Sugar Savvy

Serendipity: It’s not just a name of a popular spot in New York that serves frozen hot chocolate. No, it’s what happened this week when a monstrous snowstorm hit much of the Northeast, leaving a blanket of winter in its wake and I had a post due for this site. What better way to celebrate […]

Now that, in my opinion, the most depressing and cold months of the year are upon us, my thoughts immediately turn to hot chocolate. It’s something soothing and comforting that eases my anxiety about the cold and darkness that I feel the world becomes in the middle of the winter. As my thoughts turn to […]

I recently attended the Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon (read my review here), where I met some of the lovely people from Chuao Chocolatier and sampled a few of their most popular chocolate bars. One of the products I did not have a chance to taste at the event was the gourmet hot chocolate. Well, […]

No - I didn’t mean like that!  My mom reads this, for goodness sake! But, trick or treating isn’t just for kids.  Adults often love the festive time and have parties to go to as well.  Why not be creative in preparing a candy bucket for the party host/hostess?
As the sun sets early and the weather […]

Recently, I took a culinary press trip to Jamaica sponsored by the Jamaica Tourism Board.  Shortly after my return, I was sent something that I wish I’d sampled while in country, as they say. It was a package of three dried cocoa balls, nutmeg and a grater, along with instructions on how to make “Jamaican […]

Although rats and cockroaches in restaurants in no great surprise these days, unfortunately, I gotta say, I was a little surprised when I read the location of the latest ordered shut-down … popular, historic NYC restaurant Serendipity 3. 
Just last week the restaurant was making headlines for unveiling a $25,000 dessert (pictured) and now, shuttered.  […]

I’m not afraid to admit it.  I hate the heat.  Really, I can’t stand it.  My favorite seasons are Spring and Fall, with Summer a very distant fourth.  In New Jersey, unfortunately, weather-wise we tend to bypass Spring and hurtle top-speed for Summer, so when I saw an article on Iced Cocoa in the May/June […]

As warmer temperatures waft over most of the world’s population, my hot chocolate contributions to Sugar Savvy come to an end. For the next several months, I’m guessing that most of you will gladly leave the pot of scalding milk behind for chocolate bars gently melted in the sun. Of course, I don’t […]

It’s Saturday night, and I’ve been sitting in front of my computer for the past 48 hours. It’s time to find something to distract me from work entirely. This recipe should do the trick:
Cacao-Spiked Hot Chocolate
Heat one cup of milk in a small pan over medium-low heat until simmering. Turn off heat. Add two ounces […]

Nutella is one of the mysteries of Chocolate connoisseurship. It’s primary ingredient is not chocolate but sugar. Its fat comes from vegetable oil and nuts, not cacao. Still, Nutella’s blend of flavors is mysteriously perfect, and the Italian hazelnut-chocolate spread is universally beloved. And as easily as it can be […]