Dahlings, It may seem strange to sing about sleigh bells down under when the koalas frolic in 30C degree weather. But our Christmas spirit is high and our customers can buy their chocolates up until December 23 (Friday before Christmas Sunday). The season is about cherishing families and friends and there is no better way to please them then a voucher for a High Tea or a box of gourmet chocolates.
Here you can see our Mámor Chocolates & High Tea Szalón 2011 Christmas tree. We are thinking how many countries our families live in. Our children will also wonder around the world. So we are grateful to Skype and the Internet connecting us to our spread-out families, and to the Australia Post office delivering chocolates far away. We are listening to Christmas songs about white snow while looking at koalas slowing down in heat and eating eucalyptus leaves.
Melbourne summers are either devilishly hot (like last year) or hugely moist and wet (like this year). Pity the poor chocolatiere, moi, who has to control for heat and humidity. The reason is that my chocolate philosophy is “no artificial preservatives or chemicals”. Our natural chocolates shelf life is short – 6 weeks. To maintain the right storage conditions, we keep the factory and shop at 16-22 degrees and 50-60% humidity. You should do the same for storing chocolates.
Speaking of coolness, as summer has just started in Melbourne, I decided to come up with a new cool truffle: cheesecake. The name does not justify the heavenly bliss you feel, when you bite into this little refrigerated bite sized sin drop. One taster called it lemony bliss. Made of cottage cheese filling, low in calorie rich in flavour. And no gluten, as we skipped the cake part. No words to describe the result. Come and taste it. We need a name for this creation, to free taste to anyone who comes in and gives a name. The winner gets a big box of chocolates!
“Dracula’s Last Kiss” – garlic chocolate truffles with dark moulded lips and white chocolate fangs!
And if garlic is not your thing, try the spring season flavours: Jasmine Tea, Lavender, Rosewater Cardamom, all topped with edible flowers. Here you can see Hanna applying the fresh dried Jasmine blossoms.
Chocolatiere Hanna Frederick grew up in communist Hungary. Howard Frederick was a flower child in post-WWII America. They met in a lift at the American University in Washington, DC. Howard proposed to her after she sang a Gypsy song. Both have lived in East Europe, Germany and the US and moved to New Zealand ten
Pairing Wine with Chocolate: The Sweet Dilemma
I may be a chocolatier, but I’m as concerned as the next person about my weight . For the chocolate eaters, let me offer a suggestion.