Spring and fall drive people outdoors where cookouts, campouts, and times around an open fire happen. One thing that binds these events is food, and chocolate, a high-energy, delightfully delicious food, can span a day's meals. In addition, the beauty of chocolate is that you can eat it alone or add it to traditional recipes.
Think Outside the Box of Chocolates
S'mores, most everyone knows what they are, but have you ever had one made from chocolate bark, with nuts, or a cookie other than a graham cracker? How about s'mores parfait made from graham cracker crumbs, marshmallow crème, melted chocolate, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings? Have we made you hungry yet?
A s'mores bar with an assortment of:
Cookies
Cookie Crumbs
Chocolate
Chocolate bark
Assorted chocolates
Marshmallows
Marshmallow cream
Nuts
Chocolate pieces
Peppermint pieces
A s'mores bar will make for smiles all around and be fun for the kids and adults alike.
Would you like a little chocolate with your cocktails?
Cherries pair very well with chocolate in any form. A round of chocolate martinis garnished with chocolate-dipped cherries will wow any crowd. If that does not suit your taste, offer an assortment of chocolates for your guests to try with their cocktail of choice. Chocolate served with bourbon enhances both flavors. Chocolate served with fruit, rum, tequila, stout, or an excellent red wine will improve your parties year-round and impress your guests.
Candy Bar Mocha Latte
Did you know you could make hot chocolate from a candy bar? Oh yes, you can, and it is a great way to start the day when on the trail. Add a bit of chocolate bar to your morning coffee, a little cream, and voila; you have a little luxury while in the wild.
Chocolate Pancakes
Add chocolate pieces to it for a special breakfast that will make you a weekend hero. You may have already made chocolate chips or chocolate pancakes, but have you made chocolate syrup to top them? Chocolate ganache, made from chocolate pieces and heavy cream, adds a flavor to pancakes, which is a nice change from syrup or jelly.
One of the World's Oldest Desserts
Don't just add chocolate to your parties. Give your guests a little trivia about this delicious treat to take with them when they leave. With a 4,000-year history, even the Mayans praised the virtues of chocolate. They deemed a drink concocted from cocoa, the drink of the Gods. Once considered very valuable, cocoa beans were used as currency, and cocoa is still highly valued as a culinary ingredient across the globe.
Sweeten your Summer Parties with Chocolate
From morning hot cocoa to evening dessert, chocolate has a place in every meal and snacks in between. It is truly the perfect food, and you need to remember to include it in your summer gatherings.
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