Sunday 13 September 2009

Prestat Chocolate Review No. 6

Rose Ganache this week. The exotic flavours of rose etc originated in Damascus and was brought back here by crusaders. One can read about the dangerous ecstasies of this sweet can elicit in the Newstead Abbey scrolls on display in the V&A. In the end the monks decided the effects were to powerful for the average Joe and withheld the recipe for hundreds of years. It only came back into general usage when a Syrian chef happened to be employed by Nell Gwynn.

It chocolate square with a crystal rose shard topping, inside is ganache, which is like smooth cake mix before it goes into the oven. I’ve never understood why people cook cakes, it ruins them.

Oh my God! I’ve just eaten one, they are UnBELIEVAble! My knees nearly gave way with joy - reminding of the time I fell to the ground with Rutger Hauer’s shapely calf between my teeth. [We were listening to the climax of Norma in a Cuban graveyard and I had grown overwrought]