Real Vermont Cooking

INGREDIENTS 3 slices ham or uncooked bacon 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 small onion, chopped very fine 2 tablespoons bell pepper, chopped very fine 2 tablespoons celery, chopped very fine 2 cups peeled diced raw potatoes 1 1/2 cups fish or shrimp stock 2 cups heavy cream 1 pound cooked crawfish tails or 1 -1/2 pounds raw shelled cooked shrimp Directions: If using ham, spray large frying pan with Pam. If using uncooked bacon, use cold frying pan. Remove from pan and either crumble or chop. Retain bacon fat. If using ham, add butter or margarine to pan and add onions, bell peppers and celery. Saute until wilted. Add stock and potatoes, (if shrimp are used add shrimp), and meat. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add crawfish. About 10 minutes before serving add cream and seasoning. Cook over a low fire until flavors come together. Do not let cream curdle. Just before serving add 1/2 teaspoon butter, a dash of cayenne and a dash of fresh pinched parsley. Serves 4 to 6.

INGREDIENTS 6 Redfish Fillets (8 – 10 ounces) 2 cups Half & Half Cream 2 eggs 1 cup of flour 2 tsp. White Pepper 3/4 cup Cracker Meal 2/3 cup Parmesan Cheese 1/2 teaspoon Paprika 2 tablespoons Oregano 1 tablespoon Basil 2 tablespoons Parsley 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 1 cup Olive Oil 1/4 pound Butter (unsalted) 2 Lemons, cut in wedges, for garnish Directions: Combine all ingredients except the flour, half & half cream, eggs, oil and butter. Dust the fillets in the flour, then dip in cream and egg mixture. Coat with all of the other dry ingredients combined. Saute in olive oil and butter on medium high heat until fillets ar golden and fish starts to flake. Garnish with lemon and parsley.

INGREDIENTS 6 Red Snapper Fillets (8 oz.) 1/2 Pound Mushrooms sliced 1 Tbls. Minced Shallots 1 Cup Half-and- Half 3 Tbls. Butter 1/4 Cup Pernod 2 Cups Fish Stock 1/2 Stick Butter cold sliced Salt and Pepper to Taste 1/2 Cup White Wine Directions: In large heavy skillet cook mushrooms and shallots in butter over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add fish stock and wine and bring liquid to simmer. Add fish fillets and poach 3 minutes on each side, until they just flake when tested with a fork. Transfer fish and mushrooms with slotted spatula to heated platter. Over high heat, reduce poaching liquid by two thirds, add half- and- half, and again reduce by half. Add Pernod and bits of cold butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking will after each addition and adding next piece before preceding one is completely melted. Season sauce with salt and white pepper and pour over fish.

Wine tastings have gained popularity in the last couple of years as a great excuse to have some friends over and have a good time. Chocolate tastings are just the same, except everybody loves chocolate. Chocolate tastings are a fun, unique, easy, and delicious way to sweeten any party, no pun intended. And, when your not having company over, no worries, there?s more chocolate for you.

The first step is to pick your chocolates. Chose a theme and select chocolates to represent this theme, or try one of our many prearranged tasting flights. If all else fails, pick random bars. You?re more likely than not to have a very pleasant surprise. It?s also fun to include a few grocery store bars in your tasting to see how they stack up against the others, but I warn you, you may never buy grocery store chocolate again!

Let the tasting begin. Start by admiring your bars. How do they look, are they smooth? Is there a high gloss? Note the color. Chocolate can range from an ivory white to deep auburn to pitch black. Inhale the aroma, the sweet lilt of milk chocolate and the slight pungency of the darker varieties.

Now it?s time for the good part, the taste test. It is very important that you try the chocolates in the correct order. Start with the highest cacao content to lowest, except when tasting flavored chocolates, in which case you should go from weakest to strongest flavored.

Snap off a small piece of chocolate, pause to enjoy the aroma, place it in your mouth, and let it melt. Make note of the texture. Jot down the flavors as you recognize them. Notice how the taste evolves over time. Roll the chocolate around your mouth, let it touch the ?taste zones? on your tongue; the tip senses sweet, the sides salty and sour, and the back distinguishes bitter flavors. Reflect on your overall experience and rate the bar. Make notes on the aroma, taste, melt, length the flavor lasts, and your overall impression. Take a sip of water, eat a carrot, or nibble on a saltine cracker to clear the palate and then start over again with the next bar.

Chocolate tastings, a great way to learn about chocolate, an excellent way to choose your favorite bars, but more than that, they?re just plain fun.

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Here?s how to make delicious chocolate covered strawberries. First of all ensure that the strawberries you are intending to use are dry, then allow them to be room temperature warm prior to making them. After the strawberries have been covered in chocolate, put them in your refrigerator to cool, but do not store them in the fridge. Consume within 1-2 days.

It is very important to ensure that the strawberries are dry, as a small amount of water is enough to make the batch curdle. Strawberries dipped in chocolate can also be injected with a suitable liquor after the chocolate has hardened. It is best to use a syringe to inject the strawberries with the contents.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

Ensure all ingredients are at normal room temperature.

This recipe makes 15 chocolate covered strawberries ( approx )

Ingredients To Use:

4.5 tablespoons of cream ( heavy variety )
9 ounces of bittersweet chopped chocolate
15 strawberries
1.5 tablespoons of butter

Follow These Steps:

1. Line a baking sheet with foil or paper that is wax coated

2. Melt the butter and the chocolate in a boiler over hot water, stirring all the time until the chocolate has melted. Add cream to the mixture and stir until smooth consistency. Allow the mixture to cool

3. Pick up each strawberry by its stem and dip it into the mixture you have made. Allow any excess mixture to go back into the pan. Place the chocolate covered strawberry on the paper and repeat until you have made 15 strawberries.

Article by Richard Davies At Chocolate Org. Learn more about making
Chocolate Covered Strawberries and information on Gourmet Chocolate

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Chocolate is a popular gift item that you can give to anyone for any special occasion. You can give chocolate to your amour with a bunch of red roses. You can wish your friend good luck with this delightful treat. Or you can greet your parents a happy anniversary with a chocolate basket. Whatever the celebration is, chocolate gifts are sure to bring a smile to the faces of the people who are close to your heart.

One of the most popular forms of chocolate gifts is the chocolate gift basket. A variety of chocolates can be included in the basket, which is artfully decorated for artistic appeal. Chocolate gift baskets are noted for the variety of chocolate they carry. If the recipient is a chocolate lover, he is sure to be delighted with a miscellany of white chocolates, dark chocolates, chocolates with nuts, fruits, and almonds, and those with different flavors such as raspberry or caramel. The more chocolate variations, the better.

If there is a chocolate gift basket, there is also a chocolate gift box. A chocolate gift box can include either a single flavor of chocolate or a variety of chocolate flavors. Some people prefer giving chocolates in a box instead of a basket because it is more presentable. Also, in giving chocolates packed in a box, there is less risk of melting. This would be a good choice if the recipient lives miles away and won?t be able to open your gift till a later time.

Lastly, you can simply give a piece of chocolate as a gift. Choose the favorite chocolate bar of that special person and tie a small ribbon around it for a more presentable look.

Chocolate gifts are indeed ideal for any occasion. Whether it is a basket bursting with chocolate variants, a neatly wrapped chocolate gift box, or a simple chocolate bar, it is sure to make that special day more memorable.

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Chocolate has always been associated with a variety of health problems. This is the reason why some people steer clear of this delicious treat. But now, there is good news for chocolate lovers. Chocolate, specifically organic chocolate, has been proved to offer many health benefits.

Organic chocolate is made from high-quality organic ingredients. It meets or exceeds all standards of qualification that classify it as an organic product. When a chocolate is labeled organic, it means that the product?s cacao content was farmed in an environmentally suitable way. This ensures that there are no harmful pesticide residues.

One of the main reasons why you should eat organic chocolate instead of its non-organic counterpart is because you minimize the risk of ingesting pesticide residues. While non-organic chocolate itself is fine to eat, there can be pesticide residue present in the cocoa powder used, which can have harmful effects on the body. Unlike non-organic chocolate, organic chocolate is made from organic cocoa which is cultivated in small plots under a shade canopy, therefore minimizing the use of pesticides.

And since there is less risk for pesticide residue ingestion, organic chocolate has been proven helpful to the body. When eaten in moderation, it can contribute to heart health, suppress chronic cough, add much-needed magnesium to the diet and help control blood sugar. However, too much of something is not good for your health. You should avoid excessive intake of chocolate.

Recent studies have shown that chocolate itself is actually good for you. What makes eating it a health hazard is the kind of ingredients used to make it. This is why it is important that you choose organic over non-organic chocolates. Organic chocolate is a healthier and tastier option for your body. Now you need not worry too much about possible health risks when you indulge your sweet tooth.

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Bitter, bubbly, and spicy?these were the characteristics of chocolates during the earlier times. According to studies, the Aztecs were the first to discover chocolate, although no one is sure as to exactly how this came about. Cacao trees were abundant in the deep jungles of Central America. The Aztecs collected seeds from these trees. After fermenting and drying these seeds, they were roasted and crushed with spices and water, bringing forth the first version of chocolate.

Chocolate was once a ceremonial drink in Central America. Chocolate played a big part in the social and religious practices of the people from this area. Chocolate was further considered a sacred item, earning the favor of the members of royalty. When the Spaniards found out about this exotic item and where it came from, they brought samples of cacao to Spain, where it became a court favorite. In 1700, hot chocolate was sold all over England. By 1847, English candy makers had found a way to make the chocolate drink solid, giving way to the snack food most people love.

Nowadays, chocolates are best known as the sweet candies that both kids and adults enjoy. Not a lot of people can resist this sweet-tasting delicacy that melts in the mouth and makes one crave more.

The process of making chocolate is complex because it involves many steps in order to produce a delicious-tasting product. A quality chocolate includes the right amount of cocoa butter. It has no artificial additives for either color or flavor. Furthermore, it includes only natural ingredients and contains 30 percent or more of cocoa.

Indeed, chocolate has come a long way since it was first discovered. It has enjoyed extreme popularity throughout the times.

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Almost everyone loves eating gourmet chocolate. Since chocolate was first discovered, this delicious treat has continued to evolve in form and taste. However there are some people, especially those who are figure-conscious, who do not want to indulge themselves. This is because gourmet chocolate is often associated with weight gain. This may be true to some extent, but only when chocolate is eaten in excessive amounts.

How come gourmet chocolate is very popular? Gourmet chocolate stands out from other forms of chocolate through a variety of characteristics. Gourmet chocolate, unlike chocolate products of inferior quality, boasts a smooth and glossy appearance that is not marred by streaks and dots. Gourmet chocolate also gives off a rich aroma of cocoa, not an unappetizing chemical odor. When broken, this kind of chocolate snaps sharply, instead of crumbling or bending. Lastly, gourmet chocolate melts in the mouth and leaves a velvety texture. It does not taste too sweet or too bitter, nor does it leave an aftertaste in the mouth.

Gourmet chocolate is not only a delicious treat but has been proven to provide a number of health benefits. This kind of chocolate contains essential elements such as calcium, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E. Gourmet chocolate also has high levels of chromium that help control blood sugar, as well as magnesium that alleviates premenstrual symptoms by increasing progesterone levels.

There is an impressive array of gourmet chocolate products available in the market today. In fact, a number of chocolate brands have become household names. But aside from the number of brands to choose from, gourmet chocolate comes in a variety of exciting flavors that include Caramel, Java Truffle, Jamaican Rum Caramel and Raspberry Truffle.

Gourmet chocolate not only tastes good but provides health benefits as well. Now, indulging oneself with a generous serving of chocolate need not be a guilty pleasure.

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