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Well, lets just say that fate is quirky. I really wanted to be a doctor. One ofmy bosses wanted to pay for me to become a lawyer. Another one of my professorswanted me to be a graduate assistant in German Languages and Literature. Anotherprofessor wanted me to become an Economist. Another professor wanted me in hisbed (oops). What I got instead was 4 beautiful children, a marriage of 27+ years, and a pastry and chocolate store in sub-rural Michigan.
In the mid to late 70's I was your typical honors student: Phi Beta Kappa,National Honor Society, Mensa, and received a full merit scholarship to WayneState University, from which I graduated Magna Cum Laude. My major was in GermanLanguages and Literature with a double-major turned minor in Philosophy. I tookmany different courses, including Physics, Economics, Art History, Art, much literature in English and Russian, Anthropology, Linguistics, PoliticalScience, a great deal of History, and much Psychology.
One thing had never wavered: I loved food and was intrigued by cuisine fromeverywhere on the planet. In between a full course schedule and severalother part-time jobs in libraries as well as being a research assistant in thePhilosophy and German departments, I also worked in restaurants. The mostsignificant back-of-the-house food experience was at the Traffic Jam and Snug onSecond and Canfield in the Cass Corridor in Detroit. This nouvelle cuisine and pubrestaurant only had a urinal as a petunia planter on the outside brick wall tosignify its existence. They were packed every day from noon 6 pm. Closed onweekends.
It was there that a wonderful baker named Al taught me his old world skills inbaking and pastry. Yes, we made French puff pastry and Danish pastry from scratch.Yes we did all of our breads, rolls and pie crusts from scratch. We producedmassive pies, flans, quiches and more. If it used flour, we made it and it sold.This wasn't practice, this was a busy restaurant. So, when people say "Oh, Gwen,you are self-taught," this is not true. I've apprenticed alongside bakers and chefswho have trusted me to produce items as they would produce themselves for payingclientele. This was hands-on learning along with having true responsibility. One dayAl said to me: "Gwen, Id like you to have my recipes." Sadly and with resignation Iresponded: "Al, there is not a future in this for me."
Why not a future? In the late 70's, women weren't becoming chefs. Young women withmy level of academic talent were expected to break feminist barriers by becomingengineers, bankers, lawyers, and doctors. Even men were just beginning to become chefsin the US during that time period. Chefs were considered "cooks" and were oflow-status and received low wages. The title of chef was a privilege reserved forEuropeans. Today, that has all changed. Thank goodness.
So here I am an executive chef and owner without culinary school credentials. Yet,because of my knowledge of physics, I can structure a cake with confidence. Myfascination and experience with chemistry provides familiarity with theconcepts behind creating recipes and sensitizes me to the complex reactions in bakingand confectionery. Art training and experiencing art history allows me to interpret a myriadof designs. Economics has taught me how to run and market a business as well as tohelp me to understand and respond to larger trends in the marketplace.
Plus, I live to make other people happy. This gives me great personal satisfaction. My wish is to have customers enjoy our products, services, and environments, which have beencreated for what we hope is the greater good of the community.
As for how I have practiced my skills during my adult years:
I opened a catering business in 1987 when our second child (a daughter) was 6 months old and suspended it when our third child (a son) was 1 1/2 years old in 1991. (He was hell on wheels.) Needless to say, professional catering was a bit much to handle with 3 children under the age of 8 years old. After the birth of our 4th child (another daughter) in 1993, I began my chocolate exploration in earnest by leasing kitchen space (again) and taking specialty chocolates to craft shows and fairs as well as malls and other specialty shops to sell both retail and wholesale. In 2000 we leased our own retail location and named it Trifles .
Trifles is still open and growing in this outrageous debacle of a decade in Michigan, rife with unemployment, foreclosures and general economic strife. It has not been easy or financially rewarding. This can only mean that I am doing it for the love of chocolate, pastry and people :) Not necessarily in that order.
Xoxolat:
A new store in Vancouver that sets out to explore both the fun and the serious aspects of gourmet chocolates. In the store, you can always expect the most unexpected and refreshing combinations of chocolates and just about anything that's edible -- from the Pop rocks candy to bacon/espresso to freshly shaved Italian black truffles. Everything made in the store is without artificial flavoring and with no emulsifiers! Their own 71% dark chocolate offers a unique flavor profile, an interesting departure from the more widely used Callebaut and Valrhona. My favorite is their sour cherry and chili bar. They also make special occasions extra special by making truffles with ingredients that you bring to the store.
On the other hand, this is also THE place in Vancouver to replenish the stock on the best artisan chocolates from around the world, to name a few: Amano, Amedei, Claudio Corallo, Cluizel , Pralus, Theo, Valrhona, and the largest collection of chocolates from the Austrian company Zotter I've seen. They also carry products from Terra Nostra -- a Vancouver a based organic/equitable trade chocolate company owned and operated by fifth-generation chocolatier Karlo Flores. The staff in the store is definitely knowledgeable to back this selection up. However, it's a special treat if you happen to catch their resident chocolate expert Ethel Makon who is able to break down flavors in a chocolate according to the terrain and climates of its origin.Xoxolat is also working closely with local wine, Scotch and tea experts to come up with new flavor combinations and uses of chocolates. A trip to the store will fill you with feelings of warmth and satisfaction that fine chocolates never fail to incite. The closest transit stop is at Burrard Street and Broadway Avenue by the No. 9 bus. The store is just one block north.
XOXOLAT
http://www.xoxolat.com/
2391 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC V6J 3J2 Canada
Phone: 604.733.CHOC (2462) Fax: 866.795.8412
Thomas Haas Patisserie:
Vancouverites arelucky to have a world renowned chocolatier -- Thomas Haasright in their backyard. Thomas has been chosen to be one of the top10 chocolatiers in North America by the Dessert Professional magazine in 2009. The only one in Canada! He has two store locations in thegreater Vancouver area. Hisflagship shop is in North Vancouver and actually requires a short journeyto get to. But his chocolates and the scenery along the way make it more thanworthwhile to embark on this half day trip.
The best way to get to North Vancouver is to take the seabus at the Waterfront Station which can be reached by either taking the northbound Canada line or the 98 B-line. The station itself is a heritage building built in 1910 located within walking distance to the historical gas town district. The boat ride offers a panoramic view of the Vancouver harbor-- the gateway to Asia. As the boat pulls away from the dock one gets the a beautiful snapshot of the Canada place with its unique architecture. Alsocoming into sight, a stretch of emerald green, theStanley Park, stands in serenity against the turquoise water that extendswestward under the Lions Gate Bridge and then to the horizon and beyond. While I was still immersed in the beauty of the North Shore mountains my attention was quickly snatched away by the bright yellow pyrmiads of sulfur, momentos for the times when they played amajor role igniting the citys development. Cargo ships and cruises crisscross the waters weaving the picture of a vibrant and diverse economy for the region's future. While the picturic scenerygives the monstrous cargo ships from the Far East a chance to temporarily surrender their weariness,it also makes the perfect pre-course for the visual and gastronomic feast tocome.
Off the boat at Lonsdale Quay, where one can savor the freshest seafood cooked on site, here is the connecting point to various popular tourist destinations including the Grouse Mountain hiking trail. A15 minute ride on the 236 bus to its last stop will take us to the backyard of Thomas shop. The boat/bus ride takes about 45 minutes provided smooth connections. Upon entering the store I was immediately drawn to the dazzling array of luxurious creation by this fourth-generation chocolatier. Truffles, pastries and desserts,each hand crafted and elaborately decorated, resemble pieces of artworkstimulating both imagination and salivation.
Although everything is sublime, here are a few things that stood out during my visit. His line of chocolate caramels are testaments to their skills at confectionery. These pockets of amber colored delight conveythe subtle balance between sweetness and smokiness. Thomas and his team further add newdimensions by introducing unusual ingredients such as balsamic vinegar/ honey,merlot, and tropical fruits to his caramel . The perfect consistency andtexture allow the flavors to tango and swirl on the palate but with a clean, polite exit. The fruity flavored truffles boast dense and full-bodied texture while the flavor isdelicate and bright. The cassis cake made with both cassis jam and cassis infusedwhite chocolate mousse is my favorite. And their double baked almond croissant stillmakes me drool whenever I think of it. This location often hosts pastry chefsfrom restaurants and hotels experimenting with their latest inspiration. Sometimesthe customers can have a taste of these new creations for a fraction of thecost when they make it to the menu. Reluctantly leaving the store, I found a stroll along the harbor and on to the piers, enjoying the Vancouver skyline from another perspective a very good way to wind down from such adecadent banquet.
Haas' second shop is conveniently located in the Kitslanoarea in the lower mainland, nestled between some of the best restaurants in Vancouver.It can be reached by simply taking the 99 B line to Broadway AvenueandMcDonald St. A short 200 m walk to the east, you are in chocolate heaven.
Thomas Haas Patisserie
http://www.thomashaas.com/
North Vancouver Store - 604.924.1847998 Harbourside Drive, Unit 128
Kitsilano Store - 604.736.18482539 West Broadway, Vancouver
to me, the chocolates from both Xoxolat and Haas' are able to reflect Vancouver's colorful and diverse culture and they also embody the people's friendliness and hospitality. As any good chocolates should, they absorb qualities from the surroundings and merged with their own unique abilities to inspire passion and creativity in all of us who take a bite in them. I hope your Vancouver chocolate experience is just as good as mine if not better. Happy eating!!
I love brownies, but they must be perfect! I do not like cake-like brownies (does anyone?). The gooier the better! In order to get perfect brownies, you need to do 2 things. Stop stirring when *most* of the dry ingredients are mixed in (using a spoon, never a beater). And undercook them. Don't take them out when they're absolutely still uncooked (when wet batter comes off on your fork or toothpick). But take them out when some sticky crumbs come off on the fork. If the fork is clean, your brownies are toast. This gets particularly tricky when you have pieces of chocolate in the batter that melt and pretend they are uncooked brownies. That's why mine always have a ton of poke marks.
**Disclaimer - it may be very, very dangerous to undercook brownies, because they have eggs in them. Eggs are always a potential carrier of salmonella. If you are concerned about this, you can always buy pasteurized egg substitute. Still tastes good, and healthier too!
If brownies are not like this, it is not worth eating them.
And brownies are best 20 minutes after coming out of the oven.
That being said, my sister and I had an awesome brownie sunday at Chili's the other day! The brownie was molten and slowly flowing under the melting glaciers of vanilla ice cream. So good! We both ate more and more far beyond when we were full because it was so good. It was worth wishing we would explode for the rest of the night.
It's about to snow pretty bad this weekend. Usually I like to make a box of Ghiardeli Double Chocolate brownies when I'm snowed in, but I have no eggs. I'm trying really hard to fight the urge to go to the grocery store, but I'm going to miss my snow brownies.
"We feel that other than celebrating the wondrous cocoa plant, International Chocolate Day brings the opportunity to celebrate everything chocolaty," he says. "A little bit of decadence never hurt anyone, so we are encouraging people to celebrate this day by joining in the merriment by gorging themselves silly on the dreamy stuff without needing an excuse."
While chocolate has long been considered a great indulgence, recent studies have also shown that there may be reasons to feel a little less guilty about eating chocolate and it can actually be beneficial to your health.
"Researchers have found that certain chocolates and cocoa contain flavonoids, or anti oxidents that may help reduce the risk of heart disease," he says. "Chocolate also contains potassium, magnesium and calcium, and recent studies have shown that chocolate contains a substance called catechins that could help prevent cancer and heart disease."
In addition, with its reputed aphrodisiac qualities, chocolate with a high cocoa content has for centuries been associated with the simple sensual pleasure of its consumption.
