Having a “Temper” Tantrum?

By Katie Barreira
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

Tempering chocolate can be one of the more intimidating, exacting and maddening culinary tasks. But it doesn’t have to be.

Why temper?
If you’re going to melt chocolate for coating, candy making, or dipping you’ll have much snappier results if you take the time to temper.

When heated above 90 degrees the fat in chocolate (cocoa butter) separates and forms streaky grey crystals when cool if not first recombined.

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Sweets for the Sweet on Valentine’s Day

By Sandy Hu

Years ago, when Steve and I were newly married and money was tight, we’d spend an occasional Saturday making a fancy dinner for ourselves (Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking was our favorite resource.). We’d set the table with our good wedding china, arrange flowers, light candles and enjoy a special meal together. Before dessert, we’d get up from the table and do all the dishes, so they weren’t waiting for us when the meal was done. Once the kitchen was cleaned, we’d sit back again and enjoy dessert and coffee, feeling as pampered as if we had dined at an expensive New York restaurant.

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Chocolate = Love

By Andrew Hunter

Chocolate is the nectar of the Gods and it helps convey our sentiments for each other, especially when paired with flowers on Valentine’s Day. Chocolate is a cure-all for matters of the mind, body and heart. It brings joy, laughter and delight, no matter your age. For the boys, it’s a salve for skinned knees, a tonic for hurt feelings and a reward for any job well done!

As the boys are busy making “Happy Valentines” for their classmates and special gifts for secret admirers, Marilyn and I are busy whipping up a batch of chocolate mousse. We’ve decided to ditch the store-bought chocolates in red heart boxes this year for this fabled homemade chocolate classic that everyone loves.

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Family Matters

By Sandy Hu

I’m going to ask Chris to find Special Fork when he comes home for Christmas this year. Chris is a freelance photographer’s assistant in New York City. And Special Fork is his own invention.

If you follow my blog, you know the story. A child of few words, Chris would swap out his dinner fork for the one mismatched fork in the utensil drawer to signify a meal he especially liked. This was a quiet compliment to mom or dad – whoever happened to make the meal that night. In time, he – or we – named the utensil, “Special Fork.” Chris continued to signal his approval via Special Fork through high school, until he went away to college.

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‘Tis the Season for Hot Cocoa

By Katie Barreira

As promised, this week is all about the season, and there’s nothing like a steaming cup of cocoa to make the impending winter feel cozy and snug instead of bah humbug. Here are a few of the best hot chocolate recipes, traditional and not so, that I’ve collected along the way. No matter your brew of choice, the homemade marshmallows are a must try and pair perfectly with every variety of hot chocolate.

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