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Who Is Josephine Vannier?

A blog is an online diary where you can write about what you see and what you eat. It’s a marvelous thing that you can use to share your culinary experiences for everyone to read. The flip side of having a blog is that others can, and do, read it. A while back I wrote something about a chocolate shop in the Marais that I…

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Healthy Hershey’s

I don’t like to stir things up too much around here. Last time I did that, I got my ass kicked in the comments. Truth be told, I’m a people-person and try to see the good in everything and everybody no matter what. Heck, I’m even listening to Up With People! as I’m typing right now… I don’t like to trash people or companies in…

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La Maison du Chocolat

I was excited to finally visit the famed kitchen of La Maison du Chocolat, just outside of Paris. Robert Linxe, who was born in the Basque region founded La Maison du Chocolat. He was one the major proponents of using ganache in his chocolates; that slightly-airy amalgamation of chocolate and cream. Then he went on to develop a flavor palette of ganache-based chocolates…and the rest…

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Chocolate Tasting

The problem around here is that I buy chocolate in 5 kilo, about 11#, boxes and every afternoon, and sometimes (ok…make that ‘often’…) first thing in the morning, I dig my hand deep in the box and pull out a few pistols every time I walk by. People have the impression that I eat chocolate all the time, every day. And although I usually deny…

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REGIS Chocolatier

Living in a foreign country, as an outsider, you tend to notice lots of contradictions. If you try to learn the native language, like I am, you’ll notice there’s all sorts of curiosities specifically designed to trip your up. When people ask me what I do all day, they don’t realize that just to do something as basic as write a check, I often have…

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French Hot Chocolate With Salted Butter Caramel

My ultra-special mix for Hot Chocolate with Salted Butter Caramel is now available at several outdoor markets in Paris, and we hope to make it available to our friends in the US and elsewhere. One kit makes 6 warming cups of the most luscious hot chocolate you’ll ever have since it’s infused with smooth, buttery salted caramel (made with Breton butter), bittersweet French chocolate, and…

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Interview with Gale Gand

I met Gale Gand a few years back at a culinary conference. I love meeting other bakers since we all share an unspoken bond, and we’re generally the nicest people you’re likely to meet (if I do say so myself). And I was happy to discover that Gale was no exception. Gale’s the author of four highly-regarded books on baking, Just A Bite, Butter Sugar…

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Chocolate Dessert Recipes, part 4

Here it is! The final round-up for Sugar High Friday #27: Chocolate By Brand. These are the last entries for the event and thanks to everyone for their participation. I was overwhelmed by the number of entries (to say the least…) but was happy there was so much interest in chocolate and was amazed at all the beautiful and well-crated dessert folks are making out…

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Chocolate Dessert Recipes, part 3

The Round-Up Continues… Ashley made Chocolate Truffles with Edible Gold with a basic ganache using Valrhona 70% Guanaja chocolate. At Gastronomicon, she dipped her way to passionate delight with Passionfruit Truffles surrounded by El Rey chocolate, used for its robust flavor. Baked Chocolate Fudge was a New Zealand treat from Arfi, who used Whittaker’s 72% dark to scratch that chocolate itch. Over at Café Lynnylu,…

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