All About Chocolate
Chocolate for all of us associated with something sweet, hearty, aromatic and enticing.Chocolate can be met in different ways - pastries, puddings and desserts, while the milkor dark chocolate is a favorite treat for many. Chocolate is derived, in particular the treatment of cocoa tree seeds called cocoa beans. They are shelled, roasted and then powdered in all, both sweetened and unsweetened chocolate based. Chocolate with noadded sugar, cocoa beans are ground mass, along with other ingredients, in manyarticles. Unsweetened chocolate, which is also known as the Baker chocolate, are seldom used in the diet on their own, because it is very bitter.
To give chocolate sweetness, add sugar to it. It is commonly found in various types of sweet chocolate: bitter, bitter sweet and sweet, which is usually milk chocolate,accompanied by vanilla, cocoa butter, milk powder and / or chocolate syrup. The most commonly used in the production of bitter sweet, bitter sweet and sweet chocolate,which is welded in cake form, which produces chocolate candy toppings.
Note: The word "cacao"refers to the cacao tree from which cocoa beans are harvested.Cocoa is also a product from the processing of cocoa beans. Cocoa butter is the fat part of the composition of cocoa beans.
Chocolate Types
Unsweetened chocolate
Unsweetened chocolate is the purest form of chocolate. It is made from cocoa beans that are fermented, dried, roasted and ground. U.S. chocolate this way is more commonly known by the name of chocolate syrup (liqueur), but in Britain it is usually called cocoamass. This type of chocolate contain on average 50% of cocoa butter, and the most commonly used in food preparation and cooking, but not consumed on its own.
Bitter sweet chocolate
Bitter-sweet chocolate from the mixture of at least 35% unsweetened chocolate mass and up to 50% of cocoa butter, adding sugar and vanillin. It has a dark color, and most often used in cooking because it gives food a rich chocolate flavor and excellent aroma.
Medium-sweet chocolate
This type of chocolate, like the bitter-sweet chocolate, containing 35% unsweetened chocolate mass and up to 50% of cocoa butter, which are added more sugar. It gives this type of chocolate taste a lot sweeter, and so the chocolate is good to use in confectionery.
Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate type, made from unsweetened chocolate mass, cocoa butter, vanilla and sugar, and milk is added to the mass, which gives chocolate a lighter color and makes it smoother. Many choose to just milk chocolate because of its mild taste. Usually in children less like eating dark chocolate because of its bitterness.
White Chocolate
White chocolate actually can not be called chocolate because it contains no cocoa. It is composed of cocoa butter, sugar, vanillin and milk. It has the same texture as other forms of chocolate, and is also much used in confectionery.
Cocoa powder
Cocoa powder is obtained by pressing unsweetened chocolate mass and the removal of cocoa butter. The mass is then dried and processed into powder, which is also known to all cocoa powder. There are two types of cocoa powder: not sweet, also known as natural, and "Dutch-processed" (in Dutch), accompanied by an alkaline (basic) reagent, which neutralizes acid. This gives the powder is red dish, and it is easily soluble in water. Unsweetened cocoa powder is a very bitter taste, caused by the cocoa contained acid, and it gives food a rich, saturated taste.
Couverture chocolate (couverture)
Chocolate Glaze is a high quality chocolate that contains at least 32% cocoa butter.Usually you can find a special chocolate stores and it is used in chocolate candy making glazed toppings, as well as other confectionery articles.
Chocolate chips
Chocolate chips are produced from different kinds of chocolate, specifically treating them. It is found in a wide range of chocolate pieces in appearance and taste. High-quality pieces retain their shape, adding them to cookies, cakes baking them and other sweets. The picture is a mini pieces, dice, medium-sweet and white chocolate pieces.
Chocolate Storage
Chocolate should be stored very carefully because it may be adversely affected by environmental factors such as different flavors, moisture. It would be best to store chocolate in a cool, dry and dark place. It is not recommended to keep the chocolate in the refrigerator, because this gives rise to condensation and humidity can lead to off-white membrane on the surface of chocolate. It occurs when the humidity begins to dissolve the chocolate. When it evaporates, crystals formed, which in turn grantedchocolate gray tone. Similarly, occurs when chocolate is exposed to suddentemperature changes. Cocoa butter separates from the rest of the mass that makes thechocolate top layer of greyish. However, even the chocolate is still edible, despite the unattractive appearance.
Mediterranean Gold - Olive Oil
A bit of history
On olive oil and its top - olive trees - as well as for any historical phenomenon, survived a variety of evidence: among the archaeological excavations suggest that the trees start to grow no less and maybe even more than 6000 years ago, but only 2,500 years ago from its learned how to squeeze the olive oil, at that time known as "liquid gold". Other evidence to say that the oils extracted for the first time in 4,500 years BC. Initially the trees have grown up in Asia and Egypt, from where people are around 3,000 years ago brought to Spain through the Greek islands, but then also to other Mediterranean countries. However, it is found in the data that the oldest olive tree, which is found on the island of Santorini, at that time was already 39,000 years old.
Either way, both the history and today the olive tree and olive oil are important - both for everyday
Orthodoxy and the olive tree is one of the main characters, because it is a symbol of peace and love. In Greece, respect and love for trees handed down from generation to generation. Judaism olive oil also played an important role - for example, Menor (golden candlesticks were made by Moses at God's instructions) not to use candles, but only pure olive oil. Also frequently mentioned in the Koran and the olive tree as one of the most holy and complimentary facilities. While the mention of olive oil in ancient Greece more than 60 Hippocratic recipes with the help of his wounds were treated, insomnia, and cholera. Olive oil is also used in cosmetic production ", if I may say, by extending the period of time.
Olive tree and olive oil over the centuries has had a powerful role in the mythology (the Greeks believed that the wisdom of the goddess Athena is that mankind has olive trees, while the Egyptians considered that Izida taught people to use to grow olives and olive trees). Later, olive oil is used both as currency and as many Mediterranean cultures an integral part of daily meals.
What is olive oil?
Olive oil has long been known in the history of our world as a tool by which both were treated for skin ailments and diseases, with the burning oil lamps, but it did not, however, none of the menu! Did not use the fact that, by pressing oil from old methods, it was not particularly attractive and taste was very bitter aftertaste. Only the relatively recent past, people learned to get good taste and quality of olive oil. As technology evolves, olive oil was to maximize, in a powerful centrifuges, it is possible to squeeze the oil from the water, resulting in the ideal taste of many valuable nutrients and low acid levels. Olive oil contains a lot of mono unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants (to lower cholesterol levels) and poly phenols (reduces risk of cancer).
Mediterranean diet
Mediterranean diet does not mean foods with reduced fat content and a limited amount of calories, it is the quality of life, lifestyle, man who put an early age., It fits in a leisurely conversations, enjoying life and meal in the center is a good olive oil, legumes, fish, fresh local vegetables and, of course, good wine ..
In countries with a population subject to the Mediterranean diet AGREEMENT and used on a daily good-quality olive oil, a much longer life, people live an average of 70 years, they have a lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer, lower cancer risk (especially urinary tract, throat and digestive system). Such a diet also reduces cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and risk of obesity.
