Aran and I at our booth

This past Saturday was the 25th anniversary of the Great Taste of the Midwest! This wonderful event has been graciously sponsored by the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild since 1983. It isn’t always easy to remember with an event like this, but I believe this was my 10th year volunteering and my 3rd year presenting a chocolate and beer pairing session.

For this year’s chocolate and beer tasting, I teamed up with Aran Madden of Furthermore Brewing and we paired four of our chocolates with four of his great brews. The idea is to have fun but to also see how chocolate and beer can have similar characteristics and finding the right bridge that brings out the distinct flavors and subtle qualities in both. For instance, for one of our pairings we tasted our caramel with sea salt with Furthermore’s Knot Stock, an American Pale Ale that has a hoppy zing but a nice amount of caramel malt to tame any bitterness. With this pairing, the kick for me continues to be the bit of black pepper in the beer that comes forth and plays off well with the sea salt of the caramel. In turn, our caramel rounds out the flavors of the caramel malt in the beer. The sweetness of caramel also softens any bitter hops one may experience. It is a lovely marriage of sweet and salty, and salt and pepper.

The Great Taste of the Midwest event is all about tasting great beer from the many ( >124) craft brewers in the Midwest who sample their wares (>500). The best part is getting to meet the brewers and to taste their wide selection of beers that vary greatly in styles and flavors. O.K., that being said and given the vast amount of beer there is to sample, a confession is in order: I did carry around the program this year and took detailed notes of my focused interest this year, IPAs, Belgian style ales, and some bourbon barrel offerings.

My crew and I began tasting at 11:00 a.m., before the gates opened at 1:00 p.m. (one of the perks as a presenter is to get in before the crowds), so imagine my disappointment this morning when I discovered that I had swapped programs with someone and lost all my notes! With all the great beers available and all the fun being had, I can’t be too disappointed – it just means I have to start my research on IPAs and Belgian style ales all over again! This time, though, on my own and with more time! I have a program and many of the beers are available at our favorite liquor stores around Madison, or perhaps a road trip to the breweries themselves for even more fun

If you enjoy a good brew get out and support your local craft brewery but please do so responsibly. Have fun and be good to yourself!

The clouds lift at Machu Picchu

Wow, where to begin? I am fresh from my first trip to Peru. For nearly three weeks in May, I witnessed amazing scenery and met wonderful people.

The main purpose of my trip was to volunteer with the Becky Fund. The foundation raises money to buy and deliver school supplies to children in need in the remote areas of the Sacred Valley of the Inca, not far from the Peruvian city of Cusco.

New school supplies, smiling faces

If the countryside were not enough to stop you in your tracks, the children are. Most of these kids walk miles to school everyday in sandals made from recycled tires. With altitudes that range from 10,000 to 14,000 feet, it can be cold, cold, cold. The diet is mainly potatoes and people frequently sleep on dirt floors, doing the best they can with what they have. It is heartbreaking to see the kids in such dire straits. Yet when you hand them a pencil, a notebook and a toy, the smiles that lights up their faces are heartwarming. It was hard for many of us to hold back our tears.

Another aspect of the trip for me was a visit to the cacao growing area of Quillambamba. I met some great people, including an agriculturist who has specialized in cacao for the past 40 years and my new friend, Monolo. Monolo is working on buying wet beans from farmers to ferment and dry for more consistent resulting chocolate.

Visiting with a fellow entrepreneur

The entire trip took place on lands that made up the ancient Inca empire, civilization that dates back early 13th century Peru. No matter where we were, there always seemed to be some remnant of this ancient society that thrived over 800 to 600 years ago reminding us of its presence. From terraces built for agriculture to ruins of stone so perfectly cut that no mortar was necessary, the landscape was a history lesson made real.

What trip to Peru would be complete without a visit to Machu Picchu? It began in a cloud … at an elevation of about 8,000 feet, it felt as if there could be no other beginning. Like a dream, within a few hours the clouds burned off and amazing views emerged. It was magical.

The trip ended as it began in Cusco, a gorgeous city in its own right. It was filled with parades and fiestas, and, of course, visits to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman high above the city.

A fantastic trip, it filled my dreams for at least five straight nights upon my return. I will never forget it. Traveling is great, but I am so happy to be home in Madison.

Cuddling with a sloth

I just returned from a trip to Costa Rica. It was pura vida! This is the latest of several trips to the country. My first trip was in 2008, through an Ecole Chocolat tour that included visits to CATIE (a tropical agriculture research center), an organic cacao farm, and several smaller cacao farms stewarded by indigenous Bribri and Shiroles of the Valle de Talamanca. It was the first time the tour was offered and I signed up immediately.

As they say it was love at first sight! On the larger farm northeast of San Jose, Finmac, I learned that there were two researchers from UW-Madison on the farm just a week before. They were studying biodiversity focusing on sloths and agroforestry. When I returned home, I met the researchers. They encouraged me to help the Costa Rican cacao farmers in anyway I could.

Over the last three years, it has been both heartening and frustrating to see one step forward, two steps back for many of the farmers. But I keep coming back because of the people I have met. They are warm, hardworking and dedicated. Many of them feel like family now.

At Finmac, the women of the farm have formed a working group called Amazilia to make chocolate bars to sell in San Jose. The group is named after the hummingbirds that hover around the tree opposite their workshop. I have done several workshops with Amazilia. It’s always a wonderful experience.

Visiting with the Amazilia women

On subsequent trips, I have visited the Upala area near the Nicaraguan border. Cacao used to be a major crop in this region until a disease called monillia wiped out 60 to 80 percent of the trees about 20 years ago. The farmers have been actively replanting and trying to revive that way of life. The women in the area also wanted to make chocolate. To help out, I donated a tempering machine, molds, wrappers, various tools and a laptop. I also gave workshops over the past two years, teaching them how to make bars from their cacao beans.

After several fits and starts, I sadly report that they are having a difficult time getting organized and finding a central location that is cool enough to make chocolate. For my efforts, I was awarded an honorary membership in the Upala Organic Cacao Growers Cooperative. Unfortunately, this group is also having growing pains. There are issues that need to be worked out among the farmers.

Amazilia chocolate bars

Since the Upala women were not making use of the equipment, I loaned it to Amazilia. The women were thrilled to have equipment that could help streamline their workload. Unfortunately, like all machinery, it broke down after much use. While in the repair shop, a critical piece was lost. Only after this recent visit did I understand what they needed to get the machine working again. Luckily, there is a student working on the farm testing an organic pesticide made from citrus. Her parents will be visiting her in May and if all works out they can bring the spare part.

If I have learned anything from my work in Costa Rica, it’s that nothing is simple and straightforward. But that’s okay. That’s how you learn and grow. I support and encourage these women because I can see the sense of pride and empowerment that making chocolate provides. The Amazilia women invest their profits into the children of their small community. Last Christmas, they gave a party for the kids,. Each child received a unique gift–they were overjoyed. Whether you’re eating it or making it, I really believe chocolate is good for soul. Life isn’t easy for the Upala and Amazilia women, but they are trying to make a difference. That means a lot.

I add the spice to our Chocolate City Saison.

Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting at a beer and chocolate tasting at the Marina Grand Resort in New Buffalo, Michigan. The event was in conjunction with a local chocolate festival.

My friends at New Holland Brewing invited me to pair up with them again. New Holland’s “beervangelist” Fred Bueltmann and I have done pairings together since the first educational tent at the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison in 2008. We had another great turnout. By the second pairing the noise level rose considerably!

The next day, Fred and I ventured further north along Lake Michigan’s shoreline to arrive at New Holland’s brewery and world headquarters. I got the amazing opportunity to create a beer with their brewmaster John Haggerty.

Fred and I chop lemongrass and spices to add to the brew.

John is an artist as well as a brewing scientist. Here were his thoughts about what sort of beer we should brew:

“I am thinking a Saison base. These typically have a fruity quality to them with some naturally occurring phenolics (spicy, peppery notes).  They also tend to be dry and highly quaffable. Part of the dryness is due to the fact that some of the fermentables are from sugar which ferments all the way out. I am thinking that we sub that sugar out with some unrefined sugar like a muscavado or turbinado sugar. The residual sweetness from these will help support the chocolate flavors without being overpowering. I think we then work with the natural spiciness of the beer using some lemongrass, coriander, and black pepper.”

Wow. That idea sold me. I love saison styles. I contributed five pounds of dark chocolate and 10 pounds of cacao nibs to the mixture. We brewed a small batch of 12-14 half-barrels, each containing 15.5 gallons.  Since it was close to Valentines Day, we were having fun coming up with a name. One was an ode to the immortal Marvin Gaye– “Let’s Get it Saison.” Ultimately, we settled on “Chocolate City Saison” a la Parliament’s funkalicious song.

John uses a hydrometer to measure the sugars in the wort.

We hope to release this special beer the Friday before the Great Taste, which will be held on August 13th. In-person ticket sales for the event will be held at various area locations at noon on Sunday, May 1, with a limit of two tickets per person. Just over 3,000 tickets will be available that day and they usually go fast. Organizers recommend you get in line early that Sunday to get tickets. With good reason, it’s a blast.

So drink good beer responsibly (yes, I am a mother), and enjoy great chocolates!
Cheers!

A vendor displays his bottles at the Winter Fancy Food Show. There was everything a foodie could imagine.

I just got back from a visit to San Francisco, a place that is like a second home to me. I got to reconnect with a dear friend there who I haven’t seen in two years. We had a wonderful time together. But my trip was also business. I attended the Fancy Food Show. Every year, it’s held in San Francisco in the winter and New York in the summer (though this year it will be in Washington, DC).

The show is for specialty food retailers, suppliers and buyers. It’s a great opportunity to check out what’s new and exciting in the food business. You also can literally explode from all the delicious samples (including tequila). It’s huge. It’s tiring. And it’s a lot of fun. Some things I noticed:

• Ginger seems to be big this year. There were many ginger-based cocktails and sodas to sample that were delicious.
• My favorite–organic baking chips made from South and Central American chocolates from Guittard Chocolate Company.
• Many more chocolatiers with diverse products and flavors.
• Tons of popcorn–cheese, kettle, herbed––you name it and they probably make it.
• Low-calorie chips made from sweet potato, lentil and popcorn.
• More delicious teas than you can imagine.

And there were the usual suspects–lots of cheese, olives, olive oils, crackers and other tasty morsels. So much to try! Lots of great packaging ideas, too.

In conjunction with the Fancy Food Show, the Fine Chocolate Industry Association had their winter meeting. It was great to get together with my chocolate peers from around the country. I chatted with Gary Guittard of Guittard Chocolate Company; Pam Williams, my mentor from École Chocolat; Fredrick Schilling, the former owner of Dagoba Organic Chocolate who is now making chocolate in Brazil; Curtis Vreeland, a confectionary guru and consultant; and Fran Bigelow of Seattle’s famous Fran’s Chocolates. I also met up with some friends from Atlanta who make small-scale grinders and conching machines. It was a great networking opportunity–time to catch up, have some fun and talk about what’s going on in the chocolate industry.

So now we start on 2011 in earnest, armed with fresh inspiration and great ideas.

Gail with friend Russ Carter, who hosts an annual beer/chocolate pairing at the shop.

A couple of weeks ago, we had our third annual Holiday Beer & Chocolate Pairing at Ale Asylum. I always have a blast working with brewer Otto Dilba. We’re lucky to have so many craft brewers in our area. They put the same love and attention into their brews as I do into my chocolate so it’s not surprising that they pair so well together.

Looking for a fresh idea for New Year’s Eve or a winter party? Try your own tasting party. Part of the fun is just experimenting, but here are a few tips to get you started:

• Caramel usually goes well with malty or caramelized beers or try contrasting with a hoppy beer.
• Pair something fruity or spicy with Belgian-style ales—it can bring out the ale’s fruit notes.
• Spice is showing up more often in craft beers such as some of the Belgian-style ales. It’s an interesting interplay with the more savory chocolates, such as our Shiitake Truffle.
• Stouts and porters can stand up to high cocoa-percentage chocolate. They also pair well with bold coffee flavors or something with a bit of heat, such as our Cinnamon/Cayenne truffle.
• Some of the bourbon-barrel stouts are great with big fruit flavors such as blueberry, cherry and raspberry. The tartness can balance some of the stout’s strong bourbon and vanilla flavors.
• American pale ales (APA) are more enjoyable when paired with strong flavors, such as our Lemongrass with Ginger truffle. The interplay adds a layer of depth.

Here are a few pairing ideas for our chocolates with Ale Asylum and Furthermore brews:

Ale Asylum Tripel Nova with Cointreau truffle: This Belgian style Tripel has a touch of sweetness. The light fruitiness of Cointreau brings out the beer’s crisp finish.

Furthermore Three Feet Deep with Blueberry truffle: Earthy Peruvian chocolate, blended with blueberries, coaxes out the round, earthy quality of peat-smoke in this dry Irish-inspired stout.

Ale Asylum Diablo with Shiitake truffle: This Belgian Dubbel ale has dark caramel aromas with a wicked, warming finish that pairs beautifully with the rich, earthy flavor of dried shiitake steeped in cream and enveloped in dark chocolate.

Furthermore ThermoRefur with Caramel or Raspberry truffle: This sour ale is made with organic red beets, black pepper and five yeasts. Our Caramel with Grey Salt is a fun contrast to the beer’s pepper. The Raspberry complements the fruity flavor that beets lend to the beer.

Ale Asylum Satisfaction Jacksin with Caramel with Grey Salt: Caramel’s sweetness tames the bitterness of this double India pale ale (IPA). The salt makes the flavors pop.

Furthermore Knot Stock with Lemongrass with Ginger truffle: The truffle’s big tropical flavors and this American Pal Ale’s (APA) pepper and caramel malt bring out the best in each other.

Ale Asylum Hopalicious: Our tart cranberry truffle accents this APA’s lush citrus aroma and bold hop flavor.

This is just a few ideas to get you started. Get out and experiment! If you discover a great combination, we’d love to hear about it.

Our new Pecan Smokies go great with scotch.

A lot of people like the bacon-chocolate combination. To me, it’s not about the bacon. It’s the tantalizing combination of sweet, salt, smoke and crunch that’s so delicious. So while I’m not jumping on the bacon bandwagon, I recently introduced our answer to this taste combination–Pecan Smokies.

And when you think of smoke and layers of flavor, well, scotch quickly comes to mind. Not surprisingly, our Pecan Smokies are fantastic with scotch. But there are many other combinations to explore.

Much like chocolate, scotch can be single origin or “single malt,” meaning it was made with ingredients from one region. Single malts have very distinct flavor profiles and pair well with foods. Strong chocolate flavors are usually needed to match the intense smokiness and alcohol content of scotch, but unpeated varieties can pair with more delicate flavors.

With all this bitter cold and snow, try curling up with a glass of scotch and dark chocolates by a cozy fire. It’s bound to get you in the holiday spirit! Here are some ideas to start:

Johnnie Walker Gold Label with Lucille’s Vanilla: The ultimate smooth combo. This 18-year blend’s sweet caramel and vanilla scents are matched by rich toffee and honey flavors. The truffle’s sweet lushness complements the scotch’s deep, comforting flavors.

Clynelish with Jasmine: Our delicate Jasmine truffle holds its own with this light-bodied, unpeated 14-year-old single malt with sweet floral notes.

Cragganmore with Shiitake: The savory, subtle blend of shiitake mushrooms with Peruvian chocolate envelop the sandalwood notes of this approachable, 12-year-old single-malt surprisingly well.

Oban with Cinnamon/Cayenne: This truffle’s spice matches the scotch’s strong body and smokiness. Cinnamon finds its mate in the subtle scotch’s fruit notes. This truffle’s cocoa powder coating lengthens the dry finish of this 14-year-old single malt.

Talisker with Caramel with Grey Salt: The natural “salt and pepper” notes of this firm-bodied, 10-year-old single malt scotch are a natural with caramel. The dark chocolate shell teases out sweet smokiness, while the caramel’s cream alluringly tempers the scotch.

Do you have a favorite scotch and chocolate combination? Tell us about it.

Happy holidays!

How did this happen?

I just saw one of the last signs of warm weather—the final pink rose in bloom on my neighbor’s rosebush that straddles our backyards. It gives me a pang for the lost green of summer. I’m trying to embrace the new season, but I have to admit the upcoming snow and cold gives me pause. But that’s part of living in wonderful Wisconsin and on we must go.

If there’s one good thing about the changing weather, it’s that it ushers in the holiday season. During the summer, we rush around enjoying the outdoors and the festivals. The holidays remind us to get together with family and friends and celebrate all the good things we have in our lives and each other.

One way to embrace the season is cooking with all the great squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes available right now. Apples are also a great choice. I just got back from the co-op where I bought local Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Cortland and Ambrosia apples. Not only was I shopping for myself but my contribution to our family Thanksgiving dinner. I’m making a sweet potato dish and a pecan chocolate toffee tart. For my huge family, this will be a small gathering–maybe only 25 people. I know that probably sounds large, but it’s only a fraction of my siblings and their families.

Whether your gathering is large or small, near or far away, I hope you enjoy the day and all for which we are thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are the recipes I’ll be making for our family dinner:

Sweet Potato Casserole from Ellie Krieger, Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mist an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish.

Mix the brown sugar, pecans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Chocolate-Toffee Pecan Tart from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten

For the Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons bourbon

Directions

Make the dough: Pulse the flour, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Add the egg and pulse once or twice. (Stop before the dough gathers into a ball.) Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Place the dough on a large sheet of lightly floured parchment paper. Roll into a 12-inch round, no more than 1/8 inch thick. Invert the dough over a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and peel off the parchment; press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. (If the dough tears, just pat it back together.) Trim the excess dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake on the middle rack, 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Prepare the filling: Coarsely chop 1cup pecans. Combine the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and kosher salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture turns dark amber, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately stir in the chopped pecans and cook 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the corn syrup and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool until lukewarm, then whisk in the eggs and bourbon until combined. (The tart can be made 1 day ahead up to this point; cover and refrigerate the filling and wrap the cooled crust in plastic wrap.)

Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and pour in the filling up to the brim. Arrange the remaining 1/2 cup pecan halves on top. Bake on the lower oven rack until the tart is evenly browned and slightly domed in the center, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Here I am, sitting down next to Isaac after meeting Michelle Obama. Just a bit excited!

Ah, election season. It’s hard to tune out all the ads, rhetoric and bickering. It can make you feel disillusioned. It can make you tempted to sit this one out. But the other day, I got a chance to meet Michelle Obama at a fundraiser for Russ Feingold. She really reminded me why it’s so important to vote, no matter what your political inclination.

Michelle Obama lights up the crowd.

Mrs. Obama talked about change and how it takes time to untangle problems, but with patience and perseverance we can solve them. Despite the differences among us, we all want the best for our children and those we love. Just like our parents before us, we get up each day, do our best and work hard to make a better life for our kids. As she spoke, I squeezed my son Isaac’s knee and held back tears. In this tough economy and rapidly changing world, I wonder what the future will hold for Isaac and his children. I have to believe that change is possible. It won’t be immediate, but in time things will get better if we keep trying.

When I met her, Mrs. Obama gave me a hug for making chocolate. I hope the box we gave an aide gets to her, since the president is a well-known salted caramel fan. I told her I was so happy about her focus on childhood obesity. She beamed, gave me a thumb’s up and said we’ll make it work.

From the “Let’s Move” campaign to establishing a kitchen garden at the White House, I really admire Mrs. Obama’s efforts to help raise healthier kids and improve access to fresh, locally grown food. Setting the stage for healthy living is a change that will give so many kids longer, better lives.

It was an honor to be able to take my veteran staff and family to see the First Lady and show my support for Russ. I hope the experience inspired my staff to get involved. Whether it’s contributing money, knocking on doors or casting your vote, it’s so important to support your candidate and do what you can.

The “America’s Best” crew films Gail behind the counter.

I’m writing this a couple of days before “America’s Best” airs on the Food Network. The whole thing still seems pretty unbelievable, although we’ve known about it since February. For the editors of Food Network Magazine to say I make “the best little box of chocolates” really blows me away. For years, you have been telling me how much you enjoy our chocolate … but the best in America? Really? How does one take a compliment like that?

Since Food Network contacted us, I have been trying to prepare mentally, physically and spiritually. Yoga helps keeps me grounded, thinking clearly and breathing! All the attention is exciting and a little daunting, too. We want to make sure that we serve our loyal local customers and make the experience wonderful for those who are new to our chocolates. It’s a lot to handle, but I think we’re up to the task.

I want to reassure our regulars, some of whom have expressed concern that we will be too busy to make their favorites. The customers in my shop will always come first. You are the ones who built my business. Don’t worry, we’ve been preparing and I pray we won’t run out!

I also want to enjoy this time in the sun, while thanking all the people who have been so encouraging and supportive of my little chocolate business. When I began almost six years ago, I had no idea where chocolate would take me. At the time, it just felt right. I knew I had to take that leap of faith or I would regret it. Jumping off the edge is scary, but it’s also exhilarating.

I never imagined an honor such as this, but it is very gratifying to see all the hard work recognized and my business blossoming. This is a journey that I savor and look forward to seeing where it will take me next. Thank you all, I am so grateful for the life I have been given and all the friendly people in it!