Dad’s favorite chocolate pie

What better gift for Father's Day than to make Dad his favorite dessert?

By Pam Anderson, Three Many Cooks / June 17, 2011 Dear Dad,

Offspring are typically a balanced blend of both parents, but we all know I’m way more you than Mom. On this Father’s Day I’m especially grateful for all you’ve passed on to me.

You taught me to fish. With that Boston Whaler of yours we spent weekends snaking through swampy rivers and bumping over salty white caps. Thanks for making me bait my own hook.

You didn’t shield me from life. Whether it was taking me to a pig slaughtering or an open-casket funeral, you saw it as a part of life I should experience at an early age.

You let me drive young! When I was really young you let me sit in your lap and steer the wheel.When I was tall enough to reach the pedals you let me drive on deserted country roads. The day I got my license, we were both proud as I confidently pulled out of the driveway.

You loved a little naughty. We all know that my reputation for salty jokes and colorful language most definitely didn’t come from Mom. I’m afraid you’re gonna have to take credit for this one.

You demanded my best. I remember the report card with one B too many. Never again! Oh, and thanks for not paying me for my A’s.

You knew the difference between the week and the weekend. As an entrepreneur in the Internet era, I struggle separating work and pleasure. Thanks to you, I at least know what an eight-hour workday with weekends off looks like.

You taught me to seek work I loved. Because you didn’t love yours so much, you wanted to make sure I did. Many thanks for this.

You exemplified faithfulness in relationships. Mom says your marriage “gets sweeter and sweeter every day.” Neither of us buys the every day part, but a good marriage does get sweeter over time. Thank you for nearly 64 sweet years with Mom.

You passed on your love of the grill. From you I gained confidence with both charcoal and gas. I also loved our grill talks. It was there we could speak freely and honestly as you brushed the chicken and flipped the ribs.

You taught me to love good food with gusto. I happily struggle with weight in exchange for my love of great food. That, dear Dad, I owe to you.

Dad’s Favorite Chocolate Pie

1 9-inch pre-baked pie shell
10 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
5 large eggs, separated
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup whole or 2 percent milk
4 ounces bitter- or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or broken
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Prepare and bake pie shell; set aside.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk 10 tablespoons of the sugar, 1/4 cup of the cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in yolks, and then immediately, but gradually whisk in milks. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently at first, and then constantly as mixture starts to thicken and begins to sputter, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk chocolate and butter into thickened pudding until melted, about 1 minute longer; off heat stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.

Meanwhile, bring remaining 1 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to a thick, sputtery, translucent state in a small saucepan, whisking occasionally at first and constantly as mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool slightly while beating whites.

Beat egg whites, cream of tarter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until frothy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until incorporated and mixture forms soft peaks. Dollop in warm cornstarch mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue to beat meringue to stiff peaks.

Pour warm chocolate filling into pie shell. Using a rubber spatula immediately distribute and then spread meringue evenly over pie, making sure it attaches to piecrust to prevent shrinking. Use a spoon to create peaks all over meringue. Bake pie until meringue is golden brown, about 20 minutes. 
Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pam Anderson blogs with her daughters at Three Many Cooks.

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Granola Bars With Chocolate

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: May 30, 2011 

 Most granola bars are too sweet for my taste, so I wasn’t much of a fan until I made these. They’re inspired by a recipe from Kim Boyce’s "Good to the Grain," but I’ve cut down on the honey and added chocolate. 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or canola oil, plus additional for the pan and for your hands
2 cups mixed flaked grain cereal or rolled oats
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/3 cup honey or agave syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Generously butter or oil a 9-by-9-inch metal or glass baking pan.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a wide saucepan. Add the flaked grains or oats. Stir over medium heat until the grains are lightly toasted, taking care not to let them burn. Stir until they are beginning to smell toasty and have slightly darkened, six to seven minutes. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a bowl. Add the flaxseed meal, the cinnamon and the salt. Wipe the pan clean.
3. Combine the honey, vanilla and brown sugar in the pan in which you toasted the oats. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil five minutes. Pour over the oat mixture, and stir until it is evenly distributed over the mixture. Allow to cool for five minutes, then stir in the chocolate pieces.
4. Scrape into the pan, and spread evenly. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Do not allow to brown or the bars will be hard instead of chewy. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool. Cut into 16 to 20 pieces, and store in an airtight container.
Yield: Fifteen to 20 pieces.
Advance preparation: The bars will keep for a few weeks in an airtight container.
Nutritional information per serving (15 pieces): 131 calories; 3 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 milligrams cholesterol; 19 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 23 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 2 grams protein
Nutritional information per serving (20 pieces): 98 calories; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 17 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein
Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

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Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory Cast Reunite After 40 Years

http://love-raw-chocolate.blogspot.com/2011/04/global-facebook-approach-may-cost.htmlya

Author: Joseph Giannone

Remember that psychedelic boat ride in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Yeah, it freaked us out when we were kids too. The spoiled children, minus the humbled Charlie bucket, who won the golden tickets have reunited after 40 years to discuss their mental breakdowns from Gene Wilder’s trippy boat ride. Just kidding, it was a reunion for the 40th anniversary celebration of the classic kids film which was made in 1971.

The cast members meet up Tuesday for a special appearance on the Today Show to discuss their favorite scenes from the movie. Peter Ostrum, who played the titular Charlie Bucket, said: “I have very fond memories of making the film, working with (Grandpa Joe) Jack Albertson and Gene Wilder, they were both super people to work with.”

Julie Dawn Cole, who played Veruca Salt, was also in attendance and revealed that during her breaks she would sneak into the candy filled sets, where she would eat and marvel over the amazing set pieces. Denis Nickers, who played Violet Beauregarde, explained how she was still blue 72 hours after her famous blueberry transformation scene. Paris Themmen and Michael Bollner were also on the show.

It’s wonderful, and rare, to see that old cast members would get together after 40 years; it makes me think: would Johnny Depp and his rag-tag group of re-makers would get together in 40 years? See how happy they are in the reunion video below:

Read more....

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Global Facebook approach may cost Ferrero Rocher potential consumer advocates

Ferrero Rocher use one global page to engage with all Facebook users, regardless of language. Although this does not seem to damage consumer sentiment, fans who speak English demonstrate a much greater propensity to recommend the brand. This suggests that, although an international approach might be easier, it may cause a brand to lose out on potential advocates.

Ferrero Rocher’s global Facebook page has attracted a very large number of fans, with almost 9,000,000 ‘likes’. Although the brand post to their page relatively infrequently, their large fanbase ensures each update receives a large volume of consumer comments. Many consumers post in English, but many others respond to the brand in non-English languages including Italian, French and Portuguese.

WaveMetrix analysis shows that Ferrero Rocher’s one-size-fits-all Facebook page does not actively disadvantage the brand - but is not necessarily the most successful approach. Although sentiment from consumers is strongly positive regardless of language, those responding in English show a significantly higher propensity to recommend Ferrero Rocher to others. This corroborates evidence from Clarins and Ben & Jerry’s that localised social media can drive more beneficial buzz.

Consumers engaging in all languages are positive towards Ferrero Rocher:

• English consumers respond primarily to the brand’s photo posts associating Ferrero Rocher with special occasions: They comment on images about Valentine’s Day and International Women’s Day, saying they “love” Ferrero Rocher and that it is “delicious” and “their favourite”

• Non-English consumers engage most when Ferrero Rocher posts in Italian: Consumers speaking a range of languages react to the brand’s suggestion to try the chocolates with ice cream. However, many others comment on English-language updates from the brand, praising Ferrero Rocher as “delectable”, “rich” and “priceless”

Although similarly positive, English-speaking consumers are more inclined to recommend than those who engage in non-English languages:

 

• When Ferrero Rocher shares the same post in English and in Italian, 35% of consumers responding in English recommend the brand: However, recommendations are lower from those speaking different languages, with only 13% saying Ferrero Rocher “is the best” and asking others to “try them”

• The discrepancy on Ferrero Rocher's page is not typical - language does not tend to affect consumers' propensity to recommend: This suggests that Ferrero Rocher’s decision to use one global Facebook page may mean the brand loses out on unprompted consumer advocacy. The idea that localised social media can drive more beneficial buzz is supported by other recent Wave: cases studies – for instance, on Clarins and Ben & Jerry’s

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Drummer boy won’t be beaten

DRUMMER boy Kieran Gaffney - who came third in last year's Britain's Got Talent - is trying out for The X Factor.

Kieran, 14, sang at the first stage of auditions at London's O2 this week - and put in an impressive performance.
Insiders think the lad from Deal, Kent, is bound to go further.

A source said: "Despite being known for his amazing drumming, Kieran's voice was surprisingly good."
Kieran wasn't the only BGT hopeful to try out.

Husband and wife Craig and Deborah Stephens - dropped as duo Othelio last year after ITV bosses found out Deborah's ex-partner committed a double murder 19 years ago - made it through after rapping to Eurythmics track Sweet Dreams under the name Saffire.

And Ferrero Rocher-eater James Boyd sang Frank Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon.

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