So what better homage than chocolate versions of those lovely vine shoots?

A chocolatier in the town of Margaux accidentally created these chocolate “twigs”* when a machine that made classic French chocolate sticks (chocolatines) became clogged. The results looked like vine shoots and the inspired chocolatier refined the “accidents” into thin chocolate twig confections. The next innovation was to make raspberry- and mint-flavored variations. Today they are available in:

They are an instant garnish of beauty, and a gourmet chocolate treat of wonderful flavor.

A glamour garnish for desserts and cocktails. Photo courtesy Mademoiselle de Margaux.

Enjoy them from the box with a cup of
coffee, or as an elaborate dessert garnish. Photo courtesy Mademoiselle de Margaux.

HOW TO ENJOY CHOCOLATE TWIGS

These elegant chocolate twigs can be nibbled as a chocolate treat, from the box or on petit-fours/mignardises plate. But first and foremost, they are a stunning garnish:

 
Just one twig is stunning. A group of twigs, as shown with the mousse photo above, is a dish of beauty and wonder…and deliciousness.
 

Look for Sarments de Médoc in specialty chocolate shops or online at Amazon.com.

FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE CHOCOLATE TREATS IN OUR GOURMET CHOCOLATE SECTION.

*As noted previously, sarments are shoots, not twigs; but “chocolate shoots” isn’t too meaningful in English.

Yesterday, the idea of a “salad sandwich” popped into our head. We were evaluating potential ingredients for lunch: Stonefire naan, an Indian flatbread we love; hummus; cooked chicken breast; and an assortment of salad ingredients including arugula, bell peppers, onions and romaine.

Our first thought was to make a basic salad topped with sliced chicken breast and a piece of naan on the side. Then we thought of cutting the large slice of naan in half and making a chicken sandwich with hummus, instead of mayonnaise or other spread.

Then, our minds ran to our favorite shrimp tostada salad, which we order every time we get to Zócalo Mexican restaurant in Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal.

It piles salad greens and grilled shrimp, with a light olive oil-lime juice dressing (see recipe below), atop a tostada. The lettuce and tortilla create a crunchfest; there’s an excellent balance of protein from the shrimp, and just enough dressing to moisten the greens without wetting the tostada.

Have your salad atop a delicious specialty
bread. Photo courtesy Stonefire Naan, a
NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

So we spread some hummus across the entire piece of naan, whipped up some lime juice dressing, tossed it with the greens and diced chicken, and scooped it, drained, onto the naan. We sat down with a fork, knife and a bottle of Sam Adams Whitewater IPA and had a delicious open-face salad sandwich lunch.

It was so enjoyable, in fact, that we’re making it again today. This time we’ll toast the naan and use some curry mayonnaise, to convert yesterday’s fusion food into an all-Indian theme (just add curry powder to regular mayo).

We found naan at Whole Foods Markets and
Trader Joe’s. Photo courtesy Stonefire Naan.

By the way, we checked the Web before writing this, and didn’t find much on “salad sandwiches” (just links to egg salad sandwich, tuna salad sandwich and the like). The only related item was this New York Times recipe for Greek salad on an English muffin. But it’s just a basic recipe, not advocacy for a new way of eating salad.

So maybe the “salad sandwich” trend starts here! Let us know your favorite salad sandwich concepts—what kind of salad atop what kind of bread—and be part of the new movement! Challah? Cornbread? Crispbread? Fruit bread? Garlic bread? The world’s many flatbreads? We can’t wait to try other combinations.

LIME JUICE SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MIX ingredients thoroughly. We prefer to emulsify them in a blender or with a small inversion blender. We’ve even used a milk frother wand.

2. DECIDE if you want to dress the salad before topping the bread. If you do, you can drain the excess dressing so the bread doesn’t get soaked. If you want to eat the dressing-soaked bread (we liked it!), drizzle it over the salad instead.
 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BREAD IN OUR BEAUTIFUL BREAD GLOSSARY.

Looking for that memorable treat to make your man for Valentine’s Day?

Here’s some inspiration from Ronaldo Linares, executive chef at Martino’s Cuban Restaurant in Somerville, New Jersey.

Chef Linares, like many men, loves his bacon. So he’s reinvented the classic chocolate soufflé in a way that even guys who don’t crave dessert will love. The secret ingredient: bacon.

Adding sautéed, crispy bacon to the traditional soufflé batter lends smoked, savory notes to a dessert that just may become your guy’s (or your bacon-loving girlfrend’s) favorite.

This recipe makes two servings.

CHOCOLATE BACON SOUFFLÉ RECIPE

Ingredients

The secret ingredient in this recipe: bacon! Photo courtesy HeavenlySouffle.com.

Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Place a baking pan filled halfway with water on the bottom of the oven and set the rack just above it.

2. PREHEAT a skillet, than add the diced bacon and cook on high for 3 minutes than turn stove to medium heat, sauté till bacon is crispy. Remove bacon from pan when finished and set aside; discard the bacon fat.

3. COAT an 8-ounce soufflé dish or ramekin with butter; then sprinkle in the sugar. Making sure all sides are coated well. Set aside.

4. PLACE semi-sweet chocolate on the top of a double boiler over hot water. Be sure that the water is not boiling and does not touch the bottom of the top vessel where the chocolate is melting (it can burn the chocolate). This step takes a few minutes; stir gently as chocolate melts.

5. COMBINE flour, egg yolk, milk and rendered bacon in a medium bowl and whisk till mixture becomes smooth. Once the chocolate has melted add it to the mixture and whisk until it becomes one smooth delicious sauce.

6. ADD the egg whites to a clean bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula add half the egg whites to the chocolate sauce and fold in gently until there are no more white streaks. At this point add the rest of the beaten egg whites and fold once again until there are no more white streaks creating a smooth consistency.

7. POUR mixture into the soufflé dish or ramekin to about ½ inch from the top. Place in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes until firm to touch. Serve immediately.
 
HOW ABOUT SOME CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON CANDY?

For every price range, red items abound. From a burger/pancake flipper or “spoonula” set (spoon/spatula) to a CrockPot, hand mixer or stand mixer, the housewares department yields bright red gifts that will grace the kitchen every day of the year.

We received an early Valentine gift yesterday: a Bialetti Mini Express single-serve espresso machine. It uses capsules that produce a perfect taste of Italy every time.

The machine is $199.00, not expensive for a good espresso machine. If you enjoy just one espresso a day, you’ll break even in about two months, including the cost of the capsules.

And the Bialetti Mini Express has a modest footprint: 7.5″ wide x 10.5″ deep. It fit easily into the small available space on our kitchen counter.

Treat yourself or your Valentine to a bright red espresso machine. Photo courtesy Bialetti.

We love espresso, and previously had owned a conventional Italian espresso machine. It looked like a work of art, but we found that it was cumbersome and messy to grind, tamp and insert the group head (the device that holds the ground coffee). Too often, we found ourselves either out of fresh espresso beans or tossing out the ones we’d had for weeks (the flavor of the beans declines with each day after they’ve been roasted, and is even more noticeable in a strong-brewed drink that is drunk black).

Instead of the chore of making espresso, we started brewing French roast coffee in a regular coffee maker. We gave the espresso maker to the first person who said, “Wow, I’ve always wanted an espresso machine.”

But we are espresso-less no more! The Bialetti Mini Express is a great little espresso machine that produces a terrific cup. It delivers authentic espresso in no-mess capsules, in about 15 seconds—a bit more if you want a double. We couldn’t be happier.

Bialetti may not yet be a household name in the U.S., but the company is the world’s leading espresso maker.

It put its technical know-how into a small, single-serve espresso machine that has all the pressure needed to make a perfect espresso: a 20 bar high pressure system. Easy-to-use capsules load and expel with one motion. And it’s a great price for such a fine espresso machine.

The Mini Express has these other features that we really like:

5 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ESPRESSO

So you thought there was only one type of espresso? No: Espresso is not a type of bean but a roasting style (see our Espresso Glossary for more information). Each region of Italy has its preferred blend of beans. Bialetti offers four different styles plus a decaf—a boon for espresso lovers who are off caffeine.

All of the styles are rich and round with the most wonderful aftertaste that you can enjoy the cup long after the last drop is gone. The variations are in the body and intensity, with subtle flavor nuances.

 
The Bialetti Mini Express comes with a “starter kit” with two of each capsule, so you can quickly decide your favorite. It’s easy to buy capsules online (Amazon.com, BialettiShop.com) or at retailers such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel, Kitchen Kapers and Sur la Table.

A box of 16 capsules is $11.95. That’s less than 70 cents for a rich, delicious cup of espresso. And it will make you or your Valentine happy for years. Can you say that about a box of chocolate?
  

Here are two tasty Valentine tips from The Pampered Chef:

It’s easy to share the love with mini heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine’s Day. Whether for lunch, dinner or “breakfast pizza,” you’ll have a hit on your hands.

HEART SHAPED PIZZA RECIPE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to at 425°F.

2. DIVIDE refrigerated pizza dough into quarters and shape into hearts.

4. REMOVE from oven and add sauce, mozzarella and toppings.

5. BAKE for 2-3 more minutes or until cheese melts.
 

DIETING ON VALENTINE’S DAY?

Congratulations for passing by all the not-so-great-for-you simple carbs.

Instead, enjoy slices of apple, pear or other complex carbs (whole grain bread counts) and use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to make them festive.

The photo shows a “Valendine sandwich” with a filling of peanut butter and a few raisins.

You can also use the cookie cutter to make a cutout in bread, pancakes, whatever.

Go for it!