Chocolate fountains are in!

Chocolate fountains are the rage these days. You see them at dinner parties, weddings, all sorts of celebrations. This article gives you all the in’s and out’s, from mini fountains to giant ones.

Most Swiss chocolate makers make a special chocolate to be used in fountains. I would advise asking their opinion before attempting this, because it can be tricky and even dangerous. Last winter, I heard a story about a naked teenager falling into an oversized chocolate fountain in a party in Cologny and then running through the cold streets of Cologny before ending up in the hospital (escorted by the police).

This guest blog is by Edwin Hall, owner of the Chocolate Fountain Directory in Devon in the U.K.

What is a chocolate fountain?

A chocolate fountain is a device for serving chocolate fondue. It comes in many different sizes: mini, medium, large and extra large, depending on the number of guests you wish to cater for.

The fountain has multiple tiers over a heated basin at the bottom. The chocolate is melted in the basin and then pulled up through the augur and continuously flows over the tiers. When it flows over the tiers, guests are able to select a condiment they would like to dip into the fountain, using a skewer. They then select a dip of their choice and coat their item in delicious, warm melted chocolate….heaven!

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Hanukkah recipes are passed down from generation to generation. There are hundreds of recipes floating around on the Internet, but I thought it best to consult a friend with trained taste buds. Here is what Warren Bobrow has to say.

Warren Bobrow’s favorite Hanukkah foods

Of all the holiday foods I look forward to, there are two dishes that clearly connect my stomach to the past. The first is a rousing bowl of matzo ball soup.  The other, specifically a Hanukkah dish, is a plate of crispy potato latkes, cooked in a heavy cast iron pan.

Ur-Bubby’s latkes

I forewarn you. This is a Jewish story, so it is repetitive and sometimes fahklumpt (a confused story, for those who are not in the know), told by a kvetch (a complainer) who secretly loves life and food and words and work, and tells a story full of fond memories.

My great-grandmother Yetta made excellent latkes.  During these eight days of Hanukkah (eight chances to get it right . . . to be exact), we celebrate the past by reliving these flavors and the stories that go with them each time we bite into a steaming morsel of grated potato, egg, onion and a bit of vegetable oil, made straight from her recipe.

Generations of cooks have grated potatoes for latkes in celebration of Hanukkah.  You will not be the first or the last. And every family has their own special recipe, their own special stories.

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France meets Oregon in the freshly fallen snow

Guest blogger Warren Bobrow grew up on a farm in the U.S. , which helped him develop a sense of smell, taste and vocabulary similar to that of a passionate master wine maker. His column on food, wine and life, Wild Table, appears daily in the online magazine, Wild River Review. Warren always says, “Trust your instincts and cook with passion!” He has good instincts and intelligent, experienced taste buds, which is why I like his food writing.

Growing up on a farm in New Jersey afforded me an upbringing that was rooted in a fruit orchard that dates back almost a century.

My governess named Gertrude hailed from Germany.  She taught me to climb those gnarly fruit trees and attempt to pick the fruit that the birds had not yet devoured.  I would have to act quickly though and remember I was competing with the unafraid Blue Jays who would seemingly dive-bomb me in competition for these fruits.

Eventually though, I would repeal these opportunistic birds long enough to bring pears down in a straw basket that I have to this day. Gertrude would carefully wrap each of theses pears in small paper bags for several days to further ripen them.

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