Nobody Knows the Truffles I've Seen

Joanna Lefebvre

Simon Stevenson
Pastry Chef/bakeshop Manager
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA

"Chocolate has a universal appeal and with so many different varieties, there are very few flavor profiles that don't pair well with at least one varietal.

"We do a chocolate pizza that is hands-down the most popular chocolate item we serve. We make a chocolate sweet dough, roll it out like a pizza, and bake it off. We spread a raspberry preserve over the cooled crust, then layer fresh cut berries and sprinkle white and dark chocolate curls over the berries. We spray an apricot glaze over the whole pizza to preserve it and give it a little shine. The pizza is not only delicious, it has a lot of grab-and-go appeal as well.

"We also make a soup with heavy cream and chocolate that is similar to a thinned-out ganache. I'll either cross it with an orange flavor or—to make it spicier—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. Surprisingly, chocolate and pepper go really well together.

"In the future, I expect to see more interest in single bean varieties, which are more intense and unique in their flavor.

Alice Pollard, RD, LD
Director of Nutrition Services
Miami Valley Hospital
Dayton, OH

"Cocoa and chocolate have been used in old world Spanish, Mexican, South American and even Italian recipes for years. Oftentimes, chocolate is the secret ingredient, as it is in mole, for example. As global cuisine continues to evolve, I expect chocolate to be more widely used in entrees and appetizers.

"Last year, we entered the chocolate barbecue beef medallions with baby carrots, yellow peppers and Enokki mushrooms, sauteed purple and sweet, potato slices, service on a bed of baby spinach and swiss chard recipe into the HFM Culinary Competition (see recipe below).

"A number of the taste testers were surprised by how well the barbecue and chocolate complement one another in the company of beef. Since chocolate can be a powerful flavor, it was important in the development to give each flavor equal pride of place.

Helen Wechsler
Dining Director
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

"We have an entire station concept dedicated to chocolate!

"At the bar, we have dip-your-own program where we offer different items students can dip in the milk chocolate fondue fountain. We keep the program seasonal by alternating foods like apples in October, dried fruits in December, strawberries in February. We also offer short breads and cookies year round.

"We also have a dark chocolate covered cheesecake, chocolate and cranberry scones, chocolate chunk cookies, tiramisu pudding, chocolate cannoli, white chocolate crepes, among others. Our chocolate covered caramel popcorn is a popular seller as well."

PHOTO BY HELEN WECHSLER