For The Love Of Chocolate – Paris!

Click2Leave continues its exploration of international recipes with a French chocolate revolution!

France is known for its pastries; from macaroons to gâteaux, thousands flock to French culinary institutes to study under the world’s most talented pastry chefs. French chocolate recipes often combine the flavours of the land; this recipe includes a lavender garnish. Enjoy!

Bittersweet Pot de Crème

Ingredients

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• lavender flowers or buds

Place the finely chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream and the salt, then pour over the chocolate to melt it. Whisk the yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar. Temper the yolk mixture with the hot chocolate mixture then place on the stove over medium heat to thicken slightly. Pour warm water into a shallow baking dish and place ramekins inside dish. Pour chocolate mixture into ramekins and let sit for 30-45 minutes – the French call this cooking technique bain marie. Once the chocolate has set, garnish with a dollop of heavy cream and lavender flowers.

For The Love Of Chocolate – Mexico!

Many of us use our vacations to enjoy the culinary prowess of other cultures. Click2Leave features some quick and easy international recipes, inspired by our trips abroad and featuring everyone’s favourite indulgence: chocolate!

Mexico is world-famous for its chocolate, which features a rich, earthy taste. In Mexico, you are more likely to find quaint cafés serving hot chocolate on every corner; what coffee is to North Americans, hot chocolate is to Mexicans!

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

• 2 cups of milk (skim, 1% or 2%)
• 2 oz. (60 ml) of Mexican chocolate
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• A  pinch of cinnamon

 Heat the milk in a saucepan until it nears the boiling point – do not allow the milk to boil. Add the chocolate, honey, vanilla, a pinch of salt and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir continually until the chocolate is completely dissolved. Stir the hot chocolate with a whisk until it is very frothy. Pour into mugs and serve!

Mexico: The Place You Thought You Knew

Many would argue that the best value in a tropical destination right now is, hands down, Mexico.

Mexico is North America’s third largest country in size and, in terms of population, the second largest in North America (after the USA).  Mexico shelters over 110 million residents and receives about 25 million foreign visitors each year.  Its land mass equals almost 2 million square kilometres and it straddles the Caribbean Sea on its east coast and the Pacific Ocean on its west coast. 

Few countries in the world can boast Mexico’s preservation of some of the world’s most intricate cultures and structures that inhabited North America before the Europeans arrived.  The Toltec, Mayan and Aztec Indians are all well-documented in Mexican museums and can be witnessed firsthand at various ruins throughout the country such as Chichen Itza, Xel-Ha and Xcaret. There was also substantial contact and intermixing with these tribes and the various Amerindian tribes that populated the many Caribbean islands; those that spoke Arawak, for example, originally came from the areas of the Orinoco River in Venezuela/Colombia and the Amazon Rainforest basin.  Mexico’s influence on the USA is not forgotten as Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming all used to belong to Mexico.

FYI: Mexico has the distinction of being the North American country with the most registered places on the World Heritage List (25, to be exact).

Mexico is known as the gastronomy capital of the world. It is renowned for its rich food heritage and training of famous chefs from around the globe, including celebrity chef Richard Sandoval and Food Network chef Marcela Valladolid.

Mexico boasts several of the world’s travel hotspots, including:

• Cancun, Mexico’s most popular tourist destination, is known for its affordable accommodations and the preservation of its nearby Mayan heritage sites
• Los Cabos, an exclusive resort destination, is popular with celebs and home to El Arco, a rocky arch formation that is considered a destination landmark
• Mexico City, North America’s oldest city, is world-famous for its architecture, history and museums

Due to its diverse landscape, Mexico can accommodate several vacation themes; cruising, ecotourism and deluxe all-inclusive vacations are common options when arranging a visit to Mexico.

For information on Mexico’s travel destinations, visit www.visitmexico.com.

To arrange your Mexico vacation visit www.click2leave.com!

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