winosandfoodies

Full Disclosure - I Got Chocolate For Free

Every few months an "accepting freebies" posts pops up somewhere. The post is ultimately tweeted and then dissected and commented on by anyone who feels strongly about it. Seems everyone has an opinion, for or against. In the latest one I read, the writer insisted the full disclosure should be at the beginning, not a footnote at the end. One Australian blogger has even posted a list of Australian bloggers with a $ sign alongside those that have accepted "freebies"

I am one of those bloggers who accepts freebies. Not all that are offered, but certainly those I'm interested in trying.

Personally I cannot see what the fuss is about.  I have always writen openly and honestly about freebies.  Some freebies have not even made it to a post. Not because there was anything wrong with them, more a case of I just didn't get around to writing about them.  In those instances I have given feedback direct to the company.

The business world runs on freebies. When I  worked and received a salary I received freebies all the time. One of my clients kept me supplied in Chanel No 5.  The suppliers to the company I worked for inundated us with gifts. Silk scarves, silver plated champagne buckets, champagne, wine, liqueurs. When I visted Paris on holiday, Bryan and I were wined and dined in Michelin starred restaurants as if we were royalty.  Various wineries in New Zealand and Australia gave me extra special treatment when I visited their cellar door.  And I was just an employee of the company......imagine how well my boss was treated.

Now I write a blog, for which I don't get paid, and I receive the occaisional freebie.  I am fully aware the freebie is given in the hope I will write about it.  For PR companies it is a cheap and effective way of promoting their client's product.  Like the majority of honest bloggers, I accept freebies on the understanding I am under no obligation to write about the product favourably. 

Which brings me to the title of this post.

When I was invited to be part of the Lindt Lovers programme I had no hesitation in accepting.  I have been using Lindt as a cooking and  eating chocolate for years. Long before I started blogging.  Furthermore, the Lindt Lovers programme is not about pushing their product on our blogs.  They ask only for feedback on the chocolate samples we recieve. I distribute most of the chocolates amongst family and friends to get a number of opinions.  Any I use in cooking I  write about about if it fits with the recipe I'm posting.

In the pictue above you will see a selection of my latest Lindt stash. The majority of which has been dispersed amongst family and friends, much to Bryan's displeasure.  I have saved the Peanut Butter balls for us  'cos I really like them. The little stars and bells wrapped in red paper (which you can't actualy see in the photo)  I plan to use as a decoration on our Christmas Eve dinner table.

I Heart You # 44

 
LONELY heART

The last heart in my box of Lindt Pralines.

Thank you to everyone for your recent comments and good wishes for my health.  I am sorry I have  been unable to respond individually to you all. But please know I very much appreciate your thoughts and wishes.

This month I will  begin a new round of chemotherapy.  Initially for 3 months and we may need to extend that to a further 3 months. My oncologist tells me there are new anti nausea drugs available.  Hopefully they will be more effect than previous ones.  I shall continue to blog when I can and I am determined to complete my Project 365 for the year.

What I Did With My Second Bar Of Lindt Fleur De Sel Chocolate

Remember when I lost my Lindt stash? (di$claimer) Well, the lovely Sarah at Lindt kindly send me some more....and he's what I did with the bar of Fleur de Sel.

First, I made praline

Line a tray with baking paper

Over low heat  dissolve 1/2 cup caster sugar in 2 tablespoons of cold water.

Increase heat to high and bring to the boil.

Boil with out stirring for 5 - 7 minutes, or until mixture turns golden. I use a candy thermometer and take it to 75C. Remove from the heat and rest for 2 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup slivered almonds.

Pour onto prepared tray. Allow to cool, Break into shards.

Crush praline into small pieces. I used a stick blender.

Next

Break bar of Lindt Fleur de sel into squares and place in a heat proof bowl. Place bowl over hot water (Water must not touch base of bowl) until chocolate melts.

Place a little chocolate into small paper cases.

Add a layer of crushed praline.

Cover with a layer of melted chocolate.

Set in fridge. Remove paper cases and serve.

I'm still working on getting the ratio of chocolate to praline right. I think the top layer (which ends up on the bottom when served) should be slightly thinner.

But the salt of the chocolate goes fabulously with the praline. I'm not even sure fabulously is a word. But it suits.

Ginger Chocolate Dipped Candied Lemon

Somewhere in Sydney, someone  is enjoying  MY Lindt Fleur de Sel Chocolate. Somewhere between the cinema and Trissalicious' building I lost my Lindt goodie bag. I had it when I left the cinema (I loved Alice In Wonderland in 3D by the way) but I didn't have it when I got into Trissa's car. Peter jumped out and checked the roof of the car, we stopped and checked the lifts. But nope, no chocolate.

Now it's not like I didn't have enough chocolate. I had plenty of Lindt bunnies, big and small, eggs...big and small.........and some filled with peanut butter. My boys fell in love with Reece's Pieces on a visit to the US when they were little kids, Those Lindt peanut butter eggs were gone before you could say Happy Easter.

I had plans for that Fleur de Sel. Plans that involved lemon, tequila and chocolate. Yes, I planned on soaking lemon slices in tequila, candying them in sugar and dipping them in the Fleur de Sel chocolate.

Instead I woke up in my Sydney hotel room in a cold sweat when it occured to me I'd put my goodie bag down in the foyer of the building where Trissa worked, as we headed to the car park. I wanted to re organise my other bags so I didn't drop my dark chocolate egg engraved  by Thomas.

Oh no, what if the security guard comes across it .....and thinks it's a bomb........ and they evacuate  the building....... and blow up my bag of chocolate. I think not. I suspect he saw the bag, smelt the chocolate and thought all his Easters had come at once. I bet he took it home to his partner........ and got lucky. This Fleur de Sel Chocolate is that good.

With no Fleur de Sel I figured I could  use the bar of Lindt Ginger chocolate  in my cupboard. So I drank the Tequila, then candied the lemons and dipped them in the Ginger Chocolate.

How to candy lemons. I used Jen's method.

CANDIED LEMONS

Wash and slice 2 unwaxed lemons into thin slices.

Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute.

Dissolve 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Add lemon slices and simmer for 1 hour. Mine went a little over and started to caramalise....I should have stopped at one tequila.

Remove from the  hot sugar syrup and drain on a rack for 24 hours.

Break a bar of chocolate into squares and melt in a bowl placed over hot water.

Dip candied lemon slices in melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to set.

Enjoy