have a retail line of very high quality chocolates.
• RoCocoa's Faerie Queene Chocolates (415 Castro, 415-252-5814). An eccentric shop with unusually late business hours (they don't open until 1 pm). There's a knowledgeable staff, and they have their own line of chocolates and fudge. In addition, this is one of very few places in the US where you can get Manon chocolates

• RECCHIUTI CONFECTIONS
• SCHARFFEN BERGER
• TEUSCHER (BEV.HILLS)
• RICHART
• LEONIDAS

• Lyla's Chocolates (417 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA, 415-383-8887). Assortments of bonbons., chocolate roses and fudge.

• CHOCOLATE HEAVEN
• SAN FRAN CHOCOLATE STORE
• GHIRARDELLI
• FUDGE HOUSE
• SCHOGGI SWISS CHOC
• FOG CITY NEWS (over 200 brands)
• CONFETTI LE CHOC
• MOONSTRUCK
• LUV BOX CHOC
• COCOA BELLA (sells fresh pieces from major artisan chocolatiers grouped by country- awesome) This shop is a chocolate integrator: it collects chocolates from small chocolatiers across the world and brings them under a single roof.

• Z CIOCCOLATO

• XOX Truffles (754 Columbus, 415-421-4814). Jean-Marc and Casimira Gorce produce small but delicious truffles in 21 varieties, both with and without liqueur. There's even a vegan soy truffle! The truffles have exquisitely thin shells, and you have your choice of several types of coatings, too

• BITTERSWEET CAFE
• BELGANO CHOC 3901 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

• CHOCOLATE ON CASTRO 504 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

• JOSEPH SCHMIDT
• SAN FRAN CHOC FACTORY
• 5 STAR TRUFFLES 411 Divisadero Street San Francisco, CA 94117

• CHRISTOPHER ELBOW CHOC (truly gorgeous and delicious, brand new in SF)
• ROCKY MT. CHOC
• GODIVA
• SEE'S
• TCHO- Opening shop on Pier 17
• Miette Confiserie
• The Candy Store

ACROSS THE BAY
----> BERKLEY

• Scharffen Berger Factory
• Cafe Cacao

---->Oakland

• Cosmic Choc
• Michael Mischer
• Bittersweet Cafe - huge selection of bars plus tasting events

---->Emeryville

• Charles Choc and Factory 6529 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608

Florida

• Florida Chocolate Shop info*

--->TAMPA

• Choxotica

GEORGIA

---->ATLANTA

• TEUSCHER

ILLINOIS

---> CHICAGO

• TEUSCHER

Massachusetts

--->BOSTON

• TEUSCHER

NEVADA
--->LAS VEGAS

• ETHEL'S CHOCOLATE LOUNGE-Fashion Show Mall and the Ethel chocolate Factory nearby in Henderson, NV
• ETHELS Choc shops- inside Flamingo Hotel and in every Terminal at McCarren Airport (LAS)
• CHOCOLATE HEAVEN- inside Riviera Hotel
• VOSGES HAUT CHOCOLATE- Inside the ultra fancy Forum shops at Caesars Palace hotel
• CHOCOLATE SWAN- inside Mandaly Bay hotel
• TEUSCHER SWISS CHOC- inside Planet Hollywood hotel
• LENOTRE- inside Paris hotel
• M&M WORLD- in Showcase Mall with VERY large marquee on the strip next to MGM hotel - can't miss it!
• CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN inside Bellagio Hotel @ Jean Phillip Patisserie
• GODIVA- inside Fashion Show Mall and Planet Hollywood hotel.
• ROCKY MT. CHOCOLATES- inside Planet Hollywood hotel
• GHIRARDELLI- inside Imperial Palace hotel

NEW YORK
---->New York City

• Dean and Deluca (Prince St and Broadway): Bonnat (Chuao and 100% bars), Pralus, D&D Brand Bars, Christopher Norman Bonbons, etc.
• Trump Palace Chocolate Shop (68th and 3rd Ave): Pralus (75% bars, Caramel Bar Pyramid), Amedei (Chuao, Procelana, Red, Blonde, White Pistachio, etc), Vosges (Wooloomooloo), Coppenuer, Chocolove, etc...
• Whole Foods (14th st Union Square): Neuhaus 75%, Vosges line, Lake Champlain ( Bars, Truffles, 5 star bars), Valrhona (75%), etc.
• TEUSCHER
• TEUSCHER (MADISON)
• LEONIDAS
• don veitia
• Zabar's

OHIO

• Zingerman's Delicatessen

OREGON

• Chocosphere: Bringing Fine Chocolates from Around the World to your Doorstep!Featuring 46 world class chocolatiers.

• LILLIBELLE FARMS- choc covered Oregon berries/ decadent modern ganache/ truffles
• BRANSONS CHOC- to die for Amaretto Truffles
• EUPHORIA CHOC- Eugene. going on 20+ years- woo hoo!
• BROWNIE SHOTZ
• CARY'S- Wonderful soft crunch toffee now avail in Whole Foods Markets nationwide
• DAGOBA ORGANIC- Born and raised right in Ashland- unique flavor bars
• THE CHOCOLATE BEAGLE- In Central Point. truffles and custom cakes.
• KEKAU CHOC- Gorgeous chocs with very modern twist of flavors
• LULUS RAW CHOC ALCHEMY- Gourmet raw chocolate delights, nothing artificial.
• CHERRY COUNTRY ORGANIC ORCHARD & CHOC. FACTORY- choc covered dried organic Royal Ann cherries and nuts
• MAJESTIC CHOC- full spectrum of hand made chocs
• SILLY RABBIT CHOCOLATE CO. Ashland.
• TWO BROTHERS FOOD CO. - decadent choc sauce (wouldnt know by the name)
• WILLHITE CHOC- hand made ganche filled truffles
• SOS PEAR STATION- famous Oregon pears covered in choc sauce
• PUDDIN RIVER CHOC- full spectrum of hand made choc treats
• PETE'S GOURMET CONFECTIONS- choc dipped homemade marshmallows
• PENNINGTON FARMS- Applegate Valley. choc chip cookies, brownies, jams

Philadelphia

• Teuscher Philadelphia

VERMONT

• Lake Champlain Chocolates
• Sweet on Vermont Artisan Confections

CANADA

• LEONIDAS

--->Montreal

• Les Chocolats de Chloe She does really lovely flavours and is very very high quality. The shop is in the middle of a part of Montreal called "Le Plateau" -- sort of the bohemian/artsy/yuppie part of town -- a great area to spend time running around and absorbing the atmosphere.
• Genevieve Grandbois Very high quality chocolate, beautifully made, with great ingredients. Her main shop is also in the Plateau neighborhood - but she also has an shop at the Atwater Market -- one of Montreal's great markets -- well worth the visit - my favorite is the Jean-Talon Market, but Atwater is also good.
• Suite 88 Chocolatier - great chocolates with a really fun attitude. It is on St Denis street, which is the heart of Francophone chic Montreal -- it is a great shop and a great experience -- don't miss it! (Right next door is Brulerie St. Denis -- a great coffee roasting shop that is fantastic -- and the smell of their coffee roasting - they do it on site - is amazing)
• Divine Chocolates- on Crescent Street (sort of the English trendy street of Montreal, although not as snotty as it used to be). Their chocolates are more traditional Belgian style -- very nice.
• Chocolaterie Suisse - they import all of their chocolates from Switzerland.... they've got a nice selection.

---->Quebec City

• Chocolate Museum Chocolatier Eric Normand, calls his place a "Chocolate Museum" but it is really basically a very very nice high quality chocolate shop -- he makes some really great innovative truffles and filled chocolates.

UK

• Paul A Young : Shops in Angel (Camden Passage) and The Royal Exchange (Threadneedle St)
• L'Artisan du Chocolat : Lower Sloane St (Near Sloane Square) and also at Borough market where they sell all the misshapes - well worth a visit!
• Rococo : Kings Road, Marylebone High St and a new shop at Motcomb St near Knightsbridge.
  
• William Curley : In Richmond upon Thames, Mayfair and John Lewis Oxford St.
• Chocolate Society :Promoters of fine chocolate, representatives and distributors for Valrhona in the UK. Originally a club Founded in 1991 supplying chocolate to members, the Chocolate Society have gradually transformed into a successful commercial operation with a shop and online ordering and a range of their own products made with Valrhona chocolate.
• Waitrose Supermarkets Around the fourth biggest supermarket chain in the UK, with an emphasis on quality. Part of the John Lewis Partnership, which has no shareholders and is owned by its staff.
• Woolworths .Large UK home, family and entertainment retail chain. They had a brief and none too successful array into fine/organic chocolate around 2001.

ASIA

Books of Suppliers

These books list places to buy chocolate in the US. There is an Eastern edition and a Western Edition.

The Chocolate Guide: To Local Chocolatiers, Chocolate Makers, Boutiques, Patisseries and Shops