TIP OF THE DAY: Pâtes de Fruit

Coincidentally, since our prior post was about Michael Recchiuti’s new cassis gelée chocolate, our tip of the day focuses on pâte de fruits—a.k.a. fruit gelée or fruit jellies, although we hesitate to use these terms because these have nothing to do with American candies like Chuckles and jellied watermelon slices, made with “fruit flavoring.” Pâtes…
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NEWS: Cassis Lovers Can Rejoice In Recchiuti’s “Chocolate Of The Month”

Enjoy a Cassis Strata bonbon with a Kir Royale. Photo courtesy Recchiuti Chocolates.   Love chocolate? Love pâte de fruit? Love cassis (black currant)? Chocolatier Michael Recchiuti combines them all to create the February 2008 “Flavor of the Month,” Cassis Strata. It’s a layer of cassis gelée atop a layer of silky Madagascar single origin…
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TODAY IN FOOD: It’s Peppermint Patty—Not Pattie—Day (Here’s A Recipe)

February 11th is Peppermint Patty Day. You may indulge in the occasional York Peppermint Patty or box of Junior Mints (we do). But if you love peppermint patties, making them at home is easy. Combine 1 pound confectioner’s sugar, 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 teaspoons peppermint extract and 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract. Mix in…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Marshmallow Valentines

Artisan marshmallows like these, flavored with real lavender buds, can be as pretty as a box of chocolates.   If your Valentine doesn’t like chocolate, how about marshmallows? Gourmet marshmallows come in a variety of flavors that will delight the young and charm the food sophisticate. In addition to Valentine gifts, we like serve them…
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TIDBIT: Chocolatier Vs. Confectioner

What’s the difference between “chocolates” and “confections?” Is a “chocolatier” or chocolate shop the same as a “confectionary?” A confectionery (also spelled confectionary) is a confectioner’s shop—more popularly called a candy store or sweet shop in modern times. A chocolatier (a French word, pronounced cho-co-la-tee-YAY) is both the chocolate shop and the person who makes…
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