Thursday, December 16, 2004


holiday chocolate gifts to make yourself

it's time, if you haven't started already, to make your holiday chocolate truffles and cookies. since children often want to be involved, i'm particularly fond of no-bake chocolate cookies like these, with coconut (use bugmenot).

easy to make bunches of to give away or send off as gifts to school. homemade truffles don't keep very long, so you should start making and giving them away this weekend!

long-time readers know i particularly recommend donnelly's truffle recipe. fresh candies taste great, so don't worry that you can't do them justice; homemade truffles are simple and lovely, when given in a pretty box.

since they are ultra-fresh, they taste extra good! everyone appreciates them, and it's not difficult to make dozens and dozens at a time.

i myself would make these no-bakes above, adding coffee instead of water, but my dear blanche is still the shop and the repair people aren't returning my messages. . .doesn't look good, does it?

i consoled myself this morning by making up a cafetiére (press pot to you!) of barry j.'s rileys own decatur st. blend.

i may personally like this better in the press than as brewed espresso. i know, i'm odd -- or perhaps i was pulling my shots too hot, as barry thinks this coffee is best with water measuring 195 degrees at the espresso machine's showerhead or in the press.

barry says this year's model of the blend may be a little fruitier than in the past. in the cafetiére i think that fruitiness in his sumatra stands out a little more, and of course you benefit from the great body. . .

if you're a fan of straight-ahead dark-roast coffee in the morning, you might really like barry's dsb!

finally, several readers sent me this total diss of a california coffee chain (thanks esp. to marshall and ruggie). ouch -- no one wants to be known as the "dirtiest cafe!"

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