Sweet Moses, Cleveland, Ohio

In most depictions, Moses Cleaveland is frowning.  Since it's too late to correct the mis-spelling of his last name, why not give him another reason to smile?  The Sweet Moses Soda Fountain and Treat Shop does just that, bringing the old-style soda fountain and marble-top sweet counter to Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District. 

If sugar is your jam, there's something for you there-- sip on home-made root beer out of the barrel, chew on home-made sweetened pop-corn, or taste one of their and nutella-filled chocolate truffles. Sweet Moses has even created something I'd cringe to try-- a triple-decker, chocolate-dipped, marshmallow popsicle. 










If you are leaning more towards something classic, you might find the perfect gift at the online shop, such as the Sweet & Salty treat box that comes in an old-fashioned cookie tin. 

But by far the best reason to stop by Sweet Moses is the home-made ice cream-- the coconut-based, vegan Belgian chocolate was a reverie to remember.

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www.SweetMosesTreats.com

Mast Brothers, Brooklyn, New York

 
I can't quite explain it, but the moment I find myself in Williamsburg, a powerful force overtakes my legs and walks me down 7th to Mast Brothers.  If you have been there, you understand.


If you haven't, conjure this--  Stumptown Brownies, Chocolate Beet Cake, an all-pervading smell of melted cacao, and... free samples.  Now do you understand?

Mast Brothers produces an American Craft Chocolate, single estate and single origin chocolate from all over the world.  Even if your own craving is sated, the ribbon-wrapped pile of five bars always makes a sweet gift.

www.mastbrothers.com

Madécasse, Madagascar via Brooklyn

Seven years ago, something special happened in Madagascar.  No one tells their story better than they:

We were Peace Corps volunteers in Madagascar. We fell in love with the people and the country and wanted to do more.  So we started making chocolate there. Even though 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from Africa, no one had ever really done this before.

The result of their inspiration, Madécasse operates out of Brooklyn, New York, distributing fair trade chocolate bars made from bean to bar in Africa.  

If the refreshing taste of sweet coconut brings you to tropical paradise, then a square of the Toasted Coconut bar is your ticket to a momentary getaway.

http://www.madecasse.com/

Habitual Chocolate, London, Ontario

    
   A visit to the Fire Roasted Coffee Co. in London, Ontario, will set you up with a rich coffee, a fresh and healthy lunch, and assorted baked goods-- if it's your lucky day you may even get to steal the last piece of chocolate-dipped espresso shortbread.

     Step into the back room and you will find the place where the chocolatier transforms Fair Trade, organic cacao beans into Habitual Chocolate bars, unveiling vibrant flavors from around the world.   If dark and natural is what you like, peruse the shelves for 2 different bars made of 100% cacao.

www.fireroastedcoffee.com

www.habitualchocolate.com

Hope Outdoor Gallery: Austin, Texas

Amid a mix of graffiti and tagging on the cement walls of the Hope Outdoor Gallery in Austin, Texas, a few pieces stand out in refined style and message.   Quite notable are those by G52CUBE, and a diverse collection of pieces by local artist El Federico on the adjacent Good Will building. 

 

 

  

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www.g52cube.com
www.cargocollective.com/federicograffitiwestern

Ritual Chocolate, Denver, Colorado

Introducing Ritual Chocolate, providing single origin, organic chocolate bars crafted locally in Denver.  Try it-- one bite of the Belize bar is an erruption of flavor, with hints of raw fig, sharp cherry, and a potently fresh taste of cacao.

  

 

 

www.ritualchocolate.com/

Street Art, Detroit: Eastern Market

The Hollis Chocolate Barn

 


Look what popped up in Hollis, New Hampshire, just a short walk from the four corners and town center: The Hollis Chocolate Barn.  Currently the barn is only open two days per week, but it may still be evidence of the projection that the US chocolate industry will grow to reach $19.3 billion in the next five years.

In addition to colorfully-decorated, home-made chocolate pieces, the barn also sells a line of Maine-imported chocolate sauces, "Maine Mud," and "Healing Touch Pottery," hand-made pottery  uniquely crafted with healing energy.

Among a wide variety of local favorites such as maple truffles and mint chocolates, the barn offers several flavors of the Italian-originated gianduja, a chocolate confection filled with hazelnut paste.

 

 
So, for the record-- Friday or Sunday between 11am and 4pm is a perfect time to find yourself driving through Hollis.

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www.hollischocolatebarn.com

Bar of the Month: The Dark & Twisted

 
The Dark & Twisted
from Good & Delish,
a Walgreens brand,
made in Belgium,
distributed by Walgreens; Deerfield Illinois

Cocoa Percentage:  57%

Ingredients:  Cocoa Liquor , sugar , Lemon Granules , Cocoa Butter , Butter Oil , Black Pepper , Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin)


Taste: The all encompassing taste of dark chocolate is the perfect background for the mixture of sour lemon and gritty dark peppercorn.

Originality:  Many brands are experimenting with lemon, limoncello, and citrus flavors, however this bar puts the lemon into the bite-- a bit of a chew allows the palate to experience the pepper pieces and ground lemon granules. This bar does not pander to the sweet tooth-- instead it imparts a sour, peppery punch, and leaves you with an extra kick in your step.

Ideal situation for consumption:
Time:  After dark, during a brisk and windy November evening   
Place: Downtown Chicago, along the riverside where the lights of the city skyline ripple in the water below
Ambiance: Interlocking arms with a friend in just a way that allows hands to be tucked safely inside warm coat pockets
Combined with:  Not much is needed if you are one to appreciate purity of taste, but perhaps the perfect chaser would be a shot of your favorite smoky bourbon.


Link to Dark & Twisted Chocolate Bar, for sale on Walgreens website
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Why Emulsify?

Have you ever noticed that many chocolate bars contain an emulsifier? 

Emulsifiers are used to bring two liquids together that wouldn’t normally combine.  For example, an evenly-mixed balsamic vinaigrette.  You can easily discern if a balsamic vinaigrette underwent emulsification if the oil and vinegar separate in the bottle.  Other common ‘emulsions’ in food are milk (mixture of milkfat and water), and mayonaise, (mixture of egg white, oil, and lemon or vinegar).

In chocolate, emulsifiers are used to add more milkfat or cocoa butter to the cocoa.  Emulsification in chocolate can also prolong the time it takes a bar to bloom, (a process in which the cocoa butter or fat separates from the chocolate and forms a wax-like film on the outside of the bar).  Although fats such as cocoa butter can adhere to cocoa particles, an added emulsifier is more efficient and increases smoothness and shelf life.



What are the most common emulsifiers used in chocolate?

Soy lecithin

Lecithin is an emulsifier that can be extracted from soy beans, eggs, milk, marine sources, rapeseed, cottonseed, and sunflower.  According to the FDA, it is “generally recognized as safe” and is approved for consumption. The most common lecithin used in making chocolate comes from soy.



PGPR (Polyglycerol polyricinoleate)

PGPR, which is produced from castor bean oil, is a newer addition to the emulsifier bunch. In 2006, Hershey and Nestlé chose to use PGPR as an emulsifier in many of their chocolate products. As PGPR can also substitute cocoa butter itself, it can be a cost-reducer and is thus popular by chocolate makers.  PGPR is approved by the FDA and a study found in 1998 that it did not “constitute a human health hazard.”  Strangely enough, harvesting castor beans, which occurs primarily in Brazil, China, and India, is often harmful to farmers as the plant produces ricin, an allergenic compound that can cause nerve damage in those who come in to contact with it.  However, all toxins are eliminated during the oil extraction process.

So that’s emulsification, just another step towards understanding what goes into that bar.