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Show c, Lifestyle C3 II Weddings C3 II Preview C4 Friday, February 5, 1993 The Daily Herald We live to 'DEATH by CHOCOLATE' serve the grateful By LINDA BEAULIEU For AP Special Features It's such a joy working with the public. I called a lady this morning to verify a wedding. We have this policy that protects us from the practical jokers who think it'd be a hoot to see their best friend in a wedding announcement to a girl he's never seen. Consequently, we insist that we meet the bride, groom, mother or father of one of the intended, or at least check with another source to see if the person who called us really exists AND knows anything about wedding plans. Sharon 4 Haddock": , S l 'J -- .- -i Lifestyle Writer This particular day we had an announcement phoned in from out of state. It was my job to check it out. I look up the number and I dial. A lady answers. "Is this Mrs. Smith to whom I need to speak?" I say (admittedly not your stellar opening question but it's morning yet.) "Maybe," muttered the voice. "Uh, I'm calling from The Daily Herald, " I continued , ' ' And I..." She cut me off. "I don't want The Daily Herald!" she snapped. "I've told you people before ..." I was stung and I thought she was going to hang up so I quickly interrupted. "Hey, wait. I'm not trying to sell you anything. I have a wedding announcement here for your daughter you wanted us to run as a service?" She paused. I went on. "Do you have a daughter who's just been married and w ho called us about putting in her announcement?" "Yes," the lady answered tight- ly. "Well , do you want us to put that in for her?" I asked, thinking at this point she didn't deserve our efforts. "Well, yes." the lady warmed right up to say. "I think we'd like that. Go ahead and read me what you have. I know she wanted it '' exactly as she wrote it. I dutifully reeled off the words written on my computer screen. "Do you want us to add the information about where she's living and working?" I inquired. "No! " the mother again snapped. "You run it just like she wrote it!" Okay. I swallowed my indignation and promised to put the announcement in the follow ing day as dictated. I thanked her for her time, expecting maybe an apology or a thank you in return. I guess I got one of sorts. Her parting words were this. "That'll be nice if you could run that. We don't take The Daily Herald (obviously) but a lot of our friends DO!" A golden wedding couple came in with a one line announcement and two pictures. When we explained that we don't piece pictures together to create a couple, the lady got upset with me. I then offered to "rent" a picture from another newspaper run by my husband. At my own expense, on my own time, I would fetch the picture from another town, get it copied for The Herald and return it. She grudgingly agreed that would be all right except she was clearly concerned that her picture w ould not appear in the other paper if she agreed to let us use it too. I then tried to suggest she add more lines to her information such as children's names, etc. She would have none of it. insisting that every one already know s her children and besides; two years ago, her husband ran a birthday announcement that listed everything. I gave up and we ran the one line announcement. But, you guessed it, after it ran I got this visit and message. "We really wish there had been more printed. You could have put more in than that," she told me mournfully. "I just can't understand this newspaper." LOT) "Death by Chocolate: The Last Word On A Consuming Passion" is Marcel Desaulniers' new cookbook that gets its title from a devastating concoction of chocolate that is best prepared over a period of three days. The end result is layers of cocoa meringue, chocolate mousse, chocolate brownies, chocolate ganache, mocha mousse and mocha rum sauce. When finished, the cake weighs 10 pounds, serves 12 and contains a whopping ,354 calories per slice. Each recipe in "Death by Chocolate" (Rizzoli Publishers, New York, $25) was painstakingly tested by Desaulniers and pastry chef John Twichell at the Trellis Restaurant in colonial Williamsburg, Va. Desaulniers is the restaurant's executive chef 1 12-ye- ar in Williamsburg, Va. ) the heat and stir until smooth. Keep at room temperature until needed. l 5 1 and The Trellis is known for its innovative menu, which changes with each season, as well as its divine desserts. Customers at the Trellis often eat a sensible dinner, only to indulge in a chocolate des- sert . Recipes were developed over a period with help of three pastry chefs at Trellis Restaurant Related story, C3 Desaulniers and Twichell used the same equipment one would find in a reasonably home kitchen. The reciwere then retested in the pes kitchen of Desaulniers' home to make certain they were within the grasp of the average baker. The cookbook features recipes for Chocolate Honey Almond Crunch, Simply the Best Chocolate Brownies, Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Sliced Blood Oranges with White Chocolate Sauce and Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake. well-equipp- ed Ten ways to show someone you care on Valentine's Day Family and friends will appreciate thoughtful acts for Valentine's Day: 1. Send them an FTD floral arrangement, with a note letting them know you're thinking about them. 2. Offer to babysit for a night of their choice, so they can go out and spend some quality time together alone. 3. Call their favorite radio station and make a dedication. 4. Mount and frame an appropriate poem (about friendship, love, sisters, etc.), letting them know how you feel about them. 5. The next time you borrow their car, wash and wax it to show your appreciation. (Teens take note.) 6. Cook them their favorite homemade dinner, or make something original. (This will make a hit with parents.) 7. Leave a note in their briefcase at work, wishing them a happy day! (Husbands or wives will get points for this one.) 8. Start a monthly family newslet- ter with photos, include friends on the mailing list. 9. Clip coupons and articles of interest for nearby and long distance friends. 10. Offer to exchange errands one trip to the post office for one trip to the library. (A good way for neighbors to become friends. ) Chef Marcel Desaulniers discusses his new cookbook, "DeAPp'h0)0 Chocolate," with baking and pastry students at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. During a visit to Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., Desaulniers told baking and pastry students how chocolate recipes can go from the easy to such as Deep Dark prepare Chocolate Fudge Cookies to the more elaborate. Desaulniers is also the author of "The Trellis Cookbook." The recipes for "Death by Chocolate" were developed over a period with the help of three pastry chefs at the Trellis Restaurant. 12-ye- ar DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIES flour cups cup unsw eetened cocoa teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt 1 Vi se Vi 1 1 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 8 pieces 4 ounces unsweetened choco late, broken into ce pieces IVi cups tightly packed light brown sugar 12 tablespoons unsalted but- ter 3 eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla ex- tract 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips Chocolate Ganache (recipe below), optional Place the light brown sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high for an additional 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, while beating on medium, stopping to scrape down the bowl after incorporating each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium for 30 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and beat on low for 10 seconds more. Scrape down the bowl and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Add the sifted flour, cocoa and baking soda. Also add the chocolate chips and beat on low until thoroughly combined, about 20 to 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Portion 6 to 8 cookies per baking sheet .by dropping 2 level tablespoons of batter per cookie onto each of two baking sheets. Place the cookies on the top and middle shelves of the preheated F oven; bake for 8 to 22 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom about halfway through the baking time. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 to 6 minutes on the baking sheets. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to throughly cool before storing in a sealed plastic container. Repeat this procedure until all the cookies have been baked. Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiier over medium heat. Place the semisweet and the unsweetened chocolates in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with plastic wrap and allow to heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from Chocolate recipes can go from the easy to prepare such as Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies to the more elaborate. ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE GANACHE 2 cups heavy cream 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons granulated sugar ounces semisweet 12 late, broken into choco-- s ce pieces 6 ounces unsweetened choco- late, broken into pieces 4 1 325-degr- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt onto waxed paper. Set aside. airtight plastic container after cooling will reduce the crispness of the cookies. These cookies are w onderful w hen dipped in chocolate ganache just before eating. Makes 3 to 3 Vi dozen cookies. ounces white chocolate, broken into pieces ce Heat the heavy cream, butter and sugar in a 2 xh quart saucepan over medium-hig- h heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the semisweet, unsweetened and white chocolates in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolates and allow to The cookies will be crisp stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room around the edges following baking and cooling. Storing in an temperature. Makes 1 quart. -- weets to your sweet' is tradition -- Luv pops popular with children PRNewswire - On RICHMOND, Va. entine's Day, Americans will continue the tradition of sending 'sweets to your sweet.' Almost of all adult Americans are expected to give evd erything from fancy, boxes of chocolates to bags of lollipops as a token of affection this year. Valentine's candy sales should hit an high as Americans romance each other with candy to the sweet tune of $655 million. "Valentine's Day has long been one of the most popular days to Val- two-thir- ds heart-shape- all-ti- give candy as a gift," said Stephen W. Coryea, director of national sales for American Candy Company. The company has its headquarters in Richmond and manufacturing facilities in Oklahoma City and Selma, Ala. While lovers often exchange boxes of candy, school children also like to give candy as a gift. One of American Candy Company's most popular items for school parties is Luv Pops. These cherry-flavorlollipops are shaped like a ed heart. And if you thought that jelly beans were only for Easter, another big seller for American Candy Company at Valentine's Day is vr bags of red, white and pink jelly beans. The company also supplies red-h- n hearts and the conversation hearts. These candy hearts have short messages on them, such as "Come dance with me," "Be well-know- mine" and "It takes two to tan-go- JS yn ' 1 - In hearts, cinnamon jelly ot 1 r f ' H J 2 a. ." Conversation hearts had their origin in colonial days. The early Pilgrims continued the European tradition of sending their betrothed confections. The custom of giving candy grew as the American colonists began to make homemade candy with messages of love scratched on the surface. By the early 1900s, candy makers were preparing dcliciously flavored sugar lozenges, pressed into hearts and imprinted with words of love. These evolved into "conversation hearts" popular with schoolchildren today. If you choose to indulge in candy on Valentine's Day, you can still maintain a healthy diet. Hard candy, jelly beans and conversation hearts contain no cholesterol or fat. As an example, one Luv Pop, which weighs 610 of an ounce, has only 66 calories. If eaten in moderation, candy can be a very appropriate part of a diet. well-balanc- ed -- 4 V ' AP Photo Candy packer Linda Mac Kenzie fills Valentine hearts with chocolates at Phillips Candy House in Boston last week while preparing for the Velentine's Day rush, the biggest chocolate buying day of the year. Kids shouldn't force divorced parents together Dear Ann Landers: Why is it that so many adult children of divorced parents feel it is their responsibility to help their parents get back together? I'm enclosing a letter for these children, and I hope you will print it. Dear Kids: I know you mean w ell, but you are making my life a living hell. I cannot remarry your mother just to make you happy. Although I care what happens to her, I don't love her the way I once did. In fact, I am now very much in love w ith someone else. I have not tried to live your life, and you should not try to live mine. Please don't begrudge me the right to be happy in my own way. I am not crazy about the mates you three have chosen, but I am happy that YOU are happy Dear Dad: One of the most rewarding aspects of writing this column is being able to provide a voice for those w ho speak not only for themselves but for others. You have done just that, and I thank you. Dear Ann Landers: I am recovering from my first emergency surgical experience, and I'd like to warn your readers about something. Before surgery, I filled out forms and talked to hospital personnel about what I'd had to eat or drink in the previous eight hours. I replied each time that I'd had a sandwich and half a can of pop about six hours earlier. My anesthesiologist askid me the house. They leave damp towels, empty toilet paper rolls and whiskers all over the bathroom. Not only docs the entire house look like a trash dump, but it is beginning to smell like one. It's gotten so bad that I am now living in my bedroom in order to avoid the den of disgust that was once our living room. The only time the house is even remotely clean is when a few of us who I Dear Ann Landers: am a care about how we live attempt to the destruction and do a off campus repair college student, living with nine other male students. My major overhaul. These guys are my friends, and roommates are total slops. I don't want to move out. What We share the living room and I do to make these can No I lazy blockhow much matter kitchen. heads grow up? A Voice From I w how ill loud or yell, they beg aTicpcn in Tulsa. Okla. not pick up after themselves. Ikar Voice: Nothing. Zero. They leave dirty dishes, pizza Zilch. Once a slob, always a boxes, beer cans and cups filled slob. Their mothers blew it. w ith tobacco spit in every room in ignorant about this as I was. Doctors and nurses should be more specific when they question patients. Please tell Ann. them, Mary Jane in Mich. Dear Man Jane: You told them, and while jou're at it, you might add cough drops, throat lozenges and hard candy. and wish you would show me the Love, Dad same courtesy. pre-surge- ry Fran-kenmut- h. Ann Landers v r Advice Columnist the same question just before the procedure, and I replied the same I way. Then I asked. "Where can spit out my gum?" He nearly had a fit! He told me that chewing gum creates secretions that can interfere w ith sur- never considered to be a form of eating or drinking. I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there who are as gery. I gum-chewi- |