Why Your Chocolate Candy Needs Tempering

Filed under:Arts + Artisans, Eating Fun, Money Making — posted on November 19, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
A newbie may make the mistake of thinking that making chocolate candies is an uncomplicated undertaking. Hunting down the utensils, you’ll find them easily in the kitchen too: a kitchen thermometer, a double boiler, a rubber spatula, candy shapes, and dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolates. Right there you also have the makings for truffles; just add heavy cream.
The procedure in making your chocolate candy is uncomplicated, too: melt chocolates bits in the double boiler, whisking the mixture with the spatula so it doesn’t scorch. Afterwards, transfer the molten chocolate onto the candy shapes and let sit in the chiller or leave at room temperature to set. For chocolate-shelled fruit delights, dip your fruits in the molten mixture. You can serve immediately or store in a cool dry place.
Where your kitchen thermometer comes in, there the difficulties begin.
You’ll need to decide if the chocolate candies that you make are for friendly consumption or for commerce. Friends and family won’t mind dull, crumbly chocolate candies but your patrons would certainly do if that’s what you’ll sell them. The thermometer is for minding your chocolate’s temperatures from the time you start melting to the time you do the molding, because this part of the process is what ensures a tempered chocolate. In case you didn’t know, the chocolates being sold in retail are the tempered variety.
Big chocolate producers temper the chocolates they sell because they understand that chocolates are not naturally lustrous or snappy. It’s tempering that gives chocolates its seductive appeal. But chocolate tempers get lost the instant chocolate is heated, making it susceptible to ugly white streaks that appear on your chocolate candy’s outer shell.
The fatty acids in cocoa butter have six different crystallization temperatures, and at a distinct temperature, a crystal structure dominates the process. Type V, the crystal structure you’re aiming for, also has several tempering temperatures for dark, semi-sweet and milk chocolates. The Type Vs are the ones that give chocolates the fine quality it’s famous for: luster, firmness and body. However, the Type IV crystals which proliferate alongside the Type Vs during crystallization also have the same solid body and hard snap; the difference is that it melts much more easily than the Type Vs.
If you opt to temper your chocolates manually, you’ll come to depend on your thermometer a lot as any minor change in your chocolate temperatures can cause it to lose temper. This is highly likely as working on your chocolate candy can get distracting. After some time, you’ll find that you’ll need to temper again and again if you want to keep your chocolates attractive.
Professional chocolatiers have found a way to streamline their confectionery-making work: chocolate tempering machines. These compact appliances come with a computer chip that regulates temperatures to keep chocolate tempered at all times, even overnight. Thus, they’re unburdened with the exacting demands of tempering and have more time with creating quality chocolate treats.

Warp Speed Ahead! The Cover Of His Book

Filed under:Arts + Artisans — posted on June 28, 2008 @ 8:55 pm

The road snakes behind me through the mountains and wide-open spaces beneath a sunset sky.

My Lexus, purring like a kitten, leaps along the road like a dog trying to escape the dogcatcher!

The road before me unfolds like a rope into the distant horizon.

The landscape flies by me and around me like missiles across the sky!

My Lexus rolling over the hills like a roller coaster gone mad!

Behind me the darkness of the past.

Before me the light of the future.

WARP SPEED AHEAD!

He’s mouth was closed tight like a bear trap, if you talked about anything but cars!

But if you talked cars, suddenly his mouth was an exploding volcano, spewing words like hot lava all over you!

What are your thoughts on the politics dad?

Suddenly his mouth becomes a clam! His voice deserts him, his shoulders shrug, as “I don’t know” struggles from his lips like a rabbit from a python’s grip!

I could never read my dad’s mind like a book; not because it was filled with blank pages!

Maybe he only wrote on certain pages.

Or maybe he kept the ones he wrote on to himself.

At any rate, it’s hard to get to know your dad

If all he lets you read, is THE COVER OF HIS BOOK!

Copyright 2001 El-Veasey Publishing

VC L. Veasey is a musican, songwriter, producer and counselor
http://www.blackmerda.com
email: vclveasey at yahoo.com<

Capturing the Craft Show Market

Filed under:Arts + Artisans — posted on June 1, 2008 @ 11:51 am

Finding the right product to sell at a craft show is extremely
important in finding success on the craft show circuit. You may
already have an excellent craft product or line of products you
are creating or even selling, or you may be looking for a craft
to produce in order to enter the business. In either case,
market research is going to help you find a craft show product
that you can produce at a low enough cost to net a profit - and
one that you will enjoy making. If you don’t spend time looking
into what everyone else has at their craft show booth, you might
repeat what others have, or create a product no one really wants.

What exactly is a craft? The dictionary definition of “craft” is
to make by hand, therefore, theoretically anything handmade is a
craft. Although that’s true, a craft typically falls into a
category of items that are normally sold under the umbrella of
arts and crafts that are either decorative or useful or bothand
that consumers generally purchase for ornamental or practical
use. The endless creativity of new craft show items is nothing
short of remarkable. The product you choose will likely be one
you enjoy producing or have a natural affinity for. It might be
a skill passed down from generation to generation in your
family, but you can also learn it on your own. You may decide
to take classes or apprentice to a master to learn a new skill
for producing a craft show item. Yet in order to make your craft
business a success, you should consider doing a little bit of
homework about what craft show item to make, ahead of time.

Market research

What sells? Wouldn’t you like to have the answer to that
question before putting all your resources into creating a
product? How can you get the answer? Market research. Any large
company that manufactures products utilizes market research
before developing new products. You can use the Internet as well
as common sense. You can ask friends, visit craft shows,
galleries, retail stores, eBay and other websites to see what is
selling and what isn’t. Ask other artisans and craft show booth
owners. Study trends by reading consumer magazines, trade
journals, the fashion section of the newspaper or even watching
TV.

Product ideas also come from everyday lifefind a niche and fill
it - and you will most certainly find success in craft shows.
But, you need to make sure you stay on the cutting edge.
Children, animals and nature can provide inspiration as well.
Jot ideas for craft show items in your notebook or computer
whenever you come up with something you think would be a hot
seller. Compile a list of possible items and compare it to what
you might enjoy producing. Then ask yourself if the craft show
item is practical, decorative, unique, can be priced right (for
profit), has a personal touch, is of excellent quality and
offers exceptional value.

You might also want to check out the competition in any category
you select. How can you put a spin on your product to make it
distinct and stand out from the others? If you’re a crafter,
you’re probably highly creative, so use your creativity to come
up with something imaginative. Without plunging into it full on,
see if you can make a few samples and solicit feedback from
friends or store owners. Do a small craft show and gauge
customer response. If all systems seem to be saying “go” then go
for it!

Find a craft you enjoy making, that you can construct
efficiently and cost effectively, and one you can sell, and you
have the craft show market cornered. But, you probably aren’t
going to land the perfect product without some groundwork done
beforehand. If you want to find the utmost in craft show
success, then take the time to deliver a product that you have
researched, and watch craft collectors flock to your booth!

Natalie Goyette shows you how to make your craft show
business profitable in her best selling ebook:
Craft Show Success Secrets. Visit her site:
Craft Shows

Some Interesting Threads About Quilting Fabric

Filed under:Arts + Artisans — posted on May 24, 2008 @ 1:10 am

In answer to the question, what are quilting fabrics; we need to look back at the history of quilting fabrics.

During the American civil war the ladies in the South would raise funds for their soldiers by sewing and selling quilts. Well, the war went on a lot longer than anyone had anticipated and the ladies quilting changed from fundraising to bedding. In fact, it got so bad that there ended up being a shortage of quilting fabrics. Near the end of the war, people were tearing apart old mattresses and carpets in a desperate search for any kind of fiber that could be used as quilting fabric.

Back in Victorian times quilting was a pastime for the rich and pampered as they were the only ones who could afford the fancy materials being used in their quilts. One popular craze was something called crazy quilts. These quilts would sport many kinds of contrasting materials, colors and designs. So the Victorian quilters were always looking for eye-catching and outrageous quilting fabrics. It was not unusual to find velvet, silk and brocade doing duty as quilting fabrics. Years later the Victorian quilters also began introducing flannels, denims and other cottons into their crazy quilts’ list of acceptable quilting fabrics.

Many of the Victorian crazy quilts are still around today and can be viewed in museums and other quilting displays. Many of them still look wonderful. The wild variety of quilting fabrics as eye catching today as they were centuries ago. Unfortunately, the one quilting fabric that did not age well was silk. If you see a crazy quilt that sports pieces of silk you will quickly notice that those pieces of quilting fabric have deteriorated quickly.

So now you know a little of the history of quilting fabrics.

Sources:
www.womenfolk.com/quilting-history/civilwar.htm
www.womenfolk.com/quilting-history/crazy.htm

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