Peace, Love and Chocolate Video Debut

I am through the moon with excitement to post my first video on Peace, Love and Chocolate. The feeling of video, recipe and music can be much stronger than the human voice alone and I think this will be my new language for some time to come. How better can one taste online than with seductive mood-wrangling through color, movement and song.  This soft, glowing recipe-in-action happened almost by accident and without any planning and no makeup or fashion styling, aiyei. The energy of a handful of people collided to create this small moving picture.

A month or so ago, Caroline was on her way over to collaborate on some blog posts as we often do. I pulled my big table into the morning light and began collecting some of my favorite items – old bottles, liquor tags, Kentucky antique finds, bar tools and ingredients from my garden. My plan was to create some pretty photographs and share a recipe for Strawberry Nectarine Geranium Cocktails. But, Caroline didn’t show up alone. She brought with her a recent DePaul graduate who studied video, Miss Christina.

I must mention that we discovered this talented gal, Christina, through our Twitter account (@Vosges) when we tweeted a request for someone to take videos of a Yoga + Chocolate event. Her friend who follows @Vosges suggested Christina. Caroline, who helps manage our marketing, met her and made her own video and then decided she should tag along that fateful day to see what might happen at my house.

We went about our normal business – cooking, laughing, sipping, experimenting. All the while, Christina quietly shot video in the most beautiful sun-washed light. I started by concocting a few simple syrups infused with African blue basil and cocoa nibs. The unique basil reminds me of yet another sprinkle of unplanned magic. I sent my sweet husband, Jay, to buy  some organic herbs for our new rooftop garden. I would likely have come home with Italian or Thai basil but he snooped out more rare leaves – African blue basil a robust strong basil with notes of camphor and mini Cuban basil that is a stronger more potent version of sweet basil.

From there, the video was edited, and a seemingly effortless collaboration continued and my first video was born! Stay tuned for an expanding sensory video library both on this blog and at Vosges. Follow us on Vimeo here and track our budding YouTube channel here.

Strawberry Nectarine Geranium Cocktails

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
2 large strands with flowers of African blue basil
4 oz Campari
1 fresh nectarine
4 strawberries
4 large ice cubes
1 cup soda water
geranium petals

Make simple syrup by combining 1 part sugar to 1 part boiling water, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Infuse simple syrup with cocoa nibs, basil or experiment with your own herbal tincture! In a rocks glass, muddle fresh, juicy nectarines and strawberries. Add a splash of Campari, large ice cubes and top with soda water. Sprinkle organic geranium petals atop for garnish.

Flush the Toxins with this Blueberry Chocolate Tonic
Throughout the year, I regularly enjoy cleanses of various sorts to detoxify my body and jump start my energy. I feel so revived and alive after focusing on my spirit and health. Along with a physical cleanse comes mental clarity which is always followed by bursts of creativity and presence.

This blueberry chocolate tonic was first developed to coincide with the yoga + chocolate program we do with David Romanelli of Yeah Dave yoga. We designed a yoga + chocolate gift box that included truffles to correspond with yoga poses and a booklet to guide your journey, which featured a recipe or two.

Both blueberries and chocolate are loaded with health benefits. AND, they are both tasty too – a win-win! According to the Blueberry Council, the berries are high in vitamin C, a good source of dietary fiber and rank among the highest in antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help fight cancer, cardiovascular disease and possibly even Alzheimer’s.

Another food high in antioxidants? Dark chocolate of course! Dark chocolate is loaded with flavanoids and is considered a superfood. And if you haven’t read it yet, chocolate also stimulates endorphins giving you a sense of pleasure.

Are you half way off your chair, on your way out to buy the ingredients for this magical, delectable potion? Though it can’t cure all ills, it will push you in the right direction.

Blueberry Chocolate Tonic

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2

2 cups blueberries; cold
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ cups almond or oat milk; cold
2 tsp flaxseed oil
21/2 tsp manuka honey or agave

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds. Drink immediately or the pectin in the blueberry seeds will make a pudding rather quickly.

For extra health benefits add 1 tsp licorice root powder.

Suggested pairing: Sip the blueberry tonic with our Absinthe truffle (Chinese star anise + fennel + pastis + dark chocolate + cocoa powder).

Aztec Elixir Couture Cocoa Kissed with Dark Rum

Oh March!  I always think that you have brought Spring. There are the signs of glory; that sunny 70 degree dandy day brings rays of hope only to be followed by 32 degrees and flurries… you vex me so. In Chicago, many of us head outside with trench coats and spring garb with the optimism that we have survived another cold season. We are quickly reminded that we have some weeks, if not months left to wait and we return home with an inner chill and a lump of grumpiness.

The solution? A warm spiked drink will often do the trick.  I don’t often take the time, but when I am able to sit for just a minute and wind down cradling a cup of warm chocolate, my mind and body are fully recharged.  The Aztec Elixir Couture Cocoa is a dark chocolate homage to the ancient Aztecs, touched with ancho and chipotle chillies, Ceylon cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla bean and cornmeal. Try it with a healthy splash of ultra-premium, dark rum.  Antiguan Pyrat Rum is a favorite of mine. Blended and aged on the small island of Anguilla, this rum spends up to 15 years in French and American oak. While the bottles are no longer hand blown, they are hand numbered and adorned with a metal tag around the neck depicts Hotei 布袋, the Buddhist god of contentment and happiness, today associated with bartenders. This rum is meant for slow sipping or pairing along side liquid chocolate as I suggest here. There’s a slight barnyard fragrances though in the glass it acts very much like a Scotch, with a thin viscosity and a strong nose and flavor. On the palate, it has a slightly sweet citrus note with luscious undertones of vanilla, molasses and oak. The potion will surely warm your bones, turn around an attitude and lift your spirits.

Champagne Pearl Dust Cocktail Paired with Sweet Coquette

The lure of the aphrodisiac was the driving force behind the Sweet Coquette collection that I introduced last year at Valentine’s Day. Always intrigued by other cultures and history, I dug deep into the annals to find tales of Casanova and his oysters, Roman maidens and their walnut offerings and Aztec kings boosting virility with frothy, chili-spiked cacao.

Some say there is no scientific proof of aphrodisiacs and how they work. But is there scientific proof of the power of love? If  gifts from the heavens have bestowed, you have felt your heart flutter, your insides surge and the dizzying euphoria of longing for another. How lucky we humans are to tend to the depths of our psyche.

The pursuit of love and the concocting of the aphrodisiacs are hedonistic arts and it seems appropriate to sometimes celebrate them with the utmost decadence! With that sentiment, I bring you the pearl-dusted, champagne and rose cocktail. The attainment of the pearl dust may not be easy, but the effort just may have results of equal proportion.

This cocktail should be paired alongside the sweet coquette truffle collection, which includes a dossier of aphrodisiac truffles and folklore highlighting oysters, Dominican Mamajuana, chillies, vanilla bean, Sicily’s Bronte pistachio paste and champagne to name a few.

Celebrate this nibbling and sipping ritual with one you love to boost virility or better yet, use it to lure someone you have long desired.

Champagne Pearl Dust Cocktail
Fill your glasses with your favorite champagne. I favor my beloved Krug and Ruinart Rose. Place one organic rose petal in each glass. Sprinkle fresh water pearl dust into each glass. Raise the glasses and sip before the bubbles overflow with agitation from the pearls and after a bite of an aphrodisiac truffle. I prefer to drop the Edith in the bottom of the glass and eat it once it has been bathed in Champagne.

How to obtain fresh water pearl dust:
Go to your local jeweler and request very small, organic, fresh water pearls. Grind them in your mortar and pestle to a rough powder and then finish in a vita mix to create the fine powder duster.

Artisan Truffles Infused with Champagne and Coated with Rose Buds

Last year, I created the Le Chocolat en Rose pink champagne and crushed rose petal truffles while in a cloud of romantic stupor with the smells of Paris and sounds of Edith Piaf resonating in my memory. The careful, meticulous and lengthy process of creating each truffle is as therapeutic as a long, steady romance.  Each step must be done by hand from the plucking of the rose bud stems to the rolling of the chocolate truffles. The painstaking efforts are evident when you see, hold and bite one of these pink beauties.

It is natural to feel a sense of hope as we turn to a new calendar year, wishing for new realities and planning for upcoming endeavors. And, as January turns to February, our hearts are tickled by Cupid’s arrow and we are open and ready for the purity of romance.  This feels like the time of year to bring Le Chocolat en Rose out of the shadows and into the spotlight. A touch of Piper Heidsieck brut rosè Champagne bubbles into unwavering dark chocolate and is then surrounded by a mosaic of fragrant, parfumed rose buds. I wish that I could invite each of you into our kitchen as the process of creating these gems is as wonderful as the the experience of eating them. and yes I will stay tuned for a video of our making this.

To start, we face a mound of pink, small, dried rose buds.  Each one must be handled individually as we separate the inedible green stem from the fragrant bud. The dried buds are then ground to a coarse, pink montage of petals and set aside. Piper Heidsieck brut rosè Champagne is combined with specifically chosen 65% cacao dark chocolate to form the ganache. Then, like all of our le truffe (fresh cream rustic truffle) collections, we roll each truffle by hand. Finally the champagne truffle is sent to tumble and twirl in the rose bud poudre until all sides are coated with a collage of pink.

Each truffle is tucked carefully into our signature purple box along with a decorative letterpress card that tells the tale of these truffles and offers guided tasting instructions:

Remove a truffle carefully from the box, taking care to preserve the coveted rose bud-layered surface. Close your eyes, take three deep breaths and center your mind. Bring your nose to the facade of the truffle as you inhale. Do you sense the lush aromatics of the rose masking rich cacao? Take a small bite, let the texture of rose buds coat your tongue. A touch of pink Champagne appears, with notes of cherry and plum. Take another breath, allowing the scent to permeate your palate through the back of your throat. Let the quiet seduction of the rose guide your sensory experience.

To enhance your tasting experience further, drop the entire Le Chocolat en Rose truffle in the bottom of your champagne glass and pour the bubbly atop. When you get near the bottom of your drink reach in and take a most luscious bite of rose petals and chocolate bathed in Champagne. mmmm

For an instant party offering, press a truffle onto the rim of a champagne flute. Let go of your inhibitions or weighty concerns and float away with this sensory chocolate experience.

“Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose “

- Edith Piaf

Mamajuana – Dominican Republic Vitality Herbs

If an aphrodisiac has been  used repeatedly for hundreds of years, does that mean it is proven to work? Well, let’s find out.  In preparation for my Valentine’s Day aphrodisiac collection, I have been experimenting with oysters, champagne, roses, chillies and now Mamajuana.   Historically, this mixture of roots and herbs has been used for over 800 years originally by the Taino Indians who inhabited the Caribbean and the region known as Hispañola in the times prior to Christopher Columbus.

Today, the blend of herbs are regularly used in the Dominican Republic and are fermented, cured and then mixed with rum, vermouth, honey, molasses and other ingredients to produce a potent liqueur.  Mamajuana is also known as the “Baby Maker” and “El Para Palo”, which means Lift the Stick~

Want to test 800 years of history?   Below is a list of ingredients to gather before you get started.

Mamajuana Herbs – You can buy your magical herbs here.
Molasses – I like Plantation Blackstrap Unsulphered (at Wholefoods)
Honey – Try Raw Manuka honey for extra health benefits. (at Wholefoods)
Red Vermouth – I used Noilly Pratt Red
Rum – I like Cuban style but Dominican made Matusalem Rum

PRECONDITIONING HERBS
Fill a 700 ml or larger bottle with dry herbs.  Fill bottle to the top with Red Sweet Vermouth.  Insert supplied hemp rope filter and cap bottle.  Shake well and set aside for 3-4 days.  Shake well to loosen sediment, remove rope filter and dispose of liquid (Vermouth) contents only, not the actual herbs or rope filter.

BREW PREPARATION
In a separate container combine and stir: 2 oz. honey, 6 oz. Red Vermouth, 1/2 teaspoon of Molasses, 6 oz. of plain, Mango or Pineapple fruit infused white or a Dominican dark rum. Taste mix.  More rum will strengthen the rum taste and more Red Sweet Vermouth with sweeten and tone down the rum flavor.  Do not use more honey than recommended.

Fill Mamajuana herb bottle with prepared mix, replace rope filter, replace woven sombrero cap and allow bottle to sit undisturbed for a minimum of 48 hours. Note: First batch may be a little strong.  However, each new batch will get smoother.  New batches require minimum of 2 days of fermentation before drinking.  Follow same preparation instructions above for all refills.

Serve at room temperature or over crushed ice.  And, be sure to check out the new Sweet Coquette Collection when it launches mid January.

Raising the Bar on Drinking Chocolate

When I was a child, there were virtually no coffee shops, espresso drinks or coffee connoisseurs.  The majority of Americans accepted grocery store brew as the norm.  A few decades ago, the first cafes began opening and within some years, lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos became part of daily routine.  Opinions were formed on how to prepare the best drinks, specialty coffee producers thrived and high end espresso making equipment was purchased for the home.  This country experienced a coffee revolution.

With the advent of coffee houses on every corner came powdered hot chocolate made with steamed milk as an alternative to the spitting spout of convenience stores.  Though you can hardly say it is much of an improvement. Why is it so rarely found a fully frothed, traditional drinking chocolate made with real chocolate to satiate chocolate lovers desires.  I think it is time for a drinking chocolate revolution!  I dream of heavily frothed cocoa with thick foam and molinillos in most utensil drawers.

Interested in joining my crusade?  Let’s drink to it!  How about a perfect cup of chocolat chaud?  Below is the beginning of a drinking chocolate education along with tips and tricks. I’ll keep exploring drinking chocolate this winter.  Join me.

QUALITY CHOCOLATE
It is essential to use quality chocolate to make the best drinking chocolate.  Ingredients are key in all culinary escapades when you hope to end up with the best end result. Do not choose chocolate with fillers and low cacao percentage.  For our La Parisienne drinking chocolate, I include chocolate, Madagascan vanilla bean infused sugar and cocoa powder for an boost of chocolate intensity.

MILK, CREAM OR WATER?
As a stagiaire at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris, my job was to make the chocolat chaud. We used equal parts cream and full fat milk.  The result was  thick, rich drinking chocolate.  I have enjoyed drinking chocolate made with all different milks, dairy and nut milks.  I would suggest never using a microwave to warm it (it kills all the enzymes so I don’t even own one) and frothing the milk by hand or with a blender to feel the sensation that Montezema and the Aztecs did (see below.)  If you are doing cupping or if you are a die hard chocolate purist you may insist on drinking chocolate made with water to taste the full breath of the chocolate as milk tends to mask the chocolate a bit.  

FROTHING COCOA
This is a step that is most often forgotten. The Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs were the first to sip a chocolate beverage over 500 years ago which was called  xocatyl. This drinking chocolate was a far cry from the type we sip today, a mixture of chillies, annatto, maize and spices, served room temperature. The tincture was poured between two vessels from great heights in order to achieve the revered foam atop—believed to be the most potent portion of the beverage and to hold aphrodisiac powers. Years later when Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortés brought xocatyl back to Spain, the molinillo was created to simplify the foaming process.

To use a Mexican molinillo (pictured left), immerse the end in liquid chocolate and rub the handle rapidly between your palms. Watch as the foam begins to rise.   You may also use a blender or  immersion blender to froth the liquid chocolate as at time the molinillo can take almost 30 minutes to really build a big foam.

With any tasting, texture adds a new layer to the experience.  The light, airy bubbles will burst gently in your mouth followed by the rush of warm liquid chocolate.

Stay tuned for additional experiments with drinking chocolate in the coming months.  The cold Chicago wind is starting to nip at our noses and whistle by the windows.  I’ll be huddling up to the stove warming chocolate!

Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch

Though holidays are still not upon us, our Collection of Zion has me reminiscing of all favorite things from Jamaica – including their Christmas sorrel drink. Through December and early January, you can’t get far without finding natives sipping this bright red, sweet rum drink.  The sipping of the Sorrel heralds the beginning of the holiday season.    Christmas season in Jamaica is the most festive time of year with endless celebrations, family gatherings, parties and feasts.

Sorrel (as the drink is commonly called) derives from the plant it comes from. The scientific name is Hibiscus Sabdariffa and is a bushy plant that blooms deep red buds. The drink’s red color is alluring, the aroma is sweet and pungent and the flavor a bit tart. Sipping Sorrel is an integral part of the Jamaican holiday celebration.  

Though this drink would make a perfect offering at a holiday brunch or open house, I had to make a batch already to sip alongside the Rasta truffle (Jamaican sorrel + fresh ginger + nutmeg + mango + white chocolate + hibiscus flower).  Give it a try but beware… a few sips and you may start to hear the faint sounds of the reggae Christmas carols and feel a hint of Jamaican “Christmas breeze” luring you to book a flight and spend your holiday on the island.

Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch
 
1 oz dried sorrel petals, or sorrel concentrate
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange, freshly peeled
6 cloves
6 allspice pods
2 cups sugar
2 qts boiling water
3/4 cup Appleton Estate Rum

 In a large crock, combine the sorrel petals, cinnamon stick, orange peel, cloves, allspice and sugar.  Pour boiling water atop, cover, steep at room temp for 2-3 days.

Strain the liquid add the rum. Cover and refrigerate for another 2 days. Serve over crushed ice in pre-chilled glasses. Garnish with cloves and orange peel.

Resource: In Chicago we are blessed with a plethora of ethnic markets for every corner of the globe.

One of my favorites for Caribbean treasures:
Old World Market
5129 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60640-3018
(773) 728-2197

Pina Ginger Irie Drink paired with Collection of Zion

This month at Vosges Haut-Chocolat, we are featuring the Collection of Zion which was inspired by my travel experiences in Jamaica and the music of Bob Marley. I have always had a guttural reaction to his music and after listening to the words, I was intrigued by Rastafaris and drawn to learn more about their messages.

Rastafarianism is a religious and political movement that started around the beginning of the 20th century. Rastafarians are mostly vegetarian and live off the land harvesting plants, vegetables, fruits and spices. They wear their hair in dreadlocks as a symbol of their commitment to Jah (God) and achieve spiritual enlightenment by smoking kaya. Bob Marley was one of the first Rastas to bring the political struggle against Babylon (modern society) to mainstream music, spreading the message and increasing awareness. Rastafarians believe in and strive for a perfect world called Zion.  Bob Marley sang of it often.  The Collection of Zion was inspired by Bob Marley’s message and it explores the flowers, fruits and herbs of Jamaica through chocolate. 

The island of Jamaica is home to a fascinating blend of cultures. Jamaican inhabitants came from around the globe, bringing with them cooking techniques, flavors and the spices of their homelands. Blending this with the bountiful harvest of the tropical island brought forth some of the most flavorful cuisine in the Caribbean. These are the flavors which inspire the Zion collection… Jamaican allspice, with its essence of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, is used in jerk seasonings, sauces and curries. The sorrel flower, brought from India, blooms in December in deep red shades. 

While in Jamaica, I sipped pineapple drinks that were made from the skin of the pineapple.  Not only does this sweet sipping nectar transport you to the tropics with its aroma and flavor, it utilizes a part of the fruit that is normally considered waste.   In Rastafarian vocabulary, Irie refers to positive emotions or feelings, or anything that is good.  Specifically, it refers to high emotions and peaceful vibrations.   Imbibe this Pina Ginger Irie Drink between bites of chocolate truffles from the Collection of Zion.  Turn up the Bob Marley and see how the sweet vibrations begin to flow…

Pina Ginger Irie Drink

1 peel of fresh pineapple + 2 cups small chunks of pineapple
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
3 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar
crushed ice

Freeze chunks of pineapple in the freezer overnight to make “pineapple ice.” You may want to lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet for a few hours in the freezer and then put them in a bag or airtight container so they do not freeze into one large chunk.
 
Place the pineapple skin and grated ginger in a large bowl.  Stir the sugar into the boiling water and then pour it over the pineapple skin and ginger.  Let it sit until the liquid reaches room temperature then cover  it and  place in the refrigerator.  The next day, strain the liquid and serve over crushed ice and your frozen pineapple ice.  

A fabulous compliment to the Zion truffle in this collection (tamarind, 65% dark chocolate and scotch bonnet).

Stout & Root Beer Float with Wattleseed Ice Cream

The first ice cream floats were served at soda fountains inside pharmacies as far back as the 1920s. It is no surprise that ice cream and penny candy were peddled in a place that also doled out tonics, salves, prescriptions and elixirs to improve wellbeing. The soda fountain treats in their tall, solid glasses must have given the takers, perched atop their stools, some cheer when the rising foam and bubbles from a tasty ice cream submerged in soda burst lightly in their mouths. Could they dare consider this medicine?

This summer, I have been experimenting with our Exotic Ice Cream parfums and their perfect liquid mates. One of the best is this Stout & Root Beer float. Stouts often have chocolate notes, which match well with the hazelnut and coffee flavors of the Aboriginal wattleseed. After some sipping, I found an extra splash of root beer was needed to add a touch of sweet against the stout’s bitterness.

 A little tip… if you like an extra foamy float, put the ice cream in your glass first and pour the liquid over top. If not, drop the ice cream in at the end. Try both ways… you will see a big difference!

I like these floats in mini glasses served alongside dessert or as a surprise on a sweets buffet with long silver spoons for guests to sip and roam at a standing party.

Root Beer & Stout Float with Wattleseed Ice Cream

Stout ( I like Guinness)
Root Beer (I like Virgil’s)
Wattleseed Ice Cream

Fill the glass 1/3 of the way with ice cream, 1/3 with root beer and 1/2 with beer.