LOEWS Winter-Spring 2011 - (Page 13)

ELITE TREATS ENJOY f THE CRAFT THAT ELEVATES REGULAR CHOCOLATES TO GOURMET STATUS. BY KARA NEWMAN Another key is the technique in making it, observes Jason Andelman, chocolatier and owner of Washington D.C.-based Artisan Chocolates. So with gourmet chocolates you’re likelier to see not only luscious truffles and bonbons, but also intricately designed pieces with exotic flavors like green tea, yuzu and ancho chile. If by now a chocolate craving has hit you, you can get a quick fix by heading to the lobby. For the holidays, all Loews Hotels bars feature a chocolate-based cocktail called Dark and Decadent, which combines richly aged Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon with smoky-sweet Vosges Chocolat’s Bacon Caramel Toffee. or some people, getting a chocolate fix is as easy as stopping at a drugstore. But many are looking for richer flavors than they’ll find in a basic bar or bonbons. And that’s why the “gourmet chocolate” market has become deliciously crowded in recent years, with offerings from far-flung chocolatiers as well as local “craft” chocolate makers. But what makes this kind of chocolate better than bonbons from a heart-shaped sampler you can get at CVS? Three things: ingredients, freshness and technique. New York-based chocolate expert Alexandra Leaf explains that fine chocolate is made with cocoa beans, sugar, a small amount of vanilla and usually less than 1% of lecithin. In contrast, mass-market chocolate contains vanillin, an artificial vanilla flavor. “If you see vanillin in the list of ingredients, put it right back on the shelf,” advises Leaf. Gourmet chocolate is also made fresh, with no preservatives, and not surprisingly this translates into richer flavor. Trying it is “often a revelation to people who are used to a Whitman’s Sampler,” Leaf contends. “It’s more dessert-like than candy-like. The whole mouthfeel, the creaminess—anything fresh tastes different.” TRY THESE Not convinced about the power of gourmet chocolate? Then try our top picks from the shops of five premier chocolatiers—you can order online from most of them. WINTER/SPRING 2011 VOSGES Chef Pascal: Dark chocolate spiked with Kirsch and a dried Michigan cherry L.A. BURDICK Chartreuse Green & Yellow: Dark chocolate infused with herbal liqueur, then garnished with ribbons of citrus peel LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT Andalousie: Dark ganache flavored with lemon zest RECCHIUTI CONFECTIONS Burnt Caramel: Dark, smoky caramel enrobed in bittersweet chocolate MARTINE’S CHOCOLATE Palette: Shaped like an artists’ palette and filled with layers of double chocolate ganache and whipped cream 13 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of LOEWS Winter-Spring 2011

Tough Act To Follow
Elite Treats
Jaume Plensa
Graphic Novels Go Mainstream
Hands-On Experience
Natural Lighting
Book VS. Movie: Which was Better
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
In San Diego? Get Out!
Fast Fun in Atlanta
Canada's Cultural Capitals
News and Notes

LOEWS Winter-Spring 2011

https://www.nxtbook.com/worth/Loews/winterspring2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/worth/loews/summerfall2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/worth/Loews/winter_spring_2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/worth/LOEWS/summer_fall_2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/worth/Loews/winter_spring_2011
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com