surfas: republica del cacao chocolate magic demo

here is a free event at surfas if you are in town from 12pm - 2pm on saturday, august 1

republica del cacao chocolate magic demo: join us in the test kitchen at surfas as we welcome master pastry chef and chocolatier jean-marc viallet. using republica del cacao chocolate, chef viallet will reveal the magic of working with this often tricky substance. for many home bakers, chocolate can be as fickle as it is delicious. for professional chefs, they can experience the challenges daily; “one drop of water and the chocolate is dead” says viallet.

on the menu:

-chocolate macaroon with honey ganache
-chocolate profiterolles with chocolate ice cream
-chocolate sauce and tea and chocolate truffles

of course, you will get plenty to taste as well!

surfas - 8777 washington blvd - culver city, ca 90232-2346

julie & julia: the movie & recipe

i absolutely loved watching every moment of julie & julia (in theatres august 7). it was so beautiful to see the bustling parisian markets, the exuberant julia, and her darling husband, paul. i just wanted more julia child! let's hope the execs decide to make a complete bio... and use meryl again.

after a miserable workday, julie (our other main character - present day) passes a boutique scharffenberger and decides to make a spontaneous chocolate cream pie with a graham cracker crust. she then challenges herself to a one year goal of completing every recipe from julia child's mastering the art of french cooking. in one of her accomplishments, she advances to make julia's lightly underbaked chocolate and almond cake... reina de saba.

here is the recipe for reina de saba out of mastering the art of french cooking - just click on the picture below and it will expand...


(this is a reprint from bon appetit and it seems that they just left off the slivered almonds on the side of the cake - feel free to add them)

co co sala: chocolate and bubbles

book me on a flight and take me to dc. co co sala is having happy hour monday thru friday from 4-7. this is an exquisite chocolate lounge and i highly recommend it to any connoisseur. we always saved room for dessert just to go back to co co sala. martha w. would approve.

muzzi: latte e menta

you are sailing in your borrowed yacht along cape race in newfoundland. you are reenacting the music video "my heart goes on" by celine dion. at the forecastle, your arms are outstretched and you pull out a latte e menta. it is refreshing, minty, and quite an elegant piece of chocolate... well worth venturing into the milk territory. just promise to never let go.