Archive for June, 2009

The Truth About Chocolate

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

If you enjoy eating chocolate you are not alone.  Most Americans love chocolate  This is what has made Hershey and Mars into huge successful companies.  There is a lot of information out their about chocolate, some of it is fact and some is fiction.  The following article is designed to help separate fact from fiction and help you learn the truth about chocolate.

Is chocolate high in caffeine?
Not compared to a lot of other things most Americans consume on a regular basis.  Coffee has 10 to 15 times as much caffeine per serving as regular chocolate and 4 to 5 times as much caffeine as dark chocolate.

Can I get addicted to Chocolate?
I wish, but because chocolate has so much less caffeine than coffee, it is very hard to get addicted to it.  If you crave chocolate, you may actually be craving the other ingredients such as sugar, milk and protein.  After all, I don’t know anyone who eats cocoa straight from the can.  If chocolate can be craved, it is as a result of the sensation or excitement people get when eating eat.

Should I avoid chocolate because it is high in saturated fats?
Actually less then 2% of American’s saturated fat intake comes from chocolate.  Most saturated fats Americans consume come from meat fats and oils.   Plus a good portion of the saturated fat chocolate contains a type of saturated fat sat stearic acid which does not increase cholesterol or blood pressure.  (If you have issues please consult a licensed physician.)

Is it healthy?
Some people would argue that chocolate is healthy.  They present this argument for three reasons.  First, it contains minerals derived from the earth, including magnesium, iron, and zinc.  Second it contains antioxidants that help detoxify the body.  Third, it contains leciten.  Some experts argue that this helps to regulate your brain waves allowing you to concentrate and do better on tests.

Conclusion
While chocolate is not a health food, there are a lot of foods that are worse.  Since it is so delicious and there are no direct negative impacts of eating it, it is safe to resume consuming chocolate in reasonable quantities.

What is a Chocolate Fountain?

Friday, June 5th, 2009

A chocolate fountain is similar to any other type of fountain you may see in your neighborhood park only instead or water, it gushes chocolate.
The chocolate in the fountain is pushed to the top by a pump or a rotating auger. The chocolate flow freely over the sides and down the front of each circular tier.

Chocolate fountains are designed to elevate the atmosphere of almost any formal event. They liven the party as well as entertain. Some of the most common places they are used include weddings, anniversaries and corporate parties. The advantages of using a chocolate fountain is that they can entertain guest and provide them with a delicious snack.

You can use almost any type of chocolate for your chocolate fondue. The most common types of chocolate include milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Belgium chocolate and white chocolate. Sampling the chocolate beforehand is a good way to know whether or not you will enjoy it, after all, it is an awful lot of chocolate. Each chocolate fountain comes with a internal heating mechanism to help keep the chocolate flowing freely as a liquid and keep the chocolate at a constant temperature. The heater is usually located in the basin of the fountain. Each basin typically holes between 5 and 40 pounds of chocolate. Some small fountains designed for home use, use a little as 2 pound of chocolate.

People like will dip almost anything you can imagine. Some of the most popular thing to dip include pretzels, bananas, and strawberries.

Large fountains can either be bought, provided to you by a local catering service, or rented from a chocolate fountain rental shop. Rental rate are typically between $75 and $175 dollars. The internet is a good way to find chocolate fountain rentals in your state.

Chocolate Fountain dippers. I fondue, do you?

Friday, June 5th, 2009

What can you eat with a chocolate fountain?

A chocolate fountain is a great party decoration and also a lot of fun to eat. The typical chocolate fountain has three tiers of cascading chocolate. This articles aim is to discuss what kinds of thing are good to eat with chocolate fountains

The fruit- The most popular dipping fruit is the strawberry. Its coats nicely and is very enjoyable with chocolate. So are bananas, peaches, pears, apples, cherries and pineapple. A good party idea is to serve this chilled. This way the chocolate will go from a liquid to a solid form very quickly and leave you less of a mess.

The sweets- After eating all that wonderful fruit dipped in chocolate aren’t you ready for dessert? The best sweets to dip in a chocolate fondue fountain include wafers, éclairs, donut holes, cookies and marshmallows. (Makes a great S’more.). If you like super sweet you can also dip nougart or caramel taffy.

The salty- There are a lot of salty products that are fun to fondue. First there are pretzels, both long and traditional. Also, crackers and certain types of cheese may be fun to tip, Sometimes even meatballs. If you are French, you may also want to dip bread.

The alternatives to chocolate. Fountain Fondue parties have become very creative in the last little while. They have also started to use the fountains for caramel dipping sauces, strawberry sauces, and white chocolate. In addition some chocolate fountains can also be converted into a beverage pourer for hot and cold beverages. You can put in beverages such as hot chocolate, sparkling cider, or juice. If you are the host, this will save you time and also be fun for your guests.