Dairy Free Chocolate Coins
The current trend of using chocolate coins for promotional purposes or to celebrate special occasions is most likely derived from the tradition of Hanukkah gelt (Yiddish for “money”). Long before there was interest in dairy free chocolate coins, Jewish adults gave real coins as gifts to children in order to enhance their holiday experience. In the twentieth century, American chocolate makers caught on to the coin idea and began producing chocolate gelt, candies shaped and stamped like coins and...
Read MoreSoy Chocolate Milk
The stature of chocolate milk as a mainstay of American culture and lore needs little elaboration. From “chocolate milk comes from chocolate cows,” to Ralphie’s obsession with downing Ovaltine to acquire his beloved decoder ring in the mail, chocolate milk has been a mainstay of popular American culture throughout the 20th century. Strictly speaking, chocolate milk is a sweetened milk drink flavored with cocoa. The two traditional ways to enjoy chocolate milk are either as a pre-mixed beverage,...
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Just glance at the label of most popular commercial chocolate products and you’ll see those famous three words: “Pure Milk Chocolate.” Companies advertise this very clearly because they know that most consumers associate “milk” with creaminess, decadence, and satisfaction. What they don’t tell you is where, exactly, the milk came from, or its quality, or whether or not the cows it came from were treated with BGH growth hormones or other troubling chemicals. Fortunately, for...
Read MoreLactose Intolerant Foods
Lactose intolerance is a condition wherein the body has difficulty producing lactase, an enzyme that is essential in the proper metabolization of lactose. Since lactose, a constituent of milk and other dairy products, is often used in cream sauces and soup bases, lactose intolerance can lead to discomfort for those with the condition who aren’t vigilant in maintaining a strict diet. When one is lactose intolerance, the result of consuming too much lactose is excess gas production, stomach aches, diarrhea,...
Read MoreVegan White Chocolate Chips
White chocolate is that delicious, creamy confection derived from chocolate. It is characterized by its pale ivory appearance. White chocolate isn’t really chocolate, perse. White chocolate usually consists of cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids, and it lacks the cocoa powder found in proper chocolate. The melting point of cocoa butter is high enough to keep white chocolate solid at room temperature but, like normal chocolate, it melts in the mouth. During the chocolate making process, the dark-colored...
Read MoreVegan Chocolate Mousse
Traditionally a specialty of French and Belgian restaurants, mousse is a creamy dessert made from egg and cream, usually in combination with chocolate or pureed fruit. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the dish made its way into American and British restaurants. To achieve this dessert’s particular light, fluffy, yet extremely rich consistency, raw eggs whites are normally beaten before being mixed with the other ingredients. The resulting mixture is then chilled to maintain aeration. An inherently...
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