Awkward hairnet picture with Annika |
We entered this room with this cute background to learn where chocolate comes from |
Roasted and cut cacao beans |
We got to walk through the factory to see all of the machinery used to turn the cacao beans into
the chocolate bars we all love. That was very interesting, but my favorite part was visiting the confection kitchen. Theo makes some of the best caramels, ganaches, chocolate bars, and other sweet treats that I've ever tasted. Annika, who is really interested in baking, was so happy when she learned about how they make their ganaches and caramels. My favorite part about the kitchen was their usage of fresh, local ingredients. After seeing the confection kitchen, we all went a little overboard and purchased a ton of chocolate goodies after the tour. We were out of the chocolates in our 12-piece box by the day after the tour. Oops.
Hopefully you just learned a lot about the chocolate making process! Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments or via email, Twitter or Facebook. Now, here's a recipe! I made this last week and it was absolutely incredible. It was very loosely based off of a red rice pilaf recipe that I found on Instagram. I decided to use gourmet flavors that pair nicely with balsamic vinegar. I think it turned out very well, and I highly recommend this recipe as a side dish on Christmas day. Oh, and since this is a blog for kids and teens, I must remind you not to drink any of the red wine that goes in this recipe! Leave that to your parents. ;)
Balsamic Red Rice Pilaf
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1½ cups red rice
3 small Portobello mushroom caps, gills and stems removed
½ of a red onion, diced