I received the new Scharffen Berger book, The Essence of Chocolate, last month and have been looking forward to trying a chocolate recipe for Valentine’s Day. The book’s images, stories and selection of great chocolate recipes are quite impressive. It has everything from fondue to three-bean chili (with cocoa, of course), all contributed by well known chefs like Thomas Keller, Elizabeth Faulkner, David Lebovitz, Alice Medrich and many more. It includes pictures of Scharffen Berger’s founders, John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg, out in the fields with cacao farmers, teaching us about the history of chocolate. They also confront the issue of the recent purchase by Hershey, which was an unexpected element in a book that could have easily avoided it. (Scharffenberger and Steinberg stated they believe Hershey’s interest in the company signals a new era of dark chocolate in America and that they will remain with the company.) Overall, I was impressed with the depth and beauty of the book.

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For Valentine’s Day Amai will be offering a Luscious Lychee Gift Box which includes Lychee Botanical Brownies and loose leaf Lychee Tea. With bright red skin and small heart shapes, lychees are known as the fruit of romance and love. I like to think of them like a secret weapon in our brownies, boosting the seductive power of chocolate up a notch.

When ready to eat the brownies, all you have to do is invite your love over, turn on your favorite music, turn the lights down low and brew a pot of warm lychee tea. Watch the little lychees work their romantic magic! Ok, maybe the mood could be a result of the atmosphere or company, but a little help never hurts.

Luscious Lychee Gift Box
$34 from Amai Tea & Bake House
Available online at www.amainyc.com

Dutch artist and food designer Katja Gruijters doesn’t feel her work is complete until it’s eaten. Her “Tasty Lace” exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design will be an audience-participation event. “Newly designed tiles in white, bittersweet, and milk chocolate, sugar, genoise, shortbread, winegums, and brownies will be presented as a patchwork installation piece. Visitors will be invited to break, cut and tear apart the work of art, then consume it.” Tea, donated by The Shaded Leaf, will be served to help digest the work. Reservations are required for this unusual feast.

Tasty Lace: An Edible Lace High Tea
Hosted by Dutch artist and food designer Katja Gruijters
Monday, January 29, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Fee: $25 per person, which includes tea and edibles.
Information and reservations:212.956.3535, X127.

Today is the first time in over a year that it feels like a Saturday. Of course I still worked - I delivered an order, reviewed the finances and talked to Andrew about Amai’s new business cards, but it was different. I felt a sense of calm and was actually able to relax and enjoy the feeling of a weekend again. When you work for yourself any day can be a work day, and if you’re like me, that means every day is a work day. Somehow I can’t just turn off and relax when I know that more could be done. So why was today different? There are still a million things to do, but somehow I feel good. I think the new year has renewed my energy, and I’m beginning to learn from my trials throughout 2006.

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Happy new year everyone! I was happy to ring in 2007 with my first ever nomination for a Food Blog Award. Thank you to everyone who nominated us, although I must admit I was surprised by the category. Lovescool is up for Best Chef Food Blog, but I hardly consider myself a chef. Yes, I love to bake, but my skills can’t compete with the well rounded chefs in the category. As the voting stands now, Aiden Brooks (a real chef-in-training, who cooks with things like vegetables) and I are tied (for last place) at 4%.

I love the food blog awards because it helps me find new blogs that have popped up over the year, and remind me of old favorites that I haven’t caught up on in awhile. One I was happy to see again is The Amateur Gourmet, who is up for a best post award. I thought his comic strip version of his experience at Alain Ducasse was seriously funny.

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I consider myself a donut-eating machine, so when I learned about a new art show featuring the secret lives of robots and donuts, I felt a connection. “Forbidden Adventures” by Eric Joyner is a collection of robot pictures, many of which include giant crullers, twists and classic glazed and sprinkled round donuts. My favorite picture for the season is the stack of donuts with Santa on top (I see Christmas cards in Joyner’s future). If you would like to enjoy this forbidden donut adventure in person, the paintings will be on display at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City, California until December 23, 2006.

Forbidden Adventures by Eric Joyner
Corey Helford Gallery
8522 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 287-2340
Open Tuesday - Saturday, Noon to 6pm
View pictures online at www.corehelfordgallery.com

Menu for Hope is the brilliant charity program organized by food blogger Chez Pim, meant to bring food lovers together in support of a worthy cause. Last year it raised over $17,000 for UNICEF; this year, the money raised will support the United Nations World Food Programme. Pim explains this year’s selection best on the donation site: “To us Food Bloggers, food is a joy. On our blogs, we celebrate food as a delight and even an indulgence. Unfortunately, many others who share our world do not share that privilege. For them, food is a matter of survival. This “Menu for Hope” is our small way to help.”

There’s even something in it for those who donate. For each $10 you spend you get a raffle ticket for prizes offered by food bloggers around the world (we are very proud to say Keiko of Nordljus is offering Amai sweets this year). Help share the joy of food by supporting this worthy cause.

Support Menu for Hope III

We had fun designing the new holiday packaging for Amai’s famous Champagne Brownies. Andrew was inspired by old school Champagne bottle labels, and created a black label version for our new “Little Lady” (4-Champagne Brownies) and “Grand Dame” (8-Champagne Brownie) gift boxes. The brownies are true to their original form. Made with dark chocolate, all-natural cocoa and sparkling wine (topped with a fine champagne glaze) these brownies are a sinful holiday treat. They have come a long way since the original Sugar High Friday invention, where this idea all started. To celebrate Champagne Brownie’s 1 year anniversary, we’re offering 10% off all sweets at Amai to Lovescool readers. Just enter the code LOVE06 at checkout (expires December 31, 2006). Champagne Brownies are a holiday special, only available through Valentine’s day, so get yours while the season lasts.

Available at store.amainyc.com >

Speaking of television appearances…Amai will make its debut this week! Our Green Tea cookies will be “snack of the day” on the Rachael Ray Show this Friday, December 1. The show will feature holiday gifts, and each audience member will take home their own Amai Tea Sweets canister. How great is that?!

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Jamie and Bobby Deen, hosts of the TV show Road Tasted, visited Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia for their upcoming holiday gift guide. Back in the Day Bakery is owned by a very lovely lady and fellow food blogger named Cheryl (Buttercream and Roses) and her husband Griffith. Their cakes always look gorgeous, and I am excited to see the store in action on TV. The Road Tasted holiday gift guide will air on the Food Network from November 28 to December 10, 2006.

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