RobertM

Lior, once more you are inspiring me - my candy kitchen is being "upgraded" (new ceramic tiles being installed) and once that project is completed, I'm going to try my hands at making something like these - will post pics for comments when done, but in the meantime...I'm printing out your pictures and putting them on my office wall for inspiration... You ROCK

Thanks so much for the compliment John, appreciate it greatly, and yes, it was yummy - they all were good, in their own specific manner -

I think I should be the one thanking you for the inspiration!!! Do you have them resting on a silpat, or a piece of plastic with shapes? If it's plastic with shapes, do you ever use it to create different shapes in/on your chocolate?

Following up, here was the end result of our party - which according to the guests was a resounding success. We began with a wonderful Italian Sparkling wine/strawberrys - Prosecco First course, we had a lime curd, citrus salad and white chocolate mousse served with a Jackson-Triggs Ice wine Second course was a Chocolate-Mocha Tart served with Pinot Noir and lastly we did a Chocolate-Pomegranate Torte served with Port Thanks to everyone who responded, read about this, provided excellent ideas - now it's time to rest until next time....

And lastly for the evening this is a Chocolate-Pomegranate Torte which we served with a magnificent Port http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/12318642...6469_653822.jpg Visually speaking, I was not real happy with this torte, I wanted a much smoother presentation of the ganache, but, the taste was incredible.

This is the Milk Chocolate-Mocha Tart which I served with a wonderful Pinot Noir http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/12318642..._6469_96849.jpg http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/12318642...6469_225131.jpg

OK, thanks Tri2cook, let's try again... http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/12318642...6469_230111.jpg This is a lime curd with citrus salad, topped with white chocolate mousse

Lior Those are BEAUTIFUL - and look mighty tasty...!!! You are the beginnings of inspiration to try something like that!! Bob

I took pictures of our three desserts from our second annual chocolate tasting party - now I have to figure out how to post the pictures...

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good wine to drink with a milk chocolate tart? I'm thinking perhaps a Pinot Noir, but someone else suggested a Zinfindel What do you think? Thanks

I think it looks great as well, and gfron1 has the RIGHT idea - a little ice cream, a little Port... who needs anything else? I'm totally jealous I'm not at the Kama Sutra dinner - am anxiously awaiting news on how it all turned out

I am on Chocolate overload just looking at the pictures - WOW... THANKS

Come on over...always room for another sweet tooth/wine lover

I hope this thread is still active next week. I'm hosting a Valentines Day Chocolate Tasting Party (I started another thread somewhere...) and will take pictures of the treats I'm making. My concept is simple - everyone likes Chocolate. (If not, there is something wrong with them anyway...) We have three "courses" set; starting with the White Chocolate Course, moving to a Milk Chocolate and finally, the rich, dense Dark Chocolate Course Each course, paired with a different wine - In our eyes, good friends, good wine and good chocolate - what more could we ask for???

Wow - thanks so much for the awesome tips - I want to try each and every one of them.... Thank you everyone - you're awesome!

I use it in clusters. Dark chocolate mixed with the coconut then just drop on parchment in bite size mounds. Also coconut cream bonbons dipped in dark or milk chocolate. ← I hadn't thought of that, I thought the coconut for confections should be toasted or the sweetend flake variety - but that does sound like it would be delicious - is dessicated coconut the variety of coconut used in a "mounds" bar???

Wow, those look delicious...!!! I'll be trying those this weekend!!!

This is probably a basic question but what uses do you have for dessicated coconut? I have a small quantity here and am at a loss for what to use it in, or even "how" to use it. Thanks for the information - Bob

I had heard running vegetable oil through the airbrush, once you're done with your work will help to keep the brush clean and ready for use when needed - anyone ever hear of this? Thoughts on it?

Sorry - didn't mean to be obnoxious - Here is a link that better explains en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mama_Juana

If you're interested in a liquor with aphrodisiac qualities (be they truth or legend) you may want to try and find some Mama Juana - it's a rum/red wine/honey mixture that is flavored with a variety of local herbs and barks. I just had some in the Dominican Republic. I can't testify to any aphrodisiac properties - as I didn't care for the flavor - none the less - I just pass along the information available at hand

I've found it somewhat useful. I'm pretty much self-taught and some of the ingredients in the formulas and technigues I am not familiar with, but, I'm working on it, and with the help of reading forums here I'm getting more comfortable. If it wouldn't be risking a copyright infringement, I could post a copy of a Formula here to let you see what they are like - any specific request for a confection?

...and Manufacturing Confectioner has "Choice Confections" by Walter Richmond for $75.00. I've not seen the Complete Confectionary Techniques book but I own Choice Confections - is the CCT worth that much more?

I just Googled the book and found the same book on several other sites, for example, BiggerBooks dot com is selling it for $236.91 (American)

I seem to recall reading somewhere that it's difficult to ship chocolates from coast to coast, because the planes have to fly above the Rockies, the change in air pressure causes damage to the fragile chocolate shells. Supposedly this is why Mrs. See's has production facilities on both sides of the mountain range. Of course, someone could have just been playing with my extreme gullability