Saturday, March 26, 2011

A Floral Feast: A Chocolate Appreciation 101 Class

     Have you ever wondered how flowers would taste?  When I was a kid we would always play with santan, no we never ate the flower or the petals (or not that I could remember), just the sap that you get when you pull out the filament inside the tiny stem.  I have heard and read in an article that a famous garden restaurant in Tagaytay serves salad with flowers.  Another resto famous among the elites is Ilustrado that makes their own Sampaguita-flavored ice cream.  How about a cup of steamy hot tea, infused with lavander, camomile or echinacea.    If you haven't tried everything I just mentioned, how can you even fathom this,  a flowery flavor on your chocolate or  the flower itself on your chocolates and pastries...
Oh no, I haven't tried all that I mentioned, only about three of those.   Of course, the last one was the most exciting.   Can anybody tell me, who does not like chocolate?  Honestly? If you could, then I'll treat you at Heavenly Chocolates and I will try to have him or her try chocolate after attending the talk we had with "The Chocoevangelist" Marga Manlapig.
     At the second floor of Heavenly Chocolates in Roces Avenue, was an awe-inspiring, mind-boggling and tongue-delighting seminar was held.  It was all about chocolates, its origin, health benefits, all the irony in its history and the different kinds of chocolate.   Marga also tackled a bit about the process involved in developing the finest quality down to the choco-mani.   Marga (the one standing in the picture) going about and around the room showing us bits and nips of choco infos, gave us a very relevant yet lively and very interesting talk.  



    The four pictures above are some of the samples of the different chocolates high-lighted and  we had tasted them.   First on the list was the Single-origin Ecuador hot chocolate.  A bit strong choco-bittery taste but smooth and can aid smokers who wants to quit smoking.  Coming from Ecuador, knowing that they produce the largest quantity of tobacco, the cocoa trees have been interplanted with it, thus the cocoa has a hint of nicotine in it.
   The second was the single origin Madagascar Hot Choco.   Oh this one is majestic!   With its fruity, velvety smooth and floral smell, the exotic cocoa made into a drink has a raisin taste with a bit of hazelnut and fig.   Exotic because this is one of the rarest chocolate in the world.
   Then Japanese chocolates.   The SACHI NAMA were then passed on, two kinds, the milk nama and the flower-infused  cream filled nama. Thank God we will never run out of  Nama from Japan, though the country now is suffering tremendously due to the outcome of the earthquake and tsunami, the production comes from far were the hit was grave.  
   Last but not the least, the Summer shortbread.   The pastry bar topped with dark chocolate ganache in which a French lavander sugar was laced on it.  
By the way all that was served to us, scrumptious as they truly are , can be bought at their cafe.
Visual Aids
    A charming acquaintance after the seminar.   Heavenly Chocolates conducts seminars about chocolates for FREE!  You never know what you will learn next after this seminar.   There is actually a lot of things we are to know about it.   I would even suggest we plant our own "Kakaw trees," why?  You have to come then to the next Chocolate Appreciation Talk.  They will have another soon.  Check the bottom for infos on how to reach them. 
    Capturing fun-time moments with my hubby at the cafe while waiting for our Chocolate pizza, cookies and cream coffee shake and choco espresso shake.  This is also the first time I attended with my daughter Danielle, who is now 13 years old and she had a great time with her cousin, Yngwie.
Just some of the glorious and heavenly chocolate samples.
     THE CHOCOLATE PIZZA!!!!   Too bad my daughter took the micron shot, it would have been so tempting to see the whole pizza.   Observe the brown liquid at the corner?  Yes it is pure chocolate.   A chocolate pizza as what have explained to us, is their own crust, topped with dark chocolate ganache, then sprinkled with fried bacon chips and slivered almonds.  Oh, when we were eating the slices inside the car while on the road, it was like "chocolate ecstacy,"  Summing up the afternoon, words about chocolates, samples of the worlds finest quality chocolates, the ambiance in  Heavenly Chocolates and our shakes and the dark choco pizza.   Heaven on earth!

Address:  Heavenly Chocolates
127 Alejandro Roces Avenue. , Quezon City
It is perpendicular to Tomas Morato Ave.

6 comments:

  1. Chocolates galore! Simply glorious rich chocolates!!!! mmmmm.....

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  2. Hi, Joy. Thanks so much for featuring Chocolate Appreciation 101. I hope to see you at this month's workshop! - Marga

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  3. @ Marga (sybdive)...tnx for dropping by, hope you liked it! I'll check your blog for updates on the next workshop! Hope your better and doing gteat as you've always been.

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