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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, February 11, 2010 · 16 Chocolate sweets for your sweetheart Throughout time, a special place has been reserved for chocolate. The ancient Aztecs enjoyed chocolate for special events and only royalty was allowed to indulge. Chocolate was originally served as a beverage, much as we might drink coffee today. Chocolate was not always the sweet treat we've come to know. Aztecs did not add sugar to the beverage, so it was very dark and bitter. It wasn't until chocolate beverages were introduced in Europe -- where the bitter taste was too much for royal palates -- that sugar was added. Apart from its place among royalty and in sacred rituals, chocolate has long been considered an aphrodisiac. It has even been consumed to improve performance in the bedroom. Perhaps that is why gifts of chocolate are often the norm on Valentine's Day -- a time for romance and love. While there are many types of chocolate and each person has his or her favorite, a wellknown French confection is the chocolate truffle. These decadent desserts provide three layers of chocolate: a creamy ganache center, a thin shell of chocolate and a dusting of cocoa powder. Their richness belies the easy recipe. All it takes is a few ingredients to make homemade chocolate truffles. Chocolate Truffles Makes about 11/2 pounds Ingredients: · 14 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa), or high-quality unsweetened baking chocolate · 8 ounces heavy cream · 8 ounces additional dark chocolate, for melting · 11/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder What to do: 1. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan. Break up the 14 ounces of chocolate in a heatproof bowl. 2. Add the hot cream to the chocolate, stirring until all the chocolate is melted and forms a creamy ganache. Place the soft ganache into the refrigerator to thicken until it is able to hold a shape. 3. Using two spoons (or your fingers if you don't mind getting messy), scoop and roll small balls of the ganache into round balls. Place the ganache balls onto waxed or parchment paper. 4. In a double boiler, melt the remaining chocolate. Place the cocoa powder in a bowl or plate for dredging. 5. Dip each ganache ball into the melted chocolate. Then roll in the cocoa powder until coated. How to pair a treat of wine and chocolate (NC)--Valentine's Day is a great occasion to start a new relationship, re-ignite past ones, or to remind that special someone in your life just how much you care. And, isn't it fortuitous how gifts of wine and chocolate seem to be the fastest route to romance? Chocolate, we agree, is more than simple candy. Chocolate not only satisfies a sweet tooth, it somehow warms the soul while stimulating the senses. It also inspires. Writers like Elaine Sherman are totally smitten: "Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, and fantasy. Chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, and happy." Is there anything more one can say to their sweetheart on Valentines Day? How about "wine"? "Why not make the day even more heavenly by pairing your chocolate with a great glass of wine?" says David Long of the Canadian Craft Winemakers Association (CCWA), an organization that supports professional techniques for making wine at home. "When pairing, the wine should be at least as sweet, if not a touch sweeter, than the chocolate you are serving. Otherwise, the taste may quickly veer towards bitter, or sour. "Your best bet is to match lighter, more elegant flavoured chocolates with lighter-bodied wines," Long continued. "Likewise, the stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be. For example, a bittersweet chocolate tends to pair well with an intense, inyour-face California Zinfandel. "If you will be experimenting with several varieties of chocolates, work from light to dark. Start with a more subtle white chocolate and end on a dark or bittersweet one." How To Pair: Here, from CCWA are some sure-bet combinations: · Chocolate-covered biscotti with Valpolicella · Milk chocolate with lighter bodied Merlot · Chocolate with nuts and Tawny Port · Bittersweet chocolate with Amarone · Dark chocolate with Cabernet Sauvignon · Chocolate-dipped fruit with Icewine · Cream filled chocolates with Cream Sherry East Side Mario's Winston Park By the AMC theatres at Winston Churchhill & QEW · 905.829.3233 n n Be My Valentine SOUPS n n n SALAD n n n ENREES n n n n n n n n n n n n DESSERT n n n Seating Available Sat. & Sun. February 13 & 14 n 754 Bronte Rd., Oakville n n 905-847-1566 Restaurant ­ presents ­ oli d $2) n n Finally... Fine Indian Dining in Your Neighborhood! Come and enjoy the Valentine's Day atmosphere, infused with Indian Culture and Tradition! Reservations Recommended Grilled Mahi Mahi with roasted red pepper reduction and cilantro pesto on a bed of saffron scented basmati rice and candied carrots. $36 Grilled 10oz AAA New York Striploin paired with a succulent 5oz lobster tail along side roasted red potatoes, asparagus and pearl onions. $45 Mahi Mahi Steak & Lobster Our famous Prime Rib Roast Au Jus along side roasted red potatoes, asparagus and pearl onions. $40 Prime Rib Roast Supreme breast of chicken stuffed with rice and tart cherries topped with a wild mushroom and herb cream sauce partnered with a doubled stuffed potato and asparagus. $36 Sautéed shrimp, mussels, scallops and lobster tossed in a light garlic cream sauce then oven baked with gruyere cheese till golden brown on a bed of bowtie pasta. $36 Créme Brulee with fruit coulis Bailey's Cheesecake Molten Chocolate Cake with berry compote Chicken Supreme p Seafood Bowtie Pasta 2157 Royal Windsor Drive, Mississauga www.ambianceofindia.com QEW 905-403-9900 SOUTHDOWN RD DOW BROMSGROVE RD LUNCH: Mon. - Fri. 11:30 am - 2:30 pm DINNER: Mon. - Thurs. 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Friday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm Saturday 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm WINSTON CHURCHILL NC Located inside the Quality Hotel 2157 ROYAL WINDSOR DR We also offer Take-Out Call for Reservations We offer CATERING SERVICES for all occasions.