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We’re in the final week, the home stretch, of Menu for Hope 6 and I’m thrilled that so many of you have generously bid on items for this important charitable event.

(Update: The deadline for bidding has been extended to December 31, 2009!)

It’s amazing that when so many people contribute even just a small amount, just $10 a person, collectively we can make a major impact.

However I am committed to making this the best-ever year for Menu for Hope, so I’ve rounded up some additional, extra-special surprises in addition to the other fantastic European and UK bid items, most of which can be shipped globally.

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Two American chocolate-experts, Ginger Elizabeth Hahn and Shawn Askinosie have offered the most incredible gift baskets for bakers and chocolate lovers I’ve ever seen. (And I’m not kidding, folks.) Speaking of chocolate, if you live or plan to travel to London, there’s a private chocolate tour for you and your guests.

My friends at Ten Speed Press have put together a collection of their best-ever baking books, including one from me. And any frites-lovers out there will certainly appreciate a professional deep-fryer, courtesy of Krups.


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Ginger Elizabeth Hatbox Chocolate Extravaganza

On my last trip to the states, I managed to get through most of the chocolates that people generously plied me with along the way. But I did bring a box of Ginger Elizabeth chocolate back to Paris, which I opened one night after dinner. And after we each plucked one of the shiny brown squares from the box and put in on our mouths, we both fell silent, then looked at each other. Then I just said, “Wow”, and Romain pronounced them “…Better than La Maison du Chocolat“, which is some praise, especially from a Frenchman!

Indeed Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates are amazing, which are made in Sacramento, California. Here’s your chance to sample her outstanding chocolates in the Large Hatbox collection, donated by Ginger Elizabeth chocolate. Included in this giant box are 2 hot chocolate mixes, chocolate-covered candied almonds, chocolate-nut bark, 6 chocolate bars (the salty cocoa nib brittle bar is, to be blunt—insane), and a luxurious 48-piece box of her assorted chocolates, the same ones that drove us to bliss. This can be shipped anywhere in the continental United States only.

Item code code: EU40


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Collection of Eight Best-of-Baking Books

The good folks at Ten Speed Press are offering a library of the best baking books available from their collection. In addition to The Perfect Scoop, you’ll also get a copy of Demolition Desserts, Baking by James Peterson, the best-selling Rustic Fruit Desserts, Artisan Bread Every Day, Chocolate Bliss, Grand Central Baking Book, and Pastry Queen Parties.

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Whew! These are books from my favorite bakers! From the down-south treats of Texan Rebecca Rather to the hands-on instruction of cooking expert James Peterson, you’ll be rolling, mixing, and stirring your way to sweet seduction. A copy of The Perfect Scoop will have you churning away all-year round, and you can use that ice cream to accompany all the crisps, buckles and cobblers in Rustic Fruit Desserts. And if bread is your thing, there’s no better teacher than award-winning author Peter Reinhart. And the more ambitious will devour the wild & wonderful Demolition Desserts by pastry superstar Elizabeth Falkner. These are books every baker and cook will want on their kitchen shelf! Will ship to the US and Canada.

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Bid item code: EU41


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Krups Professional Deep-Fryer

The Krups KJ 7000 is a professional-quality deep fryer, so you can make all the frites you want. And with a 1.4 kilo capacity, you can invite all the friends you’ll invariable have. A built-in filtration system, however, mitigates fryer odors in case you don’t want anyone else to know you’re frying and want to keep them all to yourself.

This fryer is courtesy of SEB/Krups and David Lebovitz.This fryer is 220V with a France-compatible plug, and can be shipped to any EU country only, and not outside Europe. (To check compatibility with other systems, check the specs at the Krups website as I’m unfamiliar with various electrical outlets.)

Bid item code: EU42


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Private Chocolate Tour of London

Join Chocolate Ecstasy Tours‘ founder and Chief Chocoholic, Jennifer Earle, on a delicious 3½ hour private tour of London’s finest chocolate boutiques, sampling melt-in-the-mouth truffles and artisan bars as you visit the best that Britain has to offer.

Jennifer will introduce you to London’s unique and delicious world of chocolate in an indulgent afternoon of tasting and exploration. The tour, good for up to four people, is valid until the end of September 2010 for Saturdays and Sundays only and the date and time will need to be arranged with Jennifer.

Bid item code: EU43


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Askinosie Baker’s Basket of Bean-to-Bar Chocolates

From Shawn Askinosie, one of America’s finest bean-to-bar chocolate makers, comes this remarkable Askinosie Baker’s Basket filled with chocolate treats. Inside you’ll find 1/2 kilo (about 1 pound) of their natural cocoa powder, and they are the only small-batch chocolate maker in America pressing their own cocoa powder, which is in there, too. There is a 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) container of single-origin chocolate morsels. You can melt these down, or use them in your favorite chocolate chip cookie or cake recipe, in place of ordinary chips. You’ll love the difference! There’s a 170 gram tube of roasted cocoa nibs, which I like to add to cookies and granola.

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And lastly, Shawn is including a kilo bar, weighing in at over two pounds, of his extra-special, single-origin white chocolate. If you think you know white chocolate, think again. This non-deodorized white chocolate retains all the special flavors of the cocoa butter, and instead of being white and fatty, this is unctuous, extra-special white chocolate. This particular white chocolate isn’t even for sale from Askinosie; they only make it on request, for special customers—and the winner of this extraordinary Baker’s Basket! Will ship to the continental (48) United States.

Bid item code: EU44


Please note that due to the nature of the items, they each have geographic shipping restrictions. If you bid on the items, you do so with that information in mind as they can only be shipped to the destinations mentioned.

You can use the new, easy-to-operate Menu for Hope Donation Widget, too once they’re added. In the meantime, you can donate directly at the FirstGiving site.

Related Posts and Links

Complete List of European & UK Menu for Hope 6 Bid Items

Menu for Hope Donation Widget

FirstGiving Page

Complete List of All Menu for Hope 6 Bid Items

Shameless Groveling

Pim’s Favorite Things

Win a Copy of Room for Dessert, Ripe for Dessert & The Sweet Life in Paris!

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14 comments

    • Mona

    David,

    I know this is unrelated but I have a recipe question. I want to make your recipe for Butternut Toffee. In your Ice Cream book the pan is ungreased but on the website it is buttered. Which do you advise? Also, would using parchment work? Just thinking about clean up.

    • David

    Mona: I’ve not used parchment because it’s only one pan, but if you give it a try, let us know how how it works. The recipe evolved over time, so you can use either. The one in The Perfect Scoop is more recent, though.

    • Barbra Kwan-Bloomingdale

    I just bid on the Bernachon chocolates! Thank you for spreading the word for such a worthy cause. It’s wonderful to be able to contribute, especially for those of us who don’t have huge amounts to give. Happy Holidays.

    • kaszeta

    Cool, new prizes. I’ll bid on most anything chocolate.

    • David

    Barbra: You will love those, if you win…best of luck! These two are really amazing as well. And since they’ve been added at this later date, perhaps less people will bid on them so your chances might be better. Appreciate your participating and giving this holiday season! : )

    • Kathy

    I placed a bid for the cookbook collection; however, I forgot to check the box that provides my email address (saw the note after I paid that I should have done this). In the event I win, does this mean I am SOL or can they just ship the books to the address provided? Thanks, and Merry Christmas.

    • David

    Kathy: I don’t know anything about how the bids are processed, but you can head over to Chez Pim and leave a message in her comments and ask if that can be remedied. (If worse comes to worse, and it can’t be added, if you left a name or other contact info, it’s likely that you’ll be contacted. But I would check with her to be sure.) Thanks for bidding!

    • Victoria

    Ahhh, Citizen Cake. I used to drop by there all the time when I lived in San Francisco and worked in Soma. Back in the late 90’s when Ms. Falkner could still be found behind the counter. I dream of those cakes. Great bid choices.

    • isabella olcer

    More recipe questions: how shall I make orange chocolate ice-cream, one of your chocolate recipes in The Perfect Scoop (which one?)+candied orange peel (adapt it from yours for lemon)?
    I newly moved to South Asia, have you ever tried Kaya, done with pandan leaf and coconut? Great taste, wondering how I can translate that into ice-cream.

    Congratulations on your Menu for Hope work,

    Isabella

    • Paula

    Thank you , David for rounding up such an incredible array of items! I just bid on the 2 chocolate collections and cookbooks listed above. And…. thank you for taking a few moments to speak with me and my husband when I chased you down on rue du Bac last month.

    • David

    Paula: You busted us heading to a pastry shop! : )

    Good luck with your bids and both of these chocolate items are truly, truly extraordinary. Happy holidays!

    • Winnie

    Time for me to get my act together and do my bidding…glad I waited ’cause I definitely want in on the bidding for these!

    • Paula

    Will we see a review of said pastry shop soon, or will that require a few more visits?

    • Mariela

    Chocolate? Did someone say “Chocolate”?! This is always the perfect gift any time of year. I wish I’d known about the Askinosie Baker’s Basket before I completed my holiday shopping. Great post! Thank you!

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