Chocolate Apprentice

Vibrant Vanilla

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I had a colleague once, who used to dab vanilla behind her ears before teaching a class.  She said it helped to keep her calm and reminded the kids of cookies, so they were happy.

I love the aroma of vanilla.  I currently have five different bottles of vanilla extract, plus Tahitian vanilla beans in my pantry.

And it is such a complimentary flavour to many foods, but especially to my other favorite, and the chief subject of this blog:  chocolate.

Whether in a vanilla crème or as the base of a hot fudge sundae, nothing matches the taste of really good vanilla. [Read more…]

Infused with Happiness

Maybe it is because I love a really good cup of tea or maybe because I have been enjoying the zen-like satisfaction of ganache making, but I have been spending this week immersed in infusions.

An infusion, according to Wikipedia is:

A very simple chemical process used with herbs that dissolve readily in water, or release their active ingredients easily in oil. Boiling water (or water of the appropriate temperature) is poured over the herb and allowed to steep for a time. The amount of time the herbs are left in the water depends on what purpose the liquid is being prepared for. [Read more…]