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Cleopatra's Favorite Treat
Chocolate Crunchy Pearls
A long time ago (thousands of years) in the early days of written history, man had already discovered pearls.
And as history has been written since the invention of typewriters, the white, hard, lustrous pearls have been found on the shores of many beaches. With their wonderful inner glow, these rare, hard-to-find gems have become some of the most valuable natural gems in the world.
The Egyptians, who had excellent preservation techniques, buried pearls with their Pharaohs. The burial sites are also known for their food "stores," for the long voyage to the Afterworld; great knowledge has been gained by deciphering these "found" food objects.
What you might not know is that the great secret warehouses of the modern world hide some very important treasures as well. Some of these secrets, of course, would be best not to know, like the fact that aliens from outer space are amongst us in the shapes of house cats and poodles. ;o)
For those of us for whom foods are so important to our happy place, there are some secrets held within those walls that shouldn't be kept hidden.
One secret is about these pearls. While history says it was all about the hard white pearls, there is proof that what Cleopatra loved more than anything were very special pearls. And these pearls were made out of cocoa beans, sugar, and cocoa butter. Reportedly she would eat them by the handful, sprinkle them on top of frosted cupcakes or fold them into a rich chocolate mousse!
Due to the possibility of war over these pearls, her French chef served them secretly in oyster shells. Kept chilled on a bed of ice cold Rialto beach rocks, white pearls (the gems) were added as a visual cloak. We believe this is where the confusion lies. Of course, the chocolate pearls did not survive over time and the gems did. Anthropologists have assumed that the gems were the treasure.
And we now know, these Chocolate Crunchy Pearls are amazing gems! A single one boasts a tiny, explosive bite of chocolate flavor.
The crunchy center is just right! A handful is like a mouthful of small balls packed with deep chocolate flavor all moving around, crunching delightfully!
Just like the ones Cleopatra ordered, these are a treat to eat, perfect and just in time for baking season!
Click Here To See Everything Featured in This Newsletter!
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Cleopatra's Dark Chocolate
Crunchy Pearls
Toasted puffed cereal enrobed in 83% Dark Chocolate. A crispy cereal center enrobed with Valrhona's Dark Chocolate.
An irresistible snack any time of day! An incredibly tasty decoration on top of a cake, cupcake, or a creamy dessert. These tasty Valrhona chocolate pearls are also suitable for chilled preparations such as mousses and ice creams or mixed into your next batch of chocolate chip cookies. They add a deliciously crunchy texture and chocolate flavor to enrich any of your creations!
Shop Now for Cleopatra's Dark Chocolate Crunchy Pearls!
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Cleopatra's Opalys White Chocolate
Crunchy Pearls
A crispy cereal center enrobed with Valrhona OPALYS 33% White Chocolate - delish! Perfect for that snowball look on your chocolate cupcake or sugar cookie. Plus, crispy chocolate pearls taste good, too! How can you go wrong?
White Chocolate Candy Pearl Ingredients: Biscuit cereals coated in 87% white chocolate (34% cocoa butter minimum): cocoa butter, whole milk powder, sugar biscuit cereal (Wheat flour, sugar, wheat malt, wheat starch, raising agent: E500ii, salt, cocoa butter, natural flavoring) 11.2%, emulsifier: soya lecithin, glazing agents (maltodextrin, shellac), natural vanilla extract. This product may contain traces of nuts, egg protein and peanuts.
Shop now for Cleopatra's Opalys White Chocolate Crunchy Pearls!
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Lemon Olive Oil Cake
recipe
When you serve this soft, succulent, easy to make olive oil cake, no one will be able to resist taking a second and even a third piece - but only if you use the best oil you can find and the freshest eggs!
Options for this simple lemon olive oil cake recipe include using any citrus fruit in place of the orange-like lime, lemon or grapefruit. Or combine two or three citrus to make a zesty treat!
See the Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe Here!
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Sorrento
Lemon Olive Oil
This oil is a wonderful addition to the olive oil cake!
To the mouth, it is pure joy. A sip is lemony. By the mouthful, it takes a moment for the lemon to evolve into a gentle wash that passes through. As the oil swishes, the lemon moves to the outside in the cheeks and to the back of the throat. It has a bit of a roll around action and when the oil has dissipated, the upper part of your cheeks seem to keep the lemon flavor!
The finish has a little bit of bitter on the top outer edge of the tongue and a hint of heat in the lower back of the throat - enough to create a little cough.
No matter how you use this, on a simple pasta dish or with a citrus salad, this infused lemon oil is light and delicious.
I always have a bottle on hand.
Shop now for Casina Rossa Sorrento Lemon Olive Oil!
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Sweet Potato and Apple Crisp
recipe
This recipe was recently given back to me by one of our loyal newsletter readers.
Originally published in November, 1999 - early in the history of ChefShop.com (originally launched in 1997 as a content site on MSN called "Mauny's Kitchen on MSN", and then relaunched in 1999 as ChefShop.com - so this was our first online holiday) - Vivian has been making this recipe for her family every year for the past 20 years.
In the process of many database revisions over the last 20 years, this recipe was lost to us. But, thanks to Vivian, we now have it back and we are re-publishing it here so others can enjoy it as well.
This dish is sweet enough to delight without overdoing it. And its toasted pecan crispy topping adds just a bit of crunch. You'll never reach for a can of candied yams again!
See the Sweet Potato and Apple Crisp Recipe Here!
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Dark Muscovado
sugar
I confess I love sugar. Really anything sweet! Though I have had to cut down on it, I still find ways to get more sugar in my life. Like testing recipes ….
This sugar is at the top of my list to always have on hand. Use it once and you will see that this is how you want sugar to be. It has flavor, it has personality, it is alive!
Currently I have 8 different sugars on my counter (more liquid sweeteners stored in the essential pantry) to test and try in different applications. And dark muscovado is the standard by which I compare all others. Compare? Each sugar has a reason to exist, but can it reach the level of devotion we have and have seen for this Dark Muscovado. Remember not all Dark Muscovado is the same.
Muscovado is a soft, moist, fine brown sugar. It's also known as Barbados sugar, where it was once made. But ours comes from the island of Mauritius off the African coast.
While most brown sugar these days is made by combining already-refined sugar with added molasses-like syrup, this is the real thing. This is a less refined product with rich, complex flavor.
This sugar adds a deeper dimension to cakes, fudge, pecan pie, and other desserts with its rich butterscotch flavors. Use it as you would brown sugar - take your morning oatmeal to new heights with a spoonful of Dark Muscovado on top!
Shop Now for India Tree Dark Muscovado Sugar!
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Parmigiano-Reggiano Risotto
This simple classic recipe is special!
If there is only one risotto you ever make it should be this one!
Risotto (riso = rice) is defined as rice cooked until it reaches a creamy consistency. It is not just any creaminess. It, when done to perfection, is like no other rice dish in any culture that we know of.
It all starts with the rice itself. The rice is important because not all types of rice can create a creamy texture without being mushy. A good rice creates a delightful creamy texture with definition. There are many options and many more opinions for which rice to use.
This now classic recipe is from Marcella Hazan's (The Author Who Changed the Way Americans Cook Italian Food: NY Times) cookbook Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking which brings 2 of her classic cookbooks into one. If you only have one Italian Cookbook this is the one to have.
See the Basic Risotto with Parmesan Cheese Recipe here!
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More Than Gourmet Fond de Poulet
Classic Chicken Stock
It's a 40-time reduction, so a little goes a long way.
You know all those times that you've substituted water for chicken stock in a recipe? And it turns out fine...but you know that with the stock, it would have been simply delicious. Then this is the solution for you! Fond de Poulet results in a perfect chicken stock whenever you need it - especially at the last minute.
Shop now for Fond de Poulet Gold here!
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Carnaroli-Rice - Fior di Riso
for your next creamy Risotto
Of all the rice varieties grown in Italy, Carnaroli rice is the most difficult to grow and process. However, it has the highest amylose content – amylose is a form of starch that has a great affect on the finish of the rice when it is cooked, making it worth the effort.
The relatively high amylose content of Carnaroli gives it the qualities you want - it absorbs a lot of liquid - the Veneria Carnaroli averages 24.1% of the total weight.
Unlike Arborio and its daughter Baldo, Carnaroli rice has a relatively significant window between cooked and overcooked. This makes a creamy, flowing risotto, not a sticky one.
Carnaroli rice is classified as a superfino not because of its nutritional composition or cooking qualities, but because of its dimensions – Italian rice classification is determined by the ratio of length to width with a high ratio of length to width resulting in a classification of “superfino”.
It is therefore ideal for the preparation of risottos, in which the rice needs to be fluffy, as well as rice salads and all fine cuisine dishes, thanks also to the pleasing aspect of the grains.
Shop now for Fior di Riso - Carnaroli Rice!
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Summer Milk
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Even though the seasons have changed and the leaves are starting to fall, Summer Milk Parmigiano-Reggiano is on its way from Italy to be split and ready to ship soon!
For those of you who are waiting for the summer Parmigiano-Reggiano, we got word that it's expected to arrive in early December.
Remember, we don’t charge until we break the wheels open.
I apologize to all my friends who I used to send Parmigiano-Reggiano to for free so we could test the shipping and to see what you thought of the cheese. That was a long time ago and no more. Now we always sell out so, as no one says, “There is no such thing as free cheese anymore!”
Rest assured the cheese is even better than when we started.
Preorder Parmigiano-Reggiano here!
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Pecou LiquiCroc Caramel Dragees
One satisfies, two is better!
Liquicroc Caramel Toffy is a sugar coated chocolate (cool!) with a liquid toffee inside! And even though you know the center is “loose” when you bite in, the reward is better than you can possibly imagine!
There is lots of crunch (sugar shell?) with the toffee center swirling in around the chocolate to make an entertaining bite that is, well, sophisticated!
You will spend some time enjoying it all!
One satisfies, two is better!
Shop now for Pecou LiquiCroc Caramel Dragees!
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Albertengo Panettone with Apricot
Made in Italy
Instead of the usual raisins and candied citron, this wonderful panettone from Albertengo - Master Panettone Maker - is studded with chunks of local apricots, whose slight tartness is the perfect complement to the rich, sweet bread surrounding them.
Like all the wonderful panettone from Albertengo, this apricot panettone is light and buttery, has a soft texture (with no icing sugar) that will melt in your mouth. Just like the lemon, everyone loves the one fruit breads!
Perfect for the panettone lover in your life.
Albertengo continues to amaze!
"It's difficult for me to imagine a more delicious panettone than the example featuring apricot I received from Albertengo in 2021. I ordered it immediately after receiving the alert from Chef Shop, and it arrived at my mother's home in November. We didn't open it until Christmas, and I continue to be amazed at how a baked good produced on the other side of the globe can remain so remarkably moist and delicious. We enjoyed the loaf over the course of four mornings, and the last slice was just as delectable as the first. I look forward to ordering my next Albertengo from Chef Shop in the fall of 2022."
-- eric
Preorder Panettone here!
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This Week's Recipes |
Moon & Star Berries Smoothie Recipe
A perfect way to get a little of that healthful cocoa powder into your morning smoothie routine. This homemade chocolate berry smoothie recipe is perfect for when the mango and strawberries are just coming into the market.
Pork Chops w/ Blueberries Recipe
Adapted from "The Silver Spoon" cookbook (Phaidon Press) -- Italy's best selling cookbook ever.
Trofie with Pesto alla Genovese Recipe
Pesto and Torfie - a classic Genovese combination. This one is adapted from the La Cucina Italiana Magazine. They say that the mortar and pestle are the key to making genuine Ligurian pesto. But, since I don't own a good mortar and pestle, the food processor will work in a pinch.
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Give the Gift of Love through Food
