chocolate mousse with beet-poached lady apple and wild rose

Carly Diaz February 9, 2017

A few months ago, I began asking for the dessert menu along with the food menu when I dine at restaurants. It all began after several instances where, when the meal finally turned to my favorite course, I simply couldn't take another bite. Or, when the dessert of my choice simply clashed with or was too similar to the other food I'd eaten. Making selections based on an understanding of the meal as a whole makes more sense with my approach to eating.

Or maybe I just have a serious sweet tooth.

I recently learned that Americans consume approximately 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year and that 58 million pounds of chocolate are purchased in the week of Valentine's Day. That's incredible, even by my standards.

Mousse is one of those perfect desserts for anytime - decadent, but airy. When Kristen Murray of Måurice, the sweetest luncheonette in downtown Portland, proposed to make chocolate mousse for a project celebrating Tony's Chocolonely and slave-free chocolate, I couldn't wait to see what she came up with. Mixing dark and milk chocolate, Kristen created a mousse with a rich, creamy texture, topped with beet-poached lady apples, tempered chocolate with wild rose petals, and a generous dollop of whipped cream. Simply divine.

When I realized just how much chocolate is being consumed each year, I understood more clearly that the source of chocolate is just as important as how delicious it is. Because when someone puts as much effort into planning their eating choices and dessert selection as much as I do, there isn't much reason not to include ethical sourcing in the list of priorities.

For the month of February, I've partnered with Tony's and two of Portland's fantastic pastry chefs to bring you not only recipes, but the opportunity to taste desserts made with 100% slave-free chocolate at two restaurants in town. Don't miss the recipe with Nora's semolina chocolate chunk fritters. If you're in Portland, you can taste Kristen's chocolate mousse all month long at Måurice and at home with the recipe below. Find the full list of Not Just Dessert recipes here.

Chocolate Mousse
Recipe by Kristen Murray
Serves 12

Ingredients:
1 litre heavy cream
35 g cocoa nib
375 g milk chocolate bar, chopped finely
375 g dark chocolate bar, chopped finely
9 egg yolks
250 g fine sugar, separate out 75 g and 175 g of sugar into two bowls
fine sea salt

whipped cream
toppings, such as extra toasted cocoa nibs, wild rose petals, candied kumquats, seasonal berries, or poached apple or pear

Directions:
Heat oven to 325 F. Spread cocoa nib on a baking sheet in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly, then crush in a mortar and pestle.

Slowly warm cream in pot on stove. Add toasted cocoa nibs to cream and let infuse for 20 minutes. Refrigerate cream and cocoa nibs for at least 24 hours.
Next day, whip cream to medium firm. (Do you remove and discard the cocoa nibs?)

Combine dark and milk chocolate in a double boiler. Place the bowl over a small pot filled halfway with water over medium heat, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. When the chocolate begin to melt, stir until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on the low setting while slowly adding in 75g of sugar.

In a small pot, add the remaining 175g sugar and 25-35 g water. Measuring with a candy thermometer, heat sugar and water to 250 Fahrenheit. Then slowly add to the egg yolk and sugar mixture in the electric mixer. Whip till viscous with a pale yellow appearance and cool to the touch.

Fold egg and sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture in three small batches. Add a pinch of sea salt. Gently fold in whipped cocoa nib cream in three small batches.

Place in small serving cups layered with whipped cream and toppings of your choice. Grab a spoon. Enjoy!

This post was written in partnership with the wonderful team at Tony's Chocolonely, an amazing crew of people who make me seriously miss Dutch-style lunches, karnemelk and all. Thoughts and opinions are, as ever, my own.

semolina chocolate chunk fritters

Carly Diaz February 4, 2017

A few weeks ago, as I was preparing for the post-inauguration Women's March in Portland, I was uncertain which words to paint on the sign I would carry. There were so many things to say, so many issues I wanted to address, and not enough posterboard for them all. And now, in the following weeks, there is a similar sense of being intimidated by the numerous actions to take and causes to support. And this is on top of all the other issues around the globe that deserve attention.

While there is only a finite amount of time and money that I can give towards the causes that I care most about, I also have to remind myself that there are so many small actions I can take every day. And one of those actions is eating chocolate for a good cause. Easy, right? Even easier when it's chunks of Tony's Chocolonely that have been incorporated into semolina fritters created by the incredible Nora Antene, Pastry Chef at Tusk. And for the month of February, they are on the Tusk brunch menu for you to enjoy. Or to make at home with the recipe below. Find the full list of Not Just Dessert recipes here.

Tony's Chocolonely. The name brings back memories of Amsterdam. Of rusty bicycles and endless canals, of shopping at the ubiquitous grocery store Albert Heijn, and of Sinterklaas, the holiday on December 5th on which chocolate letters are gifted to children and friends. And Tony's was the chocolate of choice.

It was from Tony's Chocolonely that I first learned about a little known issue: that the cocoa industry is heavily reliant on slaves. And that many of the slaves are children. Sixty percent of all cocoa comes from Ivory Coast and Ghana where 2,300,000 children work on cocoa plantations. Dangerous working conditions and illegal trafficking of both adults and children compounds the problem. Tony's is working to change that and its 100% slave-free chocolate is not just an ethical choice, it's a delicious one as well. The chocolate is really good. And inventive too. I had the opportunity to visit the Tony's world headquarters and test kitchen on my summer trip to Amsterdam and was so impressed. Most memorable was a milk chocolate 'popcorn discodip' flavor. Like a popcorn party in your mouth.

Tony's Chocolonely opened their second office in Portland in autumn 2015 to share their delicious slave-free chocolate with the Pacific Northwest and the US at large. For the month of February, I've partnered with Tony's and two of Portland's fantastic pastry chefs to bring you not only recipes, but the opportunity to taste the creations at two restaurants in town. If you're in Portland, you can taste Nora's semolina chocolate chunk fritters all month long during Tusk's weekend brunch. Stay tuned next week for the second recipe!

Tony’s Chocolonely Semolina Chocolate Chunk Fritters
Recipe by Nora Antene
Makes about 24 bite-sized fritters

Ingredients:
3 eggs
6 g vanilla extract
75 g ricotta
150 g yogurt, whole milk
35 g honey

45 g semolina flour
150 g all-purpose flour
35 g granulated sugar
15 g baking powder
3 g salt
1 g ground cinnamon (tiny pinch)
170 g Tony’s Chocoloney 70% dark chocolate, cut into small chunks

Directions:
Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, ricotta, yogurt, and honey. Set aside. Whisk together the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Using a spatula, stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until the dry ingredients are about halfway incorporated into the wet ingredients. Add the chocolate and stir until all ingredients are evenly mixed. Let the batter sit for about 1 hour covered and at room temperature without stirring.**

In a small pot, heat a few inches of vegetable oil to 350 F. Carefully scoop golf ball size fritters a few at a time into the fry pot. Fry for about 2 minutes flipping the fritters halfway through. Drain on paper towels and, when cooled slightly, dust with powdered sugar. These are great on their own or served with orange curd, caramel, or chocolate sauce.

Batter can be made ahead of time. Refrigerate after leaving at room temp for an hour. Bring back to room temp before frying.

** As the batter sits, the baking powder is activated and the mixture becomes airy. Avoid stirring so that the mixture keeps its lofty structure.

Citrus Yogurt Bowl

Carly Diaz October 17, 2016

Citrus Yogurt Bowl

Ingredients:
1 grapefruit
1 Cara Cara orange
1 navel orange
2 mandarin oranges
2-3 Tbsp honey
2 cups goat milk yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp flax seeds, ground

Preparation:
Trim off the top and bottom of each fruit, cut off all the skin and remove the pith. Then use a sharp knife to slice citrus into ½-inch thick pieces.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and honey until well combined. Layer the citrus slices in the bowl and top with the pistachios, flax seeds, and an additional drizzle of honey.

This post was created in partnership with The Wonderful Company.

In the kitchen with The Modern Proper

Carly Diaz June 30, 2016

Portland is home to an incredible community of food bloggers. Over the last few months, I've been photographing a few of my favorites, to capture their passion for creating delicious content and document their process of working. First up was Dana from Minimalist Baker and recently I had the pleasure of joining Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer of The Modern Proper as they prepared a blog post for a mixed berry shortcake recipe.

When Holly and Natalie first met, they were both authors of fledgling blogs. After discovering their shared interests, they decided to unite their talents to create a space that would inspire the modern homemaker with a new vision for gathering and sharing meals. As mothers running their own business, they understand that there is often a clash between desire and time when it comes to cooking.

The Modern Proper is dedicated to making delicious, wholesome food accessible through unintimidating ingredients, beautiful images, and stories about real life and real food. Through their approachable recipes that put quality at the forefront, they aim to inspire a return to the kitchen and the table that accommodates what a busy lifestyle needs most: time with the people we cherish and food that nourishes body and soul.

On this cool Monday morning, we gathered at Holly's house just outside of Portland. When I arrived, she and Natalie were laying out the ingredients for biscuits and unpacking blackberries, cherries, and white peaches from the market. They mixed together the dough first and popped the biscuits into the oven. Then they slipped over to the next room where they have their studio set up and started to take photos of the fruit.

Natalie and Holly are both proficient at the myriad skills required to run a food blog. Recipe development, writing, photography, project management, planning, and all the details of running a business, from client management to bookkeeping. Working as a team means they can share the workload, as well as challenge each other's ideas and creativity. Although they don't make and shoot every recipe together, they have a shared vision and goals that have given them a clear direction in their work.

When the oven timer went off, it was time for the biscuits to be in the spotlight for photographs. Then Natalie and Holly made the final selection of props: bowls, plates, utensils, and a platter for the final dessert. After preparing the fruit, they photographed individual dessert plates before assembling the final photo. One glorious pile of biscuits, cream, and fruit. One of those desserts that does not look too pretty to eat, but rather an abundance of summer goodness that urges you to dive in.

And dive in we did. After Natalie and Holly meticulously arranged the pile of biscuits, with a spring of mint strategically placed here and a splay of peaches tucked in there, they took the final photographs. Then it was time to eat! Natalie dished up three servings, Holly grabbed the forks, and we sat around the table to talk about the joys and challenges of running a small business, juggling work and family, and how much we all love food. Gathered together, sharing food and life. Exactly the kind of moment they hope to inspire with all their work.

Mexican corn salad with lime, pistachios, and cotija

Carly Diaz June 24, 2016

Yesterday we celebrated Elena's second birthday and are preparing for a backyard gathering with friends this weekend. The forecast says the sun will return and we are finalizing the menu, which will include an abundance of summer produce. It's hard to imagine the perfect summer BBQ without corn-on-the-cob. But, truth be told, I've had my struggles with it. Corn-on-the-cob isn't particularly elegant to eat. And don't even get me started on the need for floss afterward. It's delicious, but it's also kind of a hassle.

Corn-off-the-cob is more my jam. All the salty, buttery goodness without the mess. And also much easier to eat while standing around in a backyard or lounging on a picnic blanket.

Corn season is just taking off and I've been seeing photos of elote popping up everywhere. The Mexican street corn is topped with cheese, cilantro, cayenne pepper, and sauce. So delicious and it easily translates into esquites, a Mexican corn salad that integrates all the delicious toppings along with my favorite addition - pistachios! This salad has become a favorite and makes the best leftovers.

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad):

Ingredients:
6 ears of corn
½ cup chopped cilantro
4 green onions
½ cup finely crumbled cotija
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ tspn chili powder
½ tspn smoked paprika
Juice from 1 lime
½ cup salted pistachios, chopped and roasted

Preparation:
Cut corn kernels from cobs and place and place in a frying pan. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until just starting to char. Remove to large bowl. When corn has cooled, cut corn kernels from cobs into a large bowl. Mix in green onions, cilantro, pistachios, and cotija cheese.

In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, chili powder, paprika, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Pour sauce over corn and stir well to combine. Top salad with additional cheese, cilantro, and pistachios.

This post was created in partnership with The Wonderful Company and Williams-Sonoma Portland. Thank you for supporting the businesses who help make my work possible.

winter in the kitchen

Carly Diaz January 12, 2013

Earlier this week, I was delighted to discover a delicious, simple recipe for roasted cabbage. I enjoy cooking and experimenting with the produce that appears in the weekly box of CSA, but sometimes I'm at a loss for what to do with certain vegetables. Especially in the wintertime, it can be a bit difficult to muster up the creativity to cook with yet another head of cabbage.

In my pursuit for healthy, vegetarian recipes that are also packed with flavor, I have come across food blogs that constantly inspire me in the kitchen. It also doesn't hurt to have a husband that loves cooking and is a master with spices. Below are a number of recipes that showcase the vegetables and fruits that are at their best in winter. For a (northern hemisphere) calendar of what's in season, visit Eat Seasonably. Do you have any favorite winter recipes?

Cabbage recipes 1. Roasted cabbage wedge with rice from Casa Yellow (above left) 2. Cabbage salad from (above middle) 3. Rustic cabbage and white bean soup from 101 Cookbooks (above right) 4. Braised red cabbage from The Wednesday Chef 5. Sauerkraut and reasons to love it

Cauliflower recipes 1. Roasted cauliflower with cumin & coriander butter from Seven Spoons (above left) 2. Roasted cauliflower and cheddar soup from Two Peas (above middle) 3. Spicy cauliflower with sesame from 101 Cookbooks (above right)

Brussels Sprouts recipes 1. Brussels sprouts with vinegar-glazed onions from Martha Stewart (above left) 2. Braised chestnuts and Brussels sprouts from Roost (above middle) 3. Roasted Brussels sprouts and cranberries with barley from Cookie + Kate (above right)

Carrot recipes 1. Charred carrots with griddled goat cheese from Casa Yellow (above left) 2. Ginger-roasted carrots with miso dressing from My New Roots (above middle) 3. Roasted carrot soup from Food52 (above right)

Celery root recipes 1. Winter salad from Local Milk (above left) 2. Potato and celery root gratin from Delish (above middle) 2. Creamy curried celery root soup from The Minimalist (above right)

Pear recipes 1. Poached pears from The Daily Serge (above left) 2. Pear soup from Sweet Paul (above middle) 3. Pear, ricotta, and honey tart from Bella Eats (above right) 4. Spiced pear muffins from The Kitchn

rediscovering the eggplant

Carly Diaz June 12, 2012

Eggplants were never my thing. A few too many experiences with sponge-like failures kept me away from them for most of my life. But, in the past weeks, several eggplants have showed up in our local CSA box and I have given them another try. Marcus and I made up this simple recipe, which makes an easy appetizer or a full meal when served over pasta.

Ingredients: 1 eggplant, in 1/4-inch thick slices 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tomato, in thin slices Parmesan cheese, grated or in thin slices salt and pepper

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and minced garlic. Brush onto one side of the eggplant. Add the tomatoes, then the salt and pepper. Spread the Parmesan cheese on top. Place directly on the oven rack, bake for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!

cooking with kumquats

Carly Diaz January 29, 2012

The last week has been an experiment in cooking with kumquats. A colleague brought me a bag full of the small, oval fruit from Spain and it was actually the first time I had ever seen or tasted them. Kumquats are delicious when eaten raw with the skin, but also bring a burst of citrus to recipes, such as kumquat bread, kumquat marmalade, and kumquat spritzer. I think kumquats would also make a nice addition to a salad or when sauteed with tofu and veggies.

The numerous bowls filled with kumquats also have added a splash of color to my home, much needed in late January.

weekend links #44

Carly Diaz November 20, 2011

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Watching this video about translucent tape art in Amsterdam 2. Preparing menus for Thanksgiving and Christmas with inspiration from Sweet Paul (pictured above) 3. Feeling a bit cozier after spotting these socks and this sweater 4. Viewing this infographic comparing education with incarceration in the US 5. Being awed by 2,000 suspended dandelions by Swiss artist Regine Ramseier (pictured below, via colossal) 6. Seeing images of foraging for truffles in Umbria 7. Eating a meal at Proef with Liz, Jenn, Lauren, and Ellen 8. Finding the new digital magazine Contents, with insights about my field of work

late October harvest

Carly Diaz October 30, 2011

A Saturday morning delivery from de krat. With a busy work week ahead, I am looking forward to eating well with parsnip fries, baked apples, a romanesco pasta, and a pumpkin soup. The crate also came with a bottle of vlierbes azijn (elderberry vinegar), pictured below.

While Marcus is much more experimental when it comes to cooking, I have been expanding my collection of recipes with inspiration from these food blogs: 101 cookbooks, roost, what katie ate, bella eats, spoon fork bacon, sweet paul, and my new roots. What are some of your favorite places to find new food inspiration?

Weekend Links #41

Carly Diaz October 23, 2011

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Partaking in the autumn harvest with roasted parsnips (pictured above) 2. Starting to plan the next trip (someday) to Copenhagen a restaurant tips 3. Voting in Time Out's Best of Amsterdam 2011 list and getting new tips 4. Reading the familiar stories of the families in The Mixed Race Project (via allison lehman) 5. Watching the trailer for Pina, a 3-D dance film about the work of choreographer Pina Bausch, by Wim Wenders (embedded below)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXpFD7gi8R0&w=560&h=315]

recipes for October

Carly Diaz October 2, 2011

This week's delivery brought eggs, bread, broccoli stalks, pears, red onions, apple pear juice, radishes, chard, Savoy cabbage, purslane, and beef. After hearing about three more acquaintances who have signed up for de krat, I decided to not only write about the week's content, but also share a few recipes.

Pears. In the latest edition of Sweet Paul magazine, there is a section dedicated to pear recipes. The desserts look fantastic, of course, but I decided to test out the pear soup. Perfect for fall.

Fall greens. Last week we received a bunch of kale, something I have never cooked with before. I tried a simple recipe, sauteéing the greens with olive oil and garlic, then topping with a bit of cheese.

What are some of your favorite autumn recipes?

spoon fork bacon

Carly Diaz August 30, 2011

The new food blog Spoon Fork Bacon is a delicious feast in itself. The photography is top notch, the styling inspired, and each post sprinkled with complementary design elements.

First on my list to try out are the grilled zucchini tacos, the spinach and ricotta stuffed shells, and the simple blackberry jam. Served up with a kiwi capiroska or sweet cherry gin and tonic.

Images courtesy of Spoon Fork Bacon. Photography by Teri Lyn Fisher and styling by Jenny Park.

Weekend Links #14

Carly Diaz January 23, 2011

A few things I enjoyed this week: 1. Tempting my mind with thoughts of a holiday in the sun... 2. Admiring the work of New Zealand photographer Louise Hatton (pictured above, via & everything nice) 3. Trying out a delicious recipe for spicy cauliflower with sesame (pictured below) 4. Devouring the next book on the pile, Shantaram

Weekend Links #9

Carly Diaz December 14, 2010

A little late this week, but here it is! Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things that I have enjoyed, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed this week: 1. Starting to see the 'best of 2010' lists. Some favorites: NPR's Best Books of 2010 and Totally Cool Pix top photos of 2010 part I and part II 2. Scoring an 'impressive' on the CNN cultural landmarks test. I was more pleased that I have been to six out of ten of the landmarks (Berlin Wall, Big Ben, Angkor Wat, Eiffel Tower, Alcatraz and the Collosseum in Rome) than I was at my correct answers (via @kfar53) 3. Making enough cranberry sauce for a year. This recipe is delicious over plain yoghurt (image above via here) 4. Still loving Breathe Owl Breathe and this wintery tune 5. Reminiscing about the lovely Sunday Market at Westerpark (image below)