Syrup and Tang » chocolate

Easter goes creme-free, heathen and beany-filled

Duncan — Fri, 06 May 2011 09:51:06 +0000

A gorgeous Easter in Melbourne came and went, leaving us full of bready and chocolatey goodness. For me, this Easter brought memories of childhood eggy joy and contemporary disappointment, alongside my special Hot Heathen Buns.

Fantastic chocolate ice cream, plus equipment failure

Duncan — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:32:07 +0000

I can feel myself approaching an equipment crisis. My favourite food processor is no longer sold in Australia and spare parts are crazy expensive. My kitchen scales are on the way out. My new spatulas bend too much. And just recently I lost the paddle for my ice cream maker. All such things are discovered at the least convenient moments, and the last two had to happen as I was making a delicious chocolate ice cream.

Michel Cluizel's Chocolatrium

Duncan — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:41:58 +0000

I've never been to a chocolate factory. I've long dreamt of bathing in couverture, taking illicit bites of bonbons on the production line, and other interesting fantasy activities. Even in a chocoland like France it's almost impossible to come close to such an opportunity. The Chocolatrium at Michel Cluizel is a lukewarm towel to the cold shower of chocoholic frustrations.

Spring harvest in Paris

Duncan — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:59:54 +0000

All sorts of things grow when the weather is going crazy. In Paris this week, the temperature fluctuated between 14C and rainy and 35C and excruciatingly humid. I got home from a day of walking around the rive gauche (Left Bank = mix of university, studenty, somewhat wealthy, public service, cultural and dawdling tourist population). Look what had grown in my bag from the curious cultures floating through the air...

There was a strange box containing...

Artisan du Chocolat: less spin, more flexibility please

Duncan — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:49:35 +0000

I had intended to review some of the chocolates from the British chocolatier Artisan du Chocolat, as I was in London recently and had previously enjoyed (and written about) them after a visit in 2007. Some businesses in high-end food succeed in respecting customers, others choose to be rigid and intentionally haughty. Artisan du Chocolat seems on the face of it to fall into a more positive category, but on this visit I was disappointed.

Danish frisky creamy balls

Duncan — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:29:49 +0000

All over Denmark you see signs for frisky creamy balls. At first it seems very odd and rather tasteless, until you realise you're mistranslating. Welcome to the world of fluffy chocolate coated delights... with recipe!

The cruelties of good nutrition – or the day the broccoli came home to roost

Duncan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:58:05 +0000

I am disturbed, disturbed! An article in The Guardian late last year drew my attention to the existence of a list. A subversive, deeply disturbing list. A list with earth-shattering implications for my hitherto guilt-free diet of pastry and chocolate. As if we needed more proof that things haven't been right in the United States in recent years, I fear that the military-industrial-vegetable complex is attempting a green coup.

Product: Cocoa Farm Shiraz Infused Wine Chocolate Barrels

Duncan — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:52:40 +0000

The Cocoa Farm brand might be known to some. A product received for review was small barrel-shaped chocolates with pieces of currant 'bathed' in shiraz. Meh.

Gânache Chocolate (Melbourne), and a hangover

Duncan — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:31:57 +0000

I awoke to a hangover. A dull pain knocked at the back of my skull. Had I been an alcoholic hypocrite? Heavens, no! This was a very special hangover. Chocolate. Read about a new venture in Melbourne which will certainly keep the bar high for the chocolate scene.

Storing your chocolates in style

Duncan — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:03:33 +0000

How do you store your chocolate? At various times I've made sure my chocolate was happily resting in many places, but not in a ludicrously expensive wooden vault.