The Black Forest

Of late, my kitchen has been shadowed o'er by a strange and deepening darkness . . .  of chocolate, that is.  My sunny French décor has taken on a Grimm-like “Black Forest” air as I arm myself with whisk and spoons wooden for this journey into dark, darker, and darkest chocolate met by strange, weirder, and most unusual "sugars." 

Bold and brave, I hunt for the elusive chocolate treasures fit for the health-minded dessert-er.  The fudgiest ice cream and the darkest brownies have been found along this pilgrim’s path.  Truffles lurk around every corner -- and though they improve greatly with age (developing a dark figgy-cherry-red rose-brandy quality of taste and aroma), I am hard-pressed to find a ripening truffle ANYWHERE on the premises!  Alas, the truffle gnomes have made off with every last one!  (Good thing I only made a small batch.)  As I poke and prod all thoughts chocolate, peanut-butter-cup truffles, black-forest truffles, and looming spectres of devil-dark truffles (hint: chili-pepper) swirl in the mists of my wandering mind . . .

. . . but those will have to wait for another day because today I set aside the chocolate, jumped countries, and whipped up a batch of Danish bread-and-butter pickled eggs (made with coconut crystals and cider vinegar – yep, I did it!).  My sister arrives in just under two weeks and she LOVES pickled eggs.  They will be pronounced “Ready” just as she steps off the plane.  

“Note,” I bellow to my pickled-egg-loving family, “No one must disturb this crock of eggs until February 21st.”  

(Of course, I may be caught sneaking a taste now and again in the interest of Culinary Arts and Sciences.)

; )

Chocolat Update: Enter Les Truffles

So, I left off yesterday’s post with a pic of a mass of chocolate spread upon parchment.  

“What did I do with that?” you may be asking. 

Well, first I tasted it and found it darkly delicious.  

[WARNING:  If you adore Hershey’s kisses this will not, I repeat, WILL NOT be to your liking.  If, however, you seek out the darkest, deepest, 80+ chocolate and can be found nibbling cacao nibs in secret so that you don’t have to share, this is your kind of CHOCOLATE.  It’s bold.  It’s dark.  It will scare the chocolate chips lurking in your cupboard.  Be warned!]

Next, I sampled the texture.    

Pliable.   

Smooth.   

Perfect for forming into nuggets 

which can then be rolled in cocoa powder.   

Et Voila! 

 Le Truffle! 

So, I made a small dish of these “samples” and shared the wealth.

* * * * *

The reactions:

“WOW!”

“Ummmm, Mom, these are REALLY DARK . . . ummmmm, REALLY!” 

“[Thoughtfully chewing]  Yeah . . . these are rich . . . and good.”

*POW!*  [Did someone’s head just blow off?]

* * * * *

Later, I made my way into the kitchen and noticed that the truffles had vanished from the dish, the mass of chocolat had visibly reduced, and the straight cocoa powder bowl stood empty.    This build-a-truffle bar was clearly a hit.  Throughout the evening the stock of choc got smaller as the compliments flowed more heavily.   Me thinks they like it.  ; )

_________________________________

**In the interest of journalistic integrity I must divulge that my children have been raised by a certified Health Food Nut, from California, no less.  They have RARELY been served any chocolate less than 65%.  M&Ms, Kisses, and the like almost never cross the threshold, unless gifted to us.  Likewise, white sugar has been mostly taboo.  I make our food from scratch (including grinding my own wheat for bread).  Obviously, fast-food/junk food has been OUTLAWED and the law’s been strictly enforced.  (In fact, my two youngest have never even seen a Happy Meal-type deal.  My older kids were pitied by others who felt the need to “gift” them with a Happy Meal experience, thus they sat politely and stared at the “food” after tasting it and making a scrunchy face.  They’ve been programmed healthy, I confess.)

I share this so that you will understand that this chocolate is a bit on the extreme side even for Health-nut offspring.  Thus it should be approached with extreme caution if you are trying to access that “Chocolate is good for you” trend.  You may entirely invalidate your future credibility in the “Here-try-this” arena if you substitute this for that familiar dish of M&M’s on your counter.  My family regularly follows me on “Food Safaris” of great adventure, and even they needed a moment to process it.

Okay . . . ‘nuf said. 

___________________________________

* * * * *

Final Analysis of Chocolat Mission 1:  ACCOMPLISHED!

Let it be known, the Coconut Crystal Truffles are a hit!

A homerun!

Dare I call this deeply chocolate, white-sugar-free delicacy Health Food?  A vitamin pill, even?  Nah . . . that would be no fun.  I’ll just add it to the list of Approved Foods alongside my goat’s milk ice cream.  (Don’t cringe – it’s FABULOUS and so creamy delish!  You’d never know . . . if I hadn’t just told you.) 

Any recommendations/improvements to note? 

I think I may just ramp up the Anti-oxidant levels by rolling the cocoa-clad truffles in bitter nibs of cacao.  Maybe then the rest of my family will find them simply over-the-top TOO intense for them, and I won’t have to compete so vigorously for my fair share.  I just hate working up a sweat over . . . well, ANYthing!

Now, where’s that truffle I hid . . . I know it’s here somewhere . . . back in this cupboard . . . oooooh! . . . . REACH!  [and the sweat begins to glaze the fevered brow.] 

Healthy Eating:   

It’s a Delicious Adventure!

: D

There's Something New in the Air at Wisteria Cottage . . .

"What's that smell?  

"What does it smell like?"

"I don't know, but it sure smells good?"

"Here.  Taste."

"MMMMmmmmmm!  What is it?
It's got a kind of figgy, deep richness about it."

*****

[Another enters the kitchen]

"What do I smell?"

[Taste given to newest inquiring mind.]

"WOW!  That's powerful, but really good.  What is it?"

*****

[Enter a third member of the choco-sition]

"Take a taste"  

[I point toward the bottles of dark deliciousness.]

"Does this have alcohol in it?"

*****

As the gentle strains of the soundtrack to Chocolat waft around the room mingling with the heady fragrance of pure, deep, rich, luscious chocolate, I wonder if this is what Heaven will be like?

I have chopped and broken, shaved and melted cocoa and chocolate -- 100% -- with the ever-surprising coconut crystals in place of white sugar.  A bit of water and the richest, most decadent vanilla I can find round out the dark and handsome elixir.  I stir constantly and wait with baited breath.  In the swirling vat I look deeply  . . . and inhale . . . and wonder.  Finally, I set it aside to cool.  (I remind myself that a hasty taste resulting in burned tastebuds can steal victory from a cook's challenge faster than anything.) 

Then I taste . . .

The essence of deep, romantic, woodsy, figgy, magical, POWERFUL, "Spirited" (though the only alcohol came from the vanilla's bourbon) chocolate goodness brings a smile to my face.

Voila! 

CHOCOLAT!

* * * * * 

It's been a VERY productive day around here.
I can't wait until tomorrow.

Now where did I put that chili powder . . .

* * * * *

A Demain!

: D

A Post for Lydia

“Mom, you need to write on your blog so I can read it,” said Lydia recently.

[  I smiled.  : D  I have a following.  ]

Today while scribbling in my journal, my pen drew an arrow from the printed page to the virtual screen. 

This one’s for you, my sweet reader, Lydia .  . . and all the rest of you out there in bloggyland.

 * * * * *

Time Out.  Time Off.  Time Away.  

Time for Joy.

I’ve rattled, racked, and wrung my heart, mind, and spirit lately.  So much to process, decipher, prepare, deliver . . .   The world spins so out of control these days and I am simply trying to live without succumbing to dizziness and fatigue.  I’ve found a simple antidote:  Joy.

Today, I’m taking a time out, for some time off, with some time away from my regularly-scheduled ways and making time to stop, look, and listen to all the joy in and around me.  I want to really drink it in and hold onto that feeling of sweet peace that comes from knowing I can relax and live life rather than exhaust myself by wrangling it into a corral for safe keeping.

The sunshine outside and the roaring fire within make me smile at the crazy way a California Winter behaves.  I love the sunshine!  It’s so much easier to face the chilly morn when rays of gold greet me:  a picture of hope.  But I must admit, my favorite time of day is sunset.  Maybe it’s because I am a squeeze-the-last-drop-out-of kinda gal.  I can be brutal on an exhausted tube of toothpaste or beauty cream; I turn each liquid receptacle for shampoo or detergent on end into a funnel before retiring it to the recycle bin; and I watch movies until the last credit rolls.  I guess I’m a pretty committed “finisher.”  I like tidy.  I get a “thrill” out of finding a place for everything and then putting everything in its place.  Thus, it is with great surprise that I find myself becoming such a free-spirited dreamer these days.

Nowadays, my children often find me embroiled in a book, hunched over a writing project, or simply gazing out into the great beyond, whilst a pile of dishes tip precariously in the sink awaiting attention.  What has happened to Miss Tidy-up?  Has she retired?  Has she lost her mind?  Has she been taken over by sloppy aliens?  

I, too, wonder where that other gal vanished to (usually when an unpleasant task crops up in my path).  It seems mid-life has crept up and encouraged me to pry open new doors and venture out into greater fields of freedom.  I plunge into life with more honesty and openness, more readiness to reach out and embrace life and all those within it.  Where fear once dogged my steps, I now dance with such crazy abandon these days that I think fear finds it harder to follow me.  (Who knew freedom thwarted fear?)

To what do I attribute this influx of . . . well . . . ummmmmm . . . joy?  I’m not really sure, but I know it has to do with letting go the reins of control and allowing life to wash over me without fearing what might come my way.  Sometimes I stumble, often times I fail, and sometimes big unexpected things knock me off my feet and swirl me around in salty waves of tears; but fear and fret make me tense and cause additional pain, so I'm learning to relax and just let it come – I simply hold out my hand and trust . . . that God is good.

The results of this zany abdication of the foolish notion that I can control my destiny (and the destinies of those I love) speak through my experience.

I no longer fear rejection, for I have been rejected in the most devastating way and not only survived, but flourished.

I no longer fear loss, for I have lost a child to death and discovered that he will never truly be gone from my heart and that is where the best of life collects.

I have known poverty, and found the "fear" of poverty to be more overwhelming that the actual state of being without.

I have known financial bounty, and found the "thought" of riches to be far more enjoyable than the actual care and feeding of a bank balance. 

I have told lies for protection, and found myself imprisoned until the truth set me free.

I have compromised to save a friendship, and ended up losing both my good name and the friend.

I have failed to notice a needy one in my very midst, and then needed to fail in order to correct my vision.

I have been blind, deaf, and dumb as I strove for knowledge, and then discovered the greatest gift of insight when I admitted my ignorance.

I have learned that a smile serves as the shortest path to an attitude change.  Like a single candle in the darkness, a simple smile changes an entire face and everything it sees.

I have learned that “The Smile Game”  (also known as:  Smile at everyone you encounter) can be played anywhere, anytime, with anyone and WE BOTH WIN EVERY TIME!

Most of all, I have learned that I will learn something new every day, every hour, every minute of my life (good and bad, pleasant and painful, abundant and barren . . . ) if I keep my heart at the ready to love, accept, and share every single thing my Lord sends my way.  How can I be so sure?  How do I know this?  Madeleine L’Engle said it best:

Now I see that time has gotten away from me, caught up with me, and called out to remind me: 

 Time’s Up!

Now it's Time For:

 

Time Out

Time Off 

Time Away 

 

Time for Joy!

Before I go, I was wondering . . .

Does any one care to join me for a rousing round of 

The Smile Game? 

I’ll Start!

: D

  

And Now for Something Completely Different . . .

I have lately joined a Literary Society.  Naturally, this most refined of endeavors includes the reading of Literature, the sipping of tea/coffee, and the exchanging of erudite conversation.  I meet with my darling daughters (Elizabeth and Lydia) at a local coffeehouse.  (Guess Starbucks?  Right-o!)   In the space of a few hours we converse, traverse, and reverse as all good literary scholars are wont to do.  We are most proper and elegant, except when we are not.  [Such as the times my daughters have had to shush! me as I acted out a scene from Shakespeare, or quoted a Dickinson poem, or flung my arms too widely for E-M-P-H-A-S-I-S as to the scope of Dickens’ imagination in crafting his world.]

We would love for you to join us.  If you’re here in Grass Valley, we meet at the NICE Starbucks on Freeman Lane at about 1 o'clock-ish on Wednesdays.  If you’re unable to join us, take a peek at the Harold B. Pricklepants Society website/blog.  www.hbpsociety.blogspot.com  

Here’s a photo snippet from the latest post:

 

Curious?  I thought so. 

Come give us a look-see and join in on the most proper FUN!