I Love Chocolate: Mother's Day Chocolates

by Stephanie Zonis

Mother's Day Chocolates

Hi! My name is Stephanie Zonis, and welcome to the May, 1999 edition of "I Love Chocolate." This month, the column celebrates Mother's Day; there are recipes you can make for Mom whether you're a beginner at creating desserts or someone who's been working with chocolate for years. I learned to cook and bake at my mother's knee, and she has been a wonderful source of knowledge and suggestions about food for as long as I can remember. Thanks, Mom, and Happy Mother's Day to you and other Moms everywhere.

Chocolate Find of the Month:

You all know I am the original advocate of "make-it-yourself", especially when it comes to baked goods. But for those of you who have the significant other, the house, the job, the kids, the dog--in short, absolutely no time to breathe, let alone bake, I'd like to introduce Tom's Cookies. Tom Roach started baking as a little kid, and he's been at it ever since. His mission, in part, is "to create and bake the best cookies in the universe". It's a wonderful goal, and I like the fact that the cookies are all-natural and that Tom is a believer in helping his community.

My cookies arrived in a nice gold tin with a checkered ribbon around it. I was skeptical; how could cookies baked two days ago taste really fresh and good? But these did. I loved the crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside texture, and the cookies, which are huge, truly look homemade. I tried a number of flavors, and enjoyed them all, even those without chocolate (shocking!). Tom's Cookies sells tins and pails of baked cookies, toffee (which I haven't tried), and T-shirts. There are over 32 different cookies, including mint chocolate chocolate chip, sun-dried blueberry white chocolate, and chocolate raspberry brownies, plus seasonal holiday varieties. Now, Tom has introduced bake-it-yourself cookie dough in 5 flavors; the dough is currently being marketed in the Western U.S. And some areas of the Midwest. These cookies would be a great gift for Mother's Day, a student cramming for finals, or just about anyone else...including you! You can order directly from Tom's Cookies by calling (415) 989-8667, or stop in at their store in Macy's Union Square, 170 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA. Check them out!

Chocolate School of the Month:

The Chocolate School of the Month is Richardson Researches, Inc., located in Hayward, California. They bill themselves as "the world's leading organization in chocolate, confectionery, and candy making classes." Richardson emphasizes hands-on courses and limited class sizes. Courses include Chocolate Technology and Continental Chocolates. The website describes the agenda for each course, and other practical information is spelled out, too. You can find them at: www.richres.com, or call them at (510) 785-1350.

I Love Chocolate wants YOU!!! Do you have a comment, question, or suggestion? How about a recent chocolate "find" you'd like to share? You can contact me at: sdziadwm@[email-address-removed]; I'd like your input on this column. Thanks!

'Til next month,
Yours in chocolate,

Stephanie