+

For my next blend, I wanted to use bananas.  I think bananas and chocolate are a great combo.  Peanut Butter + Chocolate was blend in my mind, but I have too many nutty blends at the moment.   I wanted to work with a unique spice, thus cardamom.

Cardamom is a very difficult spice to incorporate into foods.   It’s super strong and it can be overpowering as I found out the past couple of weeks.  It’s not like I can use milk or flour to help spread the intensity.  You put 2 intense ingredients together and things can go array quickly.  So I put 2 little pods in a 13# batch of chocolate and it was STRONG!  I kept adding 5 # increments of chocolate and after being in the kitchen until 2:00 AM last week, I decided that I needed to let this puppy sit so I could muster up enough energy to tackle this again.

Was in the kitchen last night and made it my mission to win this fight.  So I took about 1/4 of the original batch I made last week and stone ground it with more chocolate.  But I thought I’d make the blend a bit sweeter to about a 58% cacao.  It was too sweet!  So I ground 75% cacao and mixed it with the 58% cacao and WaLa!  It turned out perfectly!  The bits of chewy bananas with a hint of the cardamom is just right!  TKO!  Now I just have about 20# of chocolate + cardamom.  Well, you know what kind of chocolate I’ll be selling at the market for the next few weeks.  But Banana is the theme for the next month.

“I met you last Friday at the Venice Market, bought then a sampler of your various chocolates. I took your idea of chocolate and cheese and went with it. For a special dinner, three customers at our restaurant, I cut a round of brioche, toasted it quickly in a 500* convection oven, put a slice of Mayan on the brioche, melted it slightly in the oven, topped it with fresh goat cheese from Soledad Goats, candied kumquats to finish. Spectacular! We then set up a sampler tray for all of the staff (and a few lucky customers!). Everyone went gaga, which is how I suspect most people react when they first taste your chocolate. Although we’ve had similar, unconched varieties in Italy, yours has made a much bigger impression. It’s so alive, delicious, wonderful. I certainly will switch to ChocoVivo once I’ve worked through the Valrhona 66% Caraibe I have in stock. Glad to have met you, and thanks!”

- DJ Olsen, chef @LOU

Below are the official recipe and pictures. ———————————————————————————————–

ChocoVivo

Chocolate + Bread + Cheese

- Take a piece of artisan bread and lay a chocolate “rustic bar” on top of the bread.
- Lightly toast Chocolate + Bread (Approx 30 seconds). Chocolate can burn so be careful.

-  Chocolate will come out like softened butter.  Spread chocolate with a knife to coat the rest of the bread or just leave it as is – a beautiful rustic piece of melted chocolate

-Add the following on top of the Chocolate + Bread:

- Fleur de Sel or a light flakey sea salt.

- Drizzle of Olive Oil.

- Cheese (from cheddar, goat cheese, to a crumbled blue cheese like gorgonzola)

Pair with a bold Red Wine (white wine with the spicy Mayan) and enjoy!

Bon Appétit!

BROWNIES

6 ounces unsalted butter

2 ounces 75% ChocoVivo Chocolate

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ChocoVivo dark ground chocolate

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper.  Lightly butter the paper.

Combine the butter and chocolate bar in a bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water.  Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter is melted.  Remove from heat and add ground chocolate, sugar, vanilla and eggs, one at a time.  dd flour and salt and stir just to combine.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until the edge of the brownies are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with few crumbs.  Let brownies fully cool before cutting.

Do you prefer Mini or Large Marshmallows in your Hot Chocolate?  Your Vote Counts!

It’s snowing in Oklahoma – my home town.  While I’m here in sunny California, my family is bundled tight and gathering under a warm fire.  I miss the seasonal weather, but of course the trade off is there are no year-round farmer’s markets.  Today was a day of rest and reflection.  I mostly slept and organized my place and the next four days I will now tackle….PAPERWORK.

Thank you to all who have supported me through this grassroots movement of ChocoVivo.  I started my first farmers market in June – Playa Vista – and now I am selling at 5 markets.  But to those in Manhattan Beach, last Tuesday was my last day.  I’ve met some of my closest friends there, but I had to let go of the slowest market and analyze where I need to best utilize my efforts.   So I might add another market, but at this moment I will concentrate on setting up the ecommerce site.  Valentine’s is on the horizon so get ready for some new blends!

Merry (belated) Christmas!  It’ technically the day after Christmas now.  1:45 AM

Chocolate Blessings!

Patricia

Border Grill – Santa Monica, Mexican Brownies and Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie

BLT Steak – West Hollywood, Rich Chocolate Sundae

Brix 1601 – Redondo Beach, Duck with 75% Cacao on toasted bread

Cafe del Rey – Marina del Rey, Espresso Brownie and Chocolate Torte

Ciudad Restaurant – Downtown LA, Mayan Tradition -  Hot Chocolate

Huckleberry – Santa Monica, Rich Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon Dusted Donuts

Luna Park – Hollywood, CA, Sunday’s Chocolate Brunch

Nickel Diner – Downtown LA, Smores Chocolate Cake

Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar – Santa Monica, Bleu Cheese sprinkled on top of melted chocolate with touch of EVOO

Primitivo – Venice, Assorted Cheese Plate

Scoops – Los Angeles, Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

The Penthouse at The Huntley Hotel – Santa Monica, Seasonal

Whist at The Viceroy Hotel – Santa Monica, Various Chocolate Desserts

Hot chocolate serving in their bakery.  All retail packaging (chocolate rustic bars and hot chocolate powders) sold in the bakery.

http://www.akasharestaurant.com/

Friday – Venice:  7 AM – 11 AM, Venice Way & Venice Blvd, 90291

Saturday – Playa Vista:  9 AM – 2 PM, 6400 Seabluff Drive (in Playa Vista, across from Home Depot), 90064

Saturday – Torrance:  8 AM – 1 PM, Charles H.Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Blvd, 90503

Sunday – Palos Verdes:  8 AM – 1 PM, Peninsula Shopping Center, Rolling Hills Estates, 90247

Sunday – Mar Vista:  9 AM – 2 PM, 12224 Venice Blvd,  90066

For those that still want chocolate for the holidays come by the farmers markets.  My booth locations (of which I still need to update on my Where to Buy section of the website) are:

Manhattan Beach, Tuesday 12-4 PM

Venice, Friday 7 – 11 AM

Saturday, Torrance 8 – 1 PM

Saturday, Playa Vista 9 – 2PM

Sunday, Palos Verdes 8-1 PM

Last week for Orange and cloves so come and get it!