Chocolate of Choice: Ghirardelli

Globetrotter Kat Reambillo loves Ghirardelli

Name Kat Reambillo
Location/Hometown Manila, Philippines
Occupation ministry volunteer and ex-flight attendant
Chocolate of Choice: Ghirardelli

I love Ghirardelli because it covers all areas of a chocolate lover’s world. Apart from their chocolate squares, I’m a big fan of their baking chips, hot cocoa powder, and instant brownie mixes. Your friends will think you’re a baking genius, it almost feels like cheating. And their World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae? I have no words.

- Kat, 25, Manila 
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I want to know what you're eating!

Have you ever had chocolate that tasted so good you wanted to stand on rooftops and scream its name? No? Just me? Anyway. Shoot me an e-mail with a photo of you and your favorite chocolate plus a few words on why you like it. Why? Just cause.

No-Bake Mondays: Caveman Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut Cookies aka Caveman Cookies

I imagine this is how cavemen made cookies back in the day.

All you really need to do is put the ingredients in a pot, bring it to a boil, add quick cooking oats, and voila--rich, earthy chocolate oatmeal cookies in 10 minutes flat. Be prepared for a delicately fudgy, extra chewy, almost gelatinous consistency; it won't have the cake-like texture that comes from flour. Instead, it will charm you with primitive homemade flavors that uses the most basic ingredients--and rocks them.

Some tips.
1. If you want a more wholesome taste, add more oats to the mix (this recipe is BIG on chocolate flavor).
2. Dip it in vanilla yogurt! It will take this cookie experience to whole new levels of AWESOME.

 

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
Makes about 15
In Minutes: 10

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup milk
2 cups quick cooking oats
walnuts

Procedure
1. Boil sugar, butter, vanilla, cocoa powder, and milk in a pot for two minutes. Stir ocassionally.

2. Add quick cooking oats. Mix well.

3. Scoop out with spoon onto wax paper and top with walnuts. Let it cool. Then, attack!

Ta-dah. Two-bite goodness.

You'll want to lick the batter for this one. Enjoy!

- Kris Alcantara

Today's Sugarhigh: Fuji Persimmons
Score: B+

Organic Caramel Truffles, You Sexy Thing

Organic Caramel Truffles. I adore thee.

I met someone!

See, I never liked caramel--to me it was always a chocolate wannabe that just wasn't cool enough to have cocoa in it.

And then two days ago, at a little paradise called the Whole Foods chocolate aisle, I finally met a caramel I kind of like. Really, really like. I bought a box of Organic Caramel Truffles for $6.99 and I'm a happy camper. It was the "truffle" part that called out to me.

Let it be known, I am head over heels in love with chocolate truffles. I think they make one of, if not the most, pleasurable experiences known in the chocolate world. I've had my share of good ones (Royce, I miss you) and bad ones, (Choxie, never call me again), but for the most part, truffles have been these sensual beings that never fail to excite me before, during, and after I eat them.   

So I ripped the box open in the car and immediately, the smell of cocoa butter was intoxicating. Rrrrr. The truffle was dusted with cocoa powder--just the way I liked it--looking ever so handsome in deep brown hues. The caramel flavor lent itself nicely, almost like a smooth, sexy, milky-sweet indulgence that wraps around the tongue like silk. So consuming, it took command of my mouth so adamantly, there was nothing else left to do but surrender.

This could be serious.

- Kris Alcantara

Today's Sugarhigh: Ritter-Sport's Hazelnut Chocolate Bar
Score: A