Raw Chocolate Delights!

The last few weeks have been a delicious array of food experiences, with each one inspiring me on to new ideas, meeting interesting people, or experimenting with new food adventures. It all culminated yesterday with the Raw Chocolate workshop (Level 1) that Nicky Duenkel led in my lovely new kitchen (I finally had a new wood floor installed – ugly linoleum be gone!).

I’m so impressed by the beautiful presentation of Nicky’s creations. The Cool Mint Chocolate Patties are the featured image. She also demonstrated how to make Raw Coffee Cardamom Chocolate Truffles. They are absolutely, without question, the most amazing truffles you will ever eat! And… it’s good for you!

On the Easter weekend I ‘Skype-cooked’ for the first time. My friend, Helen, was visiting here in Sydney and we made pasta while her son, Isaac, Skyped with us, making pasta at home in Ottawa. It was so much fun that I’m definitely hooked on virtual cooking and eating with family and friends –  wherever they are. And I got to try out the new pasta drying rack that Helen bought for me!

I also learned that Helen and Isaac have quickly surpassed me as pasta makers. After reading my pasta-making blog post, Helen purchased a pasta maker and they have created all sorts of flavoured pasta – adding sundried tomatoes, spinach, or olives, with various sauces.

The following week I spent a few wonderful days at the farm. The timing was spectacular because the bluebirds were building a nest, geese were migrating through, the blossoms were just starting to come out on the fruit trees and a pair of sandhill cranes landed in my field for several hours.

 

My friend, Luisa, was visiting from Mexico and when she spotted my tortilla press she offered to make tacos for lunch. I discovered that one of her secrets was to put just the slightest amount of water on her hands as she created the corn flour ball and then after she pressed the tortilla once, she flipped it over and pressed it a second time. She was so pleased with how they turned out that she told us her grandmother would have been proud of her!

Today, I’ve pulled my dehydrator out and I’m trying a new cracker recipe with almonds, rosemary and black pepper. I’ll let you know how they turn out!