By Blair Pfander, The Vivant
London's Top Chocolatier Not only does he make some of the tastiest sweet treats in the UK-indeed, he's been given 'Britain's Best Chocolatier' award four times-but London-based pâtissière and chocolatier William Curley has the rare bagging rights that come with having made the world's most expensive chocolate Easter egg.
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Last spring, Curley and his team created a massive, 1.5 meter chocolate egg for Fabergé's "Big Egg Hunt." The egg fetched a cool $10,000 at auction, with the proceeds going to benefit Action for Children and Elephant Family.
But don't think that chocolate fame has gone to Curley's head. Here, the master egg-maker discusses the classic Easter treats his granny used to make, the "special" egg he'll present to his daughter this weekend, and his favorite new flavor: apricot and Scottish heather honey.
Chocolate Egg
The Vivant: What is the most seductive thing about working with chocolate?
William Curley: I've been cooking
London’s Top Chocolatier on the Art of the Chocolate and Making a $10,000 Easter Egg
By The Vivant | Shine Food – Thu, Mar 28, 2013 11:41 AM EDT5 New (and Better!) Ways to Eat Your Veggies
By Everyday Food | Shine Food – Thu, Mar 28, 2013 10:41 AM EDTUnless you're dealing with finicky toddlers, why try to disguise your vegetables? Healthy food can be tasty, too, so put those nutritional all-stars front and center. Instead of hiding healthy ingredients, use them to enhance the flavor of your dish. In these recipes, fruits and vegetables shine in unexpected but delicious ways. Even the pickiest eater in your house will sport a clean plate when dinner's done.
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Read More »from 5 New (and Better!) Ways to Eat Your VeggiesEaster Extras: What to Make with Hard-Boiled Eggs
By YumSugar | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 5:53 PM EDT
Source: Easter Extras: What to Make With Hard-Boiled Eggs
Aside from all the chocolates and bunny Easter motifs, one thing you'll probably have left over come Monday is hard-boiled eggs. Sure, they might be colored bright pink or have flower stickers on them, but that doesn't mean you have to throw them out. Whip up delicious dishes with these ideas on how to prepare them - grated, stuffed, you name it. Click on and get cracking.- Asparagus With Grated Egg and Vinaigrette: Nope, that's not cheese on top of the asparagus. Grating - yes, grating - eggs is a crucial step in making this asparagus and vinaigrette treat that's just perfect for Spring.
- Salmon Kedgeree: There are so many rich flavors (think fish and spices) in a salmon kedgeree recipe that the addition of hard-boiled egg balances it out; it's also one of the reasons why the British-Indian breakfast favorite is often considered a comfort food.
- Salad Nicoise : While we're of the mindset that you could
Cadbury Creme Eggs: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
By bon appétit magazine | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 5:28 PM EDTLouise McCready
Read More »from Cadbury Creme Eggs: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
A Little History
In 1824, John Cadbury opened a shop in Birmingham where he sold tea, coffee, hops, mustard, cocoa, and drinking chocolate, which he made himself using a mortar and pestle. A century later, in 1923, the company that grew out of his shop released its first cream-filled eggs. But the Cadbury Creme Easter Eggs we all know and love weren't invented until 1971. Four years later, the first TV ad appeared for Cadbury Creme Eggs and these chocolate confections became an international Easter classic. Many Americans will remember the "clucking bunny" campaign, begun in 1982.
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How are they made? The Cadbury Creme Egg is manufactured by pouring liquid chocolate into a half-egg shaped mold, which is then filled with white fondant and a dab of yellow fondant. Because the fondant has a greater density than chocolate, the two don't mix together and the fondant pushes the chocolate outwards. The two mold
Source: 5 Spring Fruits and What to Make With Them
It's still officially Spring, which means you can still enjoy the bounty of fresh fruits that sweeten up the season. Just like with peak Spring vegetables, enjoying these treats can be as easy as taking a juicy bite, but we've rallied together five recipes that highlight each fruit's delectable essence.
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The Spring Fruit - Kumquats: Don't peel these babies: tiny kumquats actually get their sweetness from the tender, edible rind, though the inside is quite sour. While the jury's out on whether it should be categorized as a citrus or something entirely on its own, the kumquat can be used in many dishes and beverages that call for oranges or lemons.
What to Make - Kumquat Fizz: These mini fruits add the perfect sweet-tart note to a refreshing, fizzy Spring cocktail. -
- The Spring Fruit - Apricots: The fuzzy skin, delightful floral aroma, and juicy fruit seem to signal the peak of Spring and its sultry
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The Spring Fruit - Kumquats: Don't peel these babies: tiny kumquats actually get their sweetness from the tender, edible rind, though the inside is quite sour. While the jury's out on whether it should be categorized as a citrus or something entirely on its own, the kumquat can be used in many dishes and beverages that call for oranges or lemons.
Skip the Candy Aisle: How to Make Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Eggs at Home
By Babble.com | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 4:19 PM EDT
Read More »from Skip the Candy Aisle: How to Make Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Eggs at Home
Reece's Peanut Butter Cup EggsThere is nothing quite as addictive as Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in my mind. We LOVE these addictive snacks and are huge fans of them come Easter. This year I decided to re-up m challenge from year's past and make them at home. It is remarkably easy to do and I highly recommend you give it a try. This year I added some sea salt on top and they were SOO good. I also used regular chocolate instead of chocolate chips - scrumptious. Not only do you get the satisfaction of making your own treats. You also skip all the preservatives and weird ingredients found in the shelf stabilized treats. Give these a try and I swear you'll be in love!
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Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Eggs
1 cup confectioners' sugar
8 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions:
1. In a large bowlDinner Tonight: Lemon Herb Quinoa + Roasted Spring Root Vegetables
By Food52 | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 3:52 PM EDTThis is the kind of meal that leaves you feeling particularly virtuous, that you'll want to brag about (subtly, of course) at the office tomorrow. You'll almost feel the glow of that halo as you pack up the leftovers for your kids' lunch -- just look at those green polka-dotted, protein-packed grains. A mess o'vegetables on the side (buttered, because that's just good sense) can't hurt. Yum! A dinner well done.The Menu
Lemon Herb Quinoa with Hemp Seeds, Spring Peas, and Basil by Gena Hamshaw
Serves 4
1 cup quinoa, dry
2 cups water, cold
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus a little extra)
1 dash black pepper1. Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer with cold water. Transfer to a pot and add the 2 cups cold water and a nice pinch of salt. Bring to a boil.
Read More »from Dinner Tonight: Lemon Herb Quinoa + Roasted Spring Root VegetablesThe Most Important Ingredient in Your Kitchen Is
By Oprah.com | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 2:18 PM EDT
Read More »from The Most Important Ingredient in Your Kitchen Is
Photo: ThinkstockA Meal Extender for $1.49: Cannellini Beans
True story: We were once in the middle of throwing together an empty-out-the-fridge weeknight dinner for two that involved three-quarters of a box of pasta, some broccoli florets, garlic, olive oil and lots of Parmesan. A "be there in 10 minutes!" text showed up on our phone from a friend (oops, scheduling misfire), and we started ransacking the pantry to find something to turn the meal into a company-worthy dinner for four of us. A 15-ounce can of cannellini beans came to the rescue. The white beans added heft, provided a creamy contrast to the vegetables and turned pasta and greens into a one-dish, protein-rich supper.
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Photo: Lynn AndrianiInstant Crunch: Panko
Compared to other store-bought varieties, panko bread crumbs are more coarsely chopped, less toasted and lighter in feel and taste. They also have the power to transform whatever you're cooking--chicken cutlets, butterflied shrimp, a simple flounderKitchen Secrets Revealed: Peel Onions Without Tears
By Chow Ciao | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 2:17 PM EDTFabio puts several methods to the test in order to find the best method to avoid crying when chopping onions.
Tips:- Refrigerating your onions may reduce the fumes, but the tears will still come.
- Lighting a candle near your cutting board is not only dangerous, but it simply doesn’t burn off the fumes!
- The only surefire way to prevent the irritating fumes of an onion from getting in your eyes is simply to protect your eyes. Try Fabio’s goggle technique and discover the joy of no more tears!!
Hand-Washing Knives: Do I Really Have To Do That?
By Sarah McColl, Shine staff | Shine Food – Wed, Mar 27, 2013 1:48 PM EDTThere are certain labor-intensive recipe phrases that can make the most diligent cook roll her eyes. "Do I really have to do that?" we wonder. Every week, we will track down the answer to that question. Why? Because as much as we love cooking, we're kind of lazy. Leave your Do I Really Have To Do That? questions in the comments and they shall be answered, saving us all a lot of needless trouble.
This week's question comes from Snow, a reader lucky enough to have a fully-loaded kitchen: “Why can't I put my good knives in the dishwasher?" We turned to Kemp Minifie, Senior Editor at Epicurious.com for the answer.
Related: The only 4 knives you'll ever need"As tempting as it is to stick your knives in an automatic dishwasher—particularly if you've been using them to cut up raw poultry, for instance—don't do it," she cautions. "Even if the manufacturer's instructions said the knives were dishwasher safe, it's not a good idea." Why? "Once you close that dishwasher door and turn it on, you
Read More »from Hand-Washing Knives: Do I Really Have To Do That?
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