Virtual Chocolate is made possible by sponsorship of fine chocolatiers Issue 6 Volume 1 June 1999 Find Past Issues HERE IN THIS ISSUE Belgium Chocolate Banned Don't Forget Father's Day! Chocolate and Caffeine Chocolatiers Offer Discounts Summer Recipes Subscribe/Unsubscribe Belgium Chocolate Banned The European Commission announced several weeks ago that dioxins have been found in some European animal products, including dairy products. (Dioxins come from herbicides and pesticides, and are known to cause cancer. The source is animal feed in some farms. Dioxins have also been found in animal feed in France, Germany and The Netherlands.) As a result, chocolate manufactured in Belgium has been banned as an export to as many countries. Production has stopped at both Leonidas and Neuhaus due to consumer anxiety. The ban affects chocolate manufactured after January 15. The Belgian government said it was convinced that products from farms believed to have received tainted animal feed were safe. It would undertake more tests to show that European Union curbs on selling meat and dairy products should be lifted. Belgium Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene has stated, "zero risk doesn't exist, but everyone will tell you that what we have done makes it certain (that food is safe)". He also said that "our specialists say there is no problem whatsoever with milk." The European Commission has ordered all products from farms that could have used dioxin-tainted feed to be traced and destroyed. The World Health Organization (WHO) has joined in, urging consumer prudence. "We don't have any information on the levels and extent of the actual contamination," WHO food safety expert Gerry Moy told a news conference. "Our advice would be to err on the side of caution. When we know the facts, we can do a full health risk assessment," he said. Chocolate made without milk is unaffected. The Belgium government is sponsoring a system of safety certification, and new batches of dioxin-free milk will be made available shortly to guarantee product safety. Father's Day Is Coming! Send him some Virtual Chocolate: http://www.virtualchocolate.com/fathersday Send him the real thing: Chocolate Locator Get him a lifetime membership to our Chocoholic Club To Subscribe to this newsletter: Your email: To Unsubscribe: Your email: BACK TO TOP Chocolatiers Offer Discounts Use our Chocolate Locator to find the chocolate you know you need. These chocolatiers have recently offered some great discounts on chocolate to our Chocoholic Club members. Get the details from our Chocolate Locator: Lou-rettas Custom Chocolates Desserts On Us Carol Wayne Chocolates Only Gourmet Cynfulies Gourmet Chocolates Vegas Images Cowgirl Chocolates The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Co. Hans Brurie Chocolatier - Belgian Chocolate Store Truly Scrumptious Chocolates, Inc. Fantastic World of Gourmet Chocolate BACK TO TOP Summer Chocolate Recipes Chocolate Covered Strawberries These aren't just plain dipped strawberries- they're incredible. Make sure you use the highest quality chocolate you can get. This recipe was clipped years ago from the newspaper; creator unknown. 12 oz semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok) 1 tablespoon vegetable shortning 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup butter, softened 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk 2 teaspoons almond extract 1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, with pretty stems intact In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate, shortening and 2 tablespoons butter over hot, not boiling water. Don't rush the process. It should happen slowly and gently or the chocolate will do funny things. Meanwhile, cream together the 1/2 cup butter and powderer sugar. Beat in the milk and almond extract. This will form a stiff dough. Now pinch off small portions of the dough and pat out on hand into a thin round pancake. Do this quickly or the dough will begin to melt. Place a berry in the center of the pancake and form the dough up around the berry, making sure the stems remain exposed. If possible, chill the strawberries at this point so the chocolate will harden more quickly during the dipping. Dip the dough-covered strawberries in the melted chocolate, to within 1/4 inch of the top of the almond dough mixture. By doing so, it gives the berry the prettiest appearance. Place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill. Remove the berries from the cookie sheet when the chocolate has hardened and place in a covered container in the refrigerator. Berries are best when served within 24 or 36 hours. After that, they begin to ooze juice. (But they still taste wonderful). Chocolate Fondue For the sauce: 6 oz unsweetened chocolate 1 cup light cream 1 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons creme de cacao Goodies to dip: Strawberries Orange sections Cherries Banana slices Angel-food or pound cake squares Marshmallows Melt chocolate together with cream over very low heat. Stir in butter, sugar and salt. Stir constantly unstil smooth. Stir in liqueur Pour into fondue pot and place over heat (if you don't have one, use a double boiler with just-boiled water on the bottom). With fondue forks or long skewers, dip fruit and cake into the sauce. Makes about 3 cups. Chocolate and caffeine Yes, chocolate contains caffeine, but you may be surprised to learn it isn't as much as you thought. To get the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, you would need to consume the amounts listed in the right column. For reference, a six ounce cup of standard brewed coffee contains an average of 103.24 mg of caffeine. So, if you needed an excuse to eat more chocolate, now you have it! what size mg caffeine amt to consume to equal a cup of coffee chocolate milk 1 quart 20 5.162 quarts semisweet chocolate chips 6oz pkg 104 1 package baking chocolate, unsweetened 1 square 57.834 1.8 squares Mars' M&Ms 1.62 oz pkg 5.17 20 packages Hersheys Mr Goodbar 1 bar (1.75oz) 9.8 10.5 bars Hersheys Special Dark 1 bar (1.45 oz) 29.93 3.4 bars Hersheys Rolo 1 roll (1.74 oz) 7.35 14 rolls Nestle Raisinets 1 pkg (1.58 oz) 11.25 9.2 packages McDonalds Chocolate Shake large 13.74 7.5 shakes chocolate syrup 1 Tablespoon 2.632 39.2 tablespoons chocolate chip cookie (commercial) 1 cookie (10g) 0.7 147.5 cookies choc chip cooke (from dough) 1 cookie (16g) 1.44 71.7 cookies chocolate-covered graham crackers 1 cracker 6.44 16 crackers chocolate mousse pie, from mix 1 piece 0.95 108.7 pieces chocolate cupcake with frosting 1 0.86 120 cupcakes chocolate pudding, ready to eat 4 oz snack size 5.65 18.3 puddings chocolate ice cream 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) 1.98 26 cups chocolate frozen yogurt 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) 2.16 23.9 cups Source: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference [ Send Virtual Chocolate® | The Real Thing | Wallpapers | Bookstore | Chocolate Muse | Guest Book | Quotes | About | Fun Links ] Virtual Chocolate®, Inc.   ©1998-2010. 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