At 6:00 this morning, I found myself lying in bed (awakened by a wee person, of course) thinking about chocolate. What else am I gonna think about at 6:00 a.m.? Naturally, my thoughts wandered to this whole South Beach Diet business and other ways to incorporate my favorite treat into the bleak carbless landscape of the first two weeks. Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of cacao beans: I have sugar free dark chocolate! Not just any sugar free dark chocolate, though - DCD sugar free dark chocolate, which I have actually tasted and found quite satisfactory. Normally, mind you, I would probably not purchase such a thing, but I got it for free (one of the perks of my job - I get free stuff!) a few months ago and have reserved it for limited sampling at parties.
If not for the toddler I was attempting to get back to sleep, my excitement would have catapulted me out of bed at that very moment to check the calorie & carb count of said discs of promised heaven. As it happened, though, I had to wait. I waited through my sad little breakfast of reheated spinach quiche cups, feeding the babies, and all the other routine morning stuff. At last I had a moment to dig the box out of the pantry (where I keep my sample stash) and check the specs. Calories: 170 in 7 pieces. This equates to a little less than 25 per piece. Since Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet allows 75 calories worth of "sugar free" treats daily, I could feasibly have three per day! WooooHoooo!
Now, since I haven't tried one of these in a while, I felt it necessary to taste a bit at that moment (no, 9:15 a.m. is NOT too early for chocolate of any kind) because 1) I needed to make sure my joy wasn't misguided and 2) I desperately needed some chocolate!
I broke a disc in half, then in half again, and put the little 1/4 pie-shaped piece in my mouth. I let it start to dissolve on my tongue, and instantly began to melt along with it. Heaven! Absolute Heaven! Having gone for a whole THREE DAYS without sweetened chocolate, I cannot imagine any more delightful experience than this one. I know I heard choirs of angels singing (of course, that may have been some alphabet song on Sesame Street) as I stood in the kitchen savoring this moment and feeling as though all will be well.
Ya know what's cool, though? I don't need three of these a day. One quarter of one satisfied me quite well. Thus is the beauty of DCD dark chocolate - when you savor "the good stuff," you don't need as much. This will become my foundation for incorporating chocolate into a healthy lifestyle - and I just might make it through these two weeks.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A New Little Treat!
OK, so two days after returning from this fantastic chocolate conference experience, I started on the South Beach Diet. (Right now you're saying, "Are you daft, woman?" And I would have to answer, "Quite possibly.") Now, if you're not familiar with the South Beach Diet, Phase 1 (the first two weeks) requires that you delete all sugars and starches from your diet. Of course, to me, this translates to "NO CHOCOLATE." I'll admit, I have a hard time going without bread and rice and pasta, but I'd trade all of those for my daily dose of cacao.
Obviously, I'll have to get creative.
My first attempt: I sprinkled some Cocoa Framboise Dusting Powder into a little bit of what was supposed to be plain nonfat yogurt and turned out to be sweetened with Splenda. I did this rather on the spur of the moment, because I had really intended to have UNsweetened plain yogurt mixed with dill as a veggie dip. Anyway, the result was not stellar, because I despise artificial sweeteners and swear I could still taste the Splenda an hour later.
Attempt #2: I had some coffee leftover from this morning, kind of hanging out cold in the pot. I poured about 3/4 of a cup into a glass and mixed in about 1/2 teaspoon of Aztec Spice Dusting Powder. I stirred vigorously, added ice, and filled the glass the rest of the way with skim milk. OK, so maybe my expectations weren't all that high due to the absence of sugar - or maybe I was desperate - or both, but I was delighted with this little creation! I think the cinnamon really brings out the chocolate flavor and makes it seem sweet even when it isn't. Now, if a person weren't opposed to the little yellow and blue packets as much as I am, perhaps this beverage would become even more enjoyable. This experience has taught me that chocolate need not be sweet to wield its powers of peacefulness.
I think I'll call it Aztec Desperation. I'm sure culinary history (and carbless dieters everywhere) will thank me for this contribution!
Obviously, I'll have to get creative.
My first attempt: I sprinkled some Cocoa Framboise Dusting Powder into a little bit of what was supposed to be plain nonfat yogurt and turned out to be sweetened with Splenda. I did this rather on the spur of the moment, because I had really intended to have UNsweetened plain yogurt mixed with dill as a veggie dip. Anyway, the result was not stellar, because I despise artificial sweeteners and swear I could still taste the Splenda an hour later.
Attempt #2: I had some coffee leftover from this morning, kind of hanging out cold in the pot. I poured about 3/4 of a cup into a glass and mixed in about 1/2 teaspoon of Aztec Spice Dusting Powder. I stirred vigorously, added ice, and filled the glass the rest of the way with skim milk. OK, so maybe my expectations weren't all that high due to the absence of sugar - or maybe I was desperate - or both, but I was delighted with this little creation! I think the cinnamon really brings out the chocolate flavor and makes it seem sweet even when it isn't. Now, if a person weren't opposed to the little yellow and blue packets as much as I am, perhaps this beverage would become even more enjoyable. This experience has taught me that chocolate need not be sweet to wield its powers of peacefulness.
I think I'll call it Aztec Desperation. I'm sure culinary history (and carbless dieters everywhere) will thank me for this contribution!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Chocolate Overload? Can it be?
Just last night, I returned from our National Conference in New Jersey. All I can say is...WOW. I ate more chocolate in one three day period than I ever have, but most importantly, I met scores of amazing women who love chocolate as much as I do and who share my passion for channeling that love into making the world a better place. I cannot tell you what joy I experienced in rediscovering the value of working with a company that supports women in the way that DCD does. OK, yes, this is a corporate entity with private shareholders and they care about profit margins and dollars - can't fault 'em for that - but the entire focus of this weekend's conference fell more in the realm of "make your dreams come true." Most of the speakers concentrated on what this business has done for them personally, i.e., skill development, newfound friendships, renewed self confidence, etc. I honestly believe that I work with a company that cares about PEOPLE, not just the almighty dollar. I'll share more about that later, but I'm dying to tell you about the CHOCOLATE, so it will have to wait!
The people on the R & D team at DCD have made me one happy Chocolatier this weekend by announcing that they have added my favorite combination of ingredients to our product line: Double Chocolate Caramel Nut Clusters! To me, chocolate + caramel + pecans = "The Holy Trinity." (Anyone from the Home Office who might read this is thinking at this point, "Good thing we didn't consult her for the name of the product"...can you imagine? Might as well call them "Sweet Irreverence Bits" or something equally distasteful...but I digress.) Needless to say, HOORAH. And guess what else? I tasted these personally, and they ROCK. They totally could have called them something with "holy" in the moniker.
One of the biggest surprises: Merlot Fudge Sauce. Now, I have heard for a long time that red wine goes well with chocolate, but had NO IDEA, really, until I tasted this. I can't adequately describe it, except to say that I've never had better fudge sauce. It has a complexity of flavors that defies logic and makes you feel as though all is well with the world!
I've come to the conclusion that I can't possibly fit everything about our new product line into one post, so I'll have to save some for later. I read recently in The Road Less Traveled that delayed gratification is a good thing, so I'll just consider this an exercise in self development!
Peace, love, and chocolate.
The people on the R & D team at DCD have made me one happy Chocolatier this weekend by announcing that they have added my favorite combination of ingredients to our product line: Double Chocolate Caramel Nut Clusters! To me, chocolate + caramel + pecans = "The Holy Trinity." (Anyone from the Home Office who might read this is thinking at this point, "Good thing we didn't consult her for the name of the product"...can you imagine? Might as well call them "Sweet Irreverence Bits" or something equally distasteful...but I digress.) Needless to say, HOORAH. And guess what else? I tasted these personally, and they ROCK. They totally could have called them something with "holy" in the moniker.
One of the biggest surprises: Merlot Fudge Sauce. Now, I have heard for a long time that red wine goes well with chocolate, but had NO IDEA, really, until I tasted this. I can't adequately describe it, except to say that I've never had better fudge sauce. It has a complexity of flavors that defies logic and makes you feel as though all is well with the world!
I've come to the conclusion that I can't possibly fit everything about our new product line into one post, so I'll have to save some for later. I read recently in The Road Less Traveled that delayed gratification is a good thing, so I'll just consider this an exercise in self development!
Peace, love, and chocolate.
Friday, July 3, 2009
O, Happy July!
Just got word from the Mother Ship (the DCD Home Office) that we'll be giving hosts DOUBLE rewards in July!! How awesome is that? We have a generous host reward program anyway, but DOUBLE is even better!
I did a little simple math (because I don't do much beyond "simple" math) and figured this out from a profit standpoint: Let's say someone - we'll call her Joan, just for fun - has a Chocolate Tasting Party, spending $10-$12 on fondue dippies, some Cool Whip, and a little milk and cream. Joan invites about 25 people, and 12 are able to make it, so we all have fun and eat chocolate, and everybody makes the "mousse face," and we're all thrilled to have a night out. Joan's party total is $364, so she would normally get $50 in free products and one half-price item - BUT WAIT! It's July, so she gets $100 in free products and two half-price items! Here's where the math comes in - her two half price items total $98, half of which would be $49, so she has received $149 in rewards, which is a profit of about $137 - just for having a party and some chocolate!
Ooooh...now let's look at it from yet another perspective...let's say Joan is so excited about her Chocolate Tasting Party and has had such fun talking about all of our yummies that she decides to launch her own Dove Chocolate Discoveries™ business as a Chocolatier. Now, because it's July and there's a special program that allows hosts to apply their credits to the purchase of a New Business Kit, she could apply $100 to the $149 price of her kit, so she'd start a new business for only $49 (+ tax and shipping - can't forget that part) - and there's more! DCD also has a special bonus for new Chocolatiers in July: $100 cash on account (just for joining us in July!) to spend on supplies and samples! Sooo ... Joan has profited even more on her initial monetary investment of $10 - $12. According to my math, that's a pretty good deal - right up there with 12 for $1 Kool-Aid!
Now...while there's no guarantee that YOUR party would have that amount in sales, there's also no guarantee that it wouldn't have MORE - so you could feasibly score the top of our host benefits scale, which would give you $400 in FREEBIES, and 8 half-price items. Ooooh...you could nearly get one of everything in the catalog...or have ALL your holiday shopping done months ahead of time! The mind reels with the possibilities!
Yes, I know I'm getting carried away. I do that when I start talking chocolate and parties and happy hosting scenarios!
Otherwise...it's the day before the Fourth of July, and I'm gearing up for a relaxing weekend. I just might make some more Dove Chocolate Ice Cream (my last batch was pretty darn yummy...but I'm going to perfect the recipe before I post it here!) and sip on some Coconut Chocolate Chip Smoothies. I LOVE those.
I'm also getting ready for my first Hostess Appreciation Event: the first annual "Jump Start July/Hostesses ROCK" party! What to serve? Definitely fondue, and definitely mousse...but maybe also some truffles and chocolate-dipped strawberries? Mmmmm...maybe I should do a practice menu for lunch today...
Have a VERY happy and safe Fourth of July, everyone!
I did a little simple math (because I don't do much beyond "simple" math) and figured this out from a profit standpoint: Let's say someone - we'll call her Joan, just for fun - has a Chocolate Tasting Party, spending $10-$12 on fondue dippies, some Cool Whip, and a little milk and cream. Joan invites about 25 people, and 12 are able to make it, so we all have fun and eat chocolate, and everybody makes the "mousse face," and we're all thrilled to have a night out. Joan's party total is $364, so she would normally get $50 in free products and one half-price item - BUT WAIT! It's July, so she gets $100 in free products and two half-price items! Here's where the math comes in - her two half price items total $98, half of which would be $49, so she has received $149 in rewards, which is a profit of about $137 - just for having a party and some chocolate!
Ooooh...now let's look at it from yet another perspective...let's say Joan is so excited about her Chocolate Tasting Party and has had such fun talking about all of our yummies that she decides to launch her own Dove Chocolate Discoveries™ business as a Chocolatier. Now, because it's July and there's a special program that allows hosts to apply their credits to the purchase of a New Business Kit, she could apply $100 to the $149 price of her kit, so she'd start a new business for only $49 (+ tax and shipping - can't forget that part) - and there's more! DCD also has a special bonus for new Chocolatiers in July: $100 cash on account (just for joining us in July!) to spend on supplies and samples! Sooo ... Joan has profited even more on her initial monetary investment of $10 - $12. According to my math, that's a pretty good deal - right up there with 12 for $1 Kool-Aid!
Now...while there's no guarantee that YOUR party would have that amount in sales, there's also no guarantee that it wouldn't have MORE - so you could feasibly score the top of our host benefits scale, which would give you $400 in FREEBIES, and 8 half-price items. Ooooh...you could nearly get one of everything in the catalog...or have ALL your holiday shopping done months ahead of time! The mind reels with the possibilities!
Yes, I know I'm getting carried away. I do that when I start talking chocolate and parties and happy hosting scenarios!
Otherwise...it's the day before the Fourth of July, and I'm gearing up for a relaxing weekend. I just might make some more Dove Chocolate Ice Cream (my last batch was pretty darn yummy...but I'm going to perfect the recipe before I post it here!) and sip on some Coconut Chocolate Chip Smoothies. I LOVE those.
I'm also getting ready for my first Hostess Appreciation Event: the first annual "Jump Start July/Hostesses ROCK" party! What to serve? Definitely fondue, and definitely mousse...but maybe also some truffles and chocolate-dipped strawberries? Mmmmm...maybe I should do a practice menu for lunch today...
Have a VERY happy and safe Fourth of July, everyone!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Icing on the Cake
So...a few weeks ago (Memorial Day, maybe?) I had made a sheet cake out of my DCD Cupcake Kit to take to a party. I covered it with ganache, so I didn't use the frosting. Well, since this packet of frosting mix was just lying around doing nothing, I used it to top a yellow cake for my hubby on Father's Day. MAY I JUST SAY...wow. Holy wow. Holy flying chocolate wow. This is the BEST chocolate frosting I've ever had. It's really almost like a creamy chocolate bar right on top of your cake. Sure, the cake was OK (I made it from a mix, since my previous attempts at yellow cake from scratch have bombed monumentally), but the frosting totally sent it over the top.
I like it when I discover new chocolate things. . . this week's experiment: chocolate mousse ice cream. I've taken one of our Mousse Mix packets and mixed it with 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of milk, and (carefully and only slightly effectively) mixed in 2 bars of our Chef-Series Dark Chocolate. It's "chillin'" in the fridge waiting to be spun into a frozen frenzy in my little Cuisinart ice cream maker. I'll let you know how it goes, but the mixture tastes awesome (you HAVE to taste it, you know), so it should rock.
Oooooh! Just got fun news from our Home Office yesterday. Anyone who becomes a Chocolatier between now and June 30th gets an extra $100 in Cash on Account (to be used for supplies, etc.) for free! That's a REALLY great deal. That's in addition to our other signing bonus for June - AND it also applies to hostesses who have a party and apply their host credits toward the purchase of a kit. LOVE it when they do stuff like that!
Other neat June/July things: special shipping prices, and a special "Mousse on the Loose" kit: 6 packets of Mousse Mix and 1.5 lbs of chocolate for $26. Awesome deal!
Have the sweetest of days, all. Eat chocolate!
I like it when I discover new chocolate things. . . this week's experiment: chocolate mousse ice cream. I've taken one of our Mousse Mix packets and mixed it with 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of milk, and (carefully and only slightly effectively) mixed in 2 bars of our Chef-Series Dark Chocolate. It's "chillin'" in the fridge waiting to be spun into a frozen frenzy in my little Cuisinart ice cream maker. I'll let you know how it goes, but the mixture tastes awesome (you HAVE to taste it, you know), so it should rock.
Oooooh! Just got fun news from our Home Office yesterday. Anyone who becomes a Chocolatier between now and June 30th gets an extra $100 in Cash on Account (to be used for supplies, etc.) for free! That's a REALLY great deal. That's in addition to our other signing bonus for June - AND it also applies to hostesses who have a party and apply their host credits toward the purchase of a kit. LOVE it when they do stuff like that!
Other neat June/July things: special shipping prices, and a special "Mousse on the Loose" kit: 6 packets of Mousse Mix and 1.5 lbs of chocolate for $26. Awesome deal!
Have the sweetest of days, all. Eat chocolate!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Inaugural Post
I threatened to start a Chocolate Blog on Friday night, and someone called my bluff, so here it is. I hope to share ideas, recipes, stories, memories, and other yummy tidbits about the chocolate empire I intend to build.
Join me on my adventure!
Join me on my adventure!
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