Every Day Should Be Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is May 11, 2014 and she looks good for a century old (or 5 centuries, depending how you look at it).

Celebrating 100 years anniversary this year, Mother’s Day became a national holiday in 1914 after President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation. Surprisingly, many senators were not on board with the idea, as they felt celebrating mothers for just a day was insulting.

While Anna Jarvis is credited with starting the holiday, there is another celebration that dates to the 16th century that is believed to be the origin of the holiday. On the fourth Sunday of Lent, in Europe, people would celebrate “Mothering Sunday.” 

Mothering Sunday, sometimes known as Mother’s Day, is held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It is exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday and usually falls in the second half of March or the beginning of April.

Traditionally, people visited the church where they were baptized. Mothering Sunday is now a celebration of motherhood. People visit and take gifts to their mothers and grandmothers.

How do you appreciate your Mom?

 

 

 

 

 

We’re Minding our Bees for Youse

 It may become a little more difficult to say, “pass the honey, Honey” in the future, as the fates of honeybee colonies continue to look grim. It is estimated that last year in 2013 in Iowa, 70% of the commercial honeybee industry collapsed due to harsh weather.

Honey production, although important, is not the only important task that honeybees provide. Pollination is the real value of honey bees. We all like to eat a diversity of foods in our diets. One-third of our global food supply depends on pollinators and much of our world’s biodiversity relies on the services they provide.

Plant, Grow, Fly

That’s why we applaud the work of the The Plant.Grow.Fly initiative. This worthwhile project is providing a gardening how-to guide for Iowans to support natural pollinators such as honeybees or butterflies.

Using region-specific garden recipes, you can plant the flowers and grasses that benefit local species the most.

The Plant.Grow.Fly project also is backed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Science Center of Iowa, Drake University, Polk County Conservation, Warren County Conservation, Madison County Conservation, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and Des Moines Area Community College’s West Campus as well as a national program, Monarch Joint Venture.

Stam’s does their little part

“It is believed that no effort is too small and that each of us can do our part to preserve the biodiversity around us — just by planning gardens in our yards.” says Jesse Lowry, Blank Park Zoo’s conservation coordinator.

So, this May 2014, Chocolaterie Stam with the help of David Hance, will plant on the corporate campus in Des Moines, a small pilot plot of butterfly and bee friendly natives. Additionally, Chocolaterie Stam has established with the help of apiarist friends, a hive of honeybees for eventual use as a natural ingredient in one our future bonbons. We will continue to check-in with our progress over this first summer and keep you posted on the “buzz”.

Do you Crackle, Kladdkaka, or Hagelslag?

(L to R) Crackle, Kladdkaka, and Hagelslag

It occurs to us, at Chocolaterie Stam that, because we are of Dutch origin, we may enjoy common foods differently than our American friends do.  Don’t get us wrong, we loooooove (six o’s!) a good American apple pie, yet shouldn’t we stop to consider how the rest of the world loves their chocolate?

The Aussies eat crackles, and the Swedes love their kladdkaka…

Aussie Crackle
Easy to make, the Australian crackle is often a sweet treat associated with children’s parties, along with “fairy bread”.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tbsp. Chocolaterie Stam baking cocoa powder
• ¾ cup coconut oil (available at most gourmet and health food markets)
• ½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• ½ tsp. salt (optional)
• 2 cups rice crispies

Directions:

1. Sift the cocoa and confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Whisk together gently.
2. To melt the coconut oil, immerse the jar in hot water for a few minutes. Measure out ¾ of a cup and whisk it into the cocoa and sugar until mixture is smooth.
3. Whisk in the shredded coconut, salt and then the rice crispies.
4. Spoon into cupcake holders and refrigerate.

Yields: 12 chocolate crackles

Swedish Kladdkaka
Known in Sweden as kladdkaka, or chocolate sticky cake, is another way that the world enjoys chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup cake or all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 4 Tbsp. Chocolaterie Stam baking cocoa
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar (or substitute 1 tsp. vanilla extract)

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly butter a round 8” or 9” springform or cake pan.

Whisk together the eggs and sugar. Gradually mix in the flour and salt.

Stir cocoa and vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract) into melted butter until well-combined. Add cocoa-butter mixture to batter, stirring well until any lumps are removed.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Cook in 350º oven for 25 minutes. Check for doneness; the edges of the cake should be crisp but the center still moist and sticky (Tip: A good test is to insert a toothpick first into the cake’s edge: it should come out clean. Then, insert it into the center of the cake. It should come out smeared with gooey, melting chocolate). Do not overcook (but if you do, you’ll have stellar brownies as a compensation prize!).

Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Yield: 6-8 servings, for people with restraint.

 

Dutch Hagelslag

The Dutch love their chocolate “hagelslag” or chocolate hail.  No need to use a recipe, just put the purchased sprinkles on buttered bread and enjoy.

Is this the first you’ve heard of chocolate kladdkaka, crackle or hagelslag?  What other international ways do you know of eating chocolate?  Leave a comment and let us know.

Tea for Two Lips

In honor of the Kentucky Derby, we have taken liberties with the drink of choice for this annual equestrian promenade.  We call it a Mint Tulip. Stam Mint Tulip Iced Orange Tea Prepare Pickwick Orange Tea

Orange Pickwick Available at Chocolaterie Stam Stores

In one quart of boiling water add 4 Pickwick Orange Real Fruit Tea Bags. Steep for 5 minutes, then remove bags.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Mint Infused syrup 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups water
• 10 springs fresh mint

Directions (in 2 pint storage jars)

1. In a large sauce pan combine the water and sugar on medium heat. Carefully, mix the ingredients well over the heat making sure to not splash anything out of the pot. Once the sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes) place the washed mint springs in the pot. Turn the heat off and let the mint seep for 5 minutes.
2. Carefully pour the syrup into 2 pint size mason jars. Divide the sprigs of mint evenly amongst the jar.
3. Allow the syrup to rest until they reach room temperature then seal and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Serving Suggestion

To assemble the Stam Mint tulip (per 16 oz Iced Tea Glass)

1. Add 2 oz. syrup to cup.

2. Add brewed Pickwick Orange iced tea.

3. Stir well.

4. Fill with ice.

5. Garnish as desired.

And we’re off to the races!

The Stambrella Project

The Stambrellas for Hawthorne Hill Project 

As Easter approaches and our days loll toward the month of May, it occurs to us at Chocolaterie Stam, that,  Mother’s Day is just a hop, (pun intended) skip and a jump around the corner. To celebrate April’s transition to May, Stam’s has asked a coterie of local artists to hand paint umbrellas for one our favorite charities—Hawthorne Hill.

In the month of April, Chocolaterie Stam Des Moines will hang artisan-designed umbrellas in their Ingersoll and Valley West Mall store. Customers will vote for their favorite by “wishing them to win”—throwing donations and money into their favorite designs.  The Stam “brella” which collects the most  “wishes” will be awarded the Best in “Show”ers and a 40 piece box of Stam Chocolates.

Rules: 

1. Stam will provide fabric paintable umbrella for each artist to interpret the best use of color, texture and design.

2. Artists must submit the ‘brella design by April 21^st, 2014 at 2814 Ingersoll Avenue for installation either at Valley West Chocolaterie Stam or Ingersoll Avenue Chocolaterie Stam

3. All “judging” will be by placing donations (wishes)  in the umbrellas with all proceeds going to Hawthorne Hill.

4.  “Judging” will be complete on May 05, 12pm Midnight

5.  Artist and winner will be notified by Facebook and twitter May 07, 2014.

6.  All ‘brella artist entries will be auctioned by silent bid at our Mother’s day open house, Thursday, May 08, 2014.

7. All proceeds will be donated to Hawthorne Hill

 

We’re Nuts About Earth Day!

Earth Day is April 22, 2014

It’s no secret that Chocolaterie Stam is a big fan of the environment. After all, our chocolate is a direct result of that rainforest wonder Theobroma Cacao, or the Cocoa tree. But, did you know that Stam’s uses the nuts of the hazelnut bush to make many of its fillings? Our praliné bonbons are a combination of a hazelnut pâté and chocolate.

So, it isn’t surprising that we applaud the work of the Hybrid Hazelnut Consortium. In conjunction with the Arbor Day Foundation, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Rutgers University and Oregon State, they are working to develop disease-resistant, climatically adapted hybrid hazelnuts.

We, at Stam’s are interested because 75% of the world’s commercial production of hazelnuts comes from Turkey which is over 6000 miles from the United States. Yes, the U.S produces about only about 3% of the world commercial hazelnut crop.  If that could change and be grown here our carbon footprint could be greatly reduced.

Why so little?

Two factors currently limit wider production of hazelnuts in the U.S.—the inability of hazelnut plants to survive in harsh weather and susceptibility to eastern filbert blight (EFB), a fungal disease. Overcoming these barriers would expand the growing region for hazelnuts to include most of the U.S.

Can it be fixed?

Yes, native wild American hazelnuts (Corylus americana) are resistant to EFB and can survive in cold weather, but they produce tiny, thick-shelled nuts with little commercial value. The European hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is grown commercially and produces large, high-quality nuts but is susceptible to eastern filbert blight and is not cold-hardy.

Besides the carbon footprint that importing from Turkey causes, what other benefits can be had from hybridizing this plant? Well, it is a perennial crop which requires less water than annual crops thus is drought resistant and can be grown on sloping terrain and in marginal soils.

Drought resistant, strategic land use, perennial, carbon food reduction; the hazelnut bush can help reduce carbon emissions and provide commercial yield to less optimal soil conditions. We signed up as a charter patron of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Hazelnut Project and they sent us 3 hazelnut bushes for $20.

No Yolks. Just Fun.

Drink recipe of the Month: April

Born of the soda fountain era, the legendary Egg Cream is deceptive, for its flavor and texture depend entirely on the correct preparation. There is no egg in an Egg Cream, but if the ingredients are mixed properly, a foamy, egg-white-like head tops the drink. The invention of the Egg Cream is credited to Louis Auster, a Brooklyn candy shop owner in 1890. Auster’s concoction sold for three cents, and he sold as many as three thousand on a hot summer day. Lines would form down the street and around the corner, and it tarted a tradition of drinking the egg cream while standing — never sitting.

Stam Chocolate Easter Egg Cream
No yolks, just fun. (Get it?)

Ingredients

1/4 cup cold whole milk
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (store-bought, or homemade Stam syrup)
Cold club soda

Ice

Directions

In a 16-ounce chilled tall glass, stir together the milk and chocolate syrup until combined.

Slowly fill the glass with club soda. Serve immediately.

(Click here to see an egg cream how-to video.)

Share this:

A whole day!

The Dutch are crazy about licorice, or as they call it, drop, with the highest per capita consumption of licorice in the world (almost 4 1/2 pounds per person per year) giving the Dutch drop market a total value of $225,157,500.

In honor of the day we have posted a craft project*

You will need:

Waxed Dental floss (generic brand will do)

Embroidery needle ( we got ours at Hobby Lobby for a couple of bucks)

38 pieces (about 1/2 Chocolaterie Stam All Sorts Licorice

Latex gloves

Mouse pad

• Step 1:  Cut dental floss to length of about 34 inches
• Step 2:  Thread embroidery needle with the dental floss
• Step 3:  Count out a variety of shapes and colors from the Stam All Sort Selection
• Step 4:  While wearing the latex gloves Insert threaded needle into middle of the licorice shapes and continue until all 38 pieces are threaded.
  
• Step 5:  Tie off both ends together making sure the licorices are tight to each other
  
• Step 6:  Trim ends of the floss, and ta-da!
  

We also created a matching bracelet by threading elastic through a few pieces!

If your licorice is unmanageably hard, it’ll soften right up after a few seconds in the microwave. Five seconds is usually just about right, but BE CAREFUL! Licorice will heat up very quickly and can cause serious burns.

*Young children should be supervised at all times while making candy necklaces. For safety reasons, plastic craft needles should be used to create holes in sweets instead of the sharp metal variety. Also, exercise commonsense when it comes to consuming edible jewelry that has been excessively handled and worn. Consider having the kids make edible jewelry specifically for eating and others just for wearing. Eating candy necklaces that have been played with and/or worn is not recommended.

Coloring Contest

Print this page to get started!

Des Moines: To enter online, post your masterpiece on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #ColorMeHoppyDSM. Be sure to tag Chocolaterie Stam on Facebook (or mention @StamDesMoines on Twitter). You can also drop off your art in store and we’ll proudly put it on display!

You can find more details about the contest here.

 

Chocolate can be good for you!

Many agree that chocolate is good for one’s health, but can chocolate help curb global warming?  A small experiment in Eastern Brazil sows the seeds of a big reward perhaps helping to preserve the rainforest canopy.  It is called Cabruca farming.

Cabruca farming takes virgin rainforest and thins a few trees from the canopy leaving holes and letting in dappled sunlight.   After thinning the understory is planted with cacao trees — the source of chocolate. The pods contain the magical beans that Aztecs counted like gold. The cultivated cacao trees grow just a bit higher than a man can reach, and rainforest trees tower over them like something out of a Roald Dahl book—some round like lollipops, some flat like a plate.

And here’s the climate connection. Rainforest trees and plants store massive amounts of carbon — keeping it from getting into the air as carbon dioxide.  There’s a lot less rainforest than there once was. There used to be 330 million acres of rainforest in eastern Brazil, called the Mata Atlantica. Settlers arrived hundreds of years ago and began destroying the forest for the wood, and to create fields for pasture and crops. Only 7 percent of the Mata Atlantica remains, and destruction is still going on. Every time a tree is burned, its stored carbon is released. As more carbon is released into the air, the planet gets warmer.

Here’s a recent documentary reporting the process.

So if you don’t believe that chocolate may good for you, consider Cabruca farming and its potential to curb global warming.  The very least we will have more chocolate!