This dessert is decadent yet light, made of fresh, wholesome ingredients that will dance off of your tastebuds.

Chocolate Mousse
Serves 8

Ingredients
3 cups whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
7 oz fine quality bitter sweet chocolate chopped
pinch of salt
instant read thermometer

Method
Heat 3/4 cup of whipping cream in a heavy sauce pan. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and
pinch of salt in a stainless steel bowl until combined well. Add heated cream in a slow steady
stream into egg yolks and sugar whisking constantly. Transfer to a heavy sauce pan and cook
over low heat stirring constantly until thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Pour custard through a
fine mesh sieve into a bowl and add vanilla. Melt chocolate in a double boiler stirring frequently.
Whisk custard into melted chocolate and chill. Beat remaining whipping cream until stiff peaks
are formed. Whish 1/4 of whipped cream into chocolate custard mixture. Then fold remaining
whipped cream gently but thoroughly into that mixture. Portion mousse into 8 6 oz long
stemmed glasses and chill for at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes
before serving. Garnish with fresh berries and more whipped cream if you desire.

We don’t know who said it but we like how they think: “There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.”

There is, quite simply, nothing like tasting chocolate to make guests feel special. Women particularly are fond of it and if you are catering to a large number of women, chocolate anything is almost sure to go over well.

Looking for an occasion? Well, it’s your lucky day. Or month. Because February is actually National Chocolate Month. Cruel irony, huh? Such an august holiday has to share the limelight with National Heart Month. Like your heart stands a chance against the opportunity for tasting chocolate…

But wait! Tasting chocolate doesn’t have to be unhealthy or decadent. In fact, some say chocolate does have some health benefits, including some for the heart. Studies show that who eat small to moderate amounts of dark chocolate just twice a week are said to cut their heart risk substantially. No wonder the Mayans believed chocolate was a gift from Heaven!

More recently, dark chocolate has been touted because it is:

• rich in antioxidants
• an aphrodisiac for some
• lifts the spirits of others

But even dark chocolate has its dark side.  In its purest form, it is supposedly as addictive as heroin and, of course, a lot of chocolate leads to an expanding waist line.

So when thinking of chocolate for an event, what should you consider? Well, if health is a concern, the darker the better. Of course, the darker or more pure the chocolate, the more bitter it can be. So you want to serve it with something sweet. Fruit is absolutely ideal.

One 3 ounce square of chocolate has about 100 calories, about half the calories of peanut butter. So it’s not only mighty tasty, it can be a healthier alternative. The trick is, however, to serve it in ways that don’t promote over consumption.

What does that mean? Well, when it comes to serving chocolate for your next health conscious event, think of tasting chocolate presentation tricks.  In other words:

• Drizzle
• Swirl
• Dip

Presenting chocolate drizzled over fruit or served on the side for dipping is much healthier than simply serving chocolate on its own.

Not all chocolates are created equal and some types are better for certain circumstances. Here is a quick “tasting chocolate” primer to let you know what kind of chocolate is what.

• Baking chocolate – also goes by the names Unsweetened chocolate and bitter chocolate. There are also commercial baking chocolate brands that are sweetened. They will likely be marked as semisweet chocolate or sweet chocolate. Unless your recipe specifically requests sweetened chocolate, unsweetened should be fine.
• Unsweetened cocoa — It comes in powder form and is low fat, low sodium, and preservative free.
• Chocolate chips – they are usually Semisweet and will often hold their shape even when baked. Chips come in different flavors, all of which are wonderful. Bet you can’t have just one.
• Milk chocolate – much like its name implies, milk chocolate has cream or milk added to it. It is a Sweetened chocolate and cannot be used in place of baking chocolate.
• Mexican chocolate — Cinnamon, vanilla or almond is added to Sweetened chocolate.  It is often used in Mexican food and hot chocolate.
• Chocolate syrup — you’d think you could substitute it for melted chocolate in recipes but you can’t. Chocolate syrup is cocoa combined with powdered sugar or corn syrup. It is often served with dessert (ex over ice cream) or to give milk its chocolatey goodness.
• Liquid chocolate – It can be easier for baking because it doesn’t have to be melted prior to use, but it has vegetable oil and not cocoa butter, meaning it lacks what some look for texture-wise in some recipes.
• White chocolate – It’s a trick! It actually doesn’t contain chocolate liqueur and doesn’t even taste much like chocolate, so most of its chocolatey goodness is really just in its name.

Chocolate isn’t always easy to cook. It burns easily on the burner so has to be watched constantly, stirred frequently on low heat or in a double boiler over hot water. It can also be microwaved.

Anything with chocolate in it should be stored in a dry, cool place. The better your chocolate, the better your recipe will turn out.

Let’s face it. Life is short and so is February, which might be all the reason you need to indulge. Enjoy this classic chocolate mousse recipe from Chef Tony, who puts his heart into every dish he creates.

You either love it or hate it, the breakfast meeting. Mostly it comes down to whether or not you’re a morning person and how good the food is. We seriously can’t help you with the first part but we’ve totally got your back on the second.

Two words for you: Hot Breakfast.  And we’re not just saying that because it’s National Hot Breakfast Month. I mean, it’s also Responsible Pet Owners month, and nowhere here will you see a recipe for goldfish. That’s just how we roll…

Breakfast meetings can be a great way to energize a group and get a great deal of work done before the regular work day begins. But not if your group is lagging and barely functioning. What you’re saving in serving a breakfast meeting menu vs. what you’ll spend by having a nice lunch menu is moot if the group resents being there or just isn’t engaged.

And yes, you’ve heard before but only because it’s true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It jump starts your metabolism, regulates your blood sugar and otherwise gets the blood going for the day. As an aside, if you’re trying to lose weight, you have a better shot if you eat breakfast than if you don’t. But don’t tell your guests that. They’ll just think you’re having a breakfast meeting because you think they’re fat. Maybe you do. But that’s none of our business.

Yes, you will save money by having a breakfast meeting instead of a lunch meeting. But when you are cutting into people’s sleep time or otherwise asking them to give up their personal time, you really need to show them that you respect their time and are giving something in return. A good hot breakfast is a strong signal to your group that they are valued and that their time and energy is respected.

Pastries and an assortment of cold cereals can be part of it– but you will stimulate more brain power through hot breakfast options. Crepes and waffles are always popular. Scrambled eggs, sausage and traditional breakfast entries generally serve well and keep meetings well fueled – and for a twist, serve traditional meals with a Mexican or other ethnic flare.

Coffee, both regular and decaf, is a must as are other hot beverages, including various types of teas. It may not be sexy but try having hot oatmeal on hand. Chances are good some of your managers are of a certain age where heart health is important – and frankly, it’s never too early to take preventative measures. The health benefits of oatmeal are such that a single serving per day can actually prevent some of the possible damage from bad cholesterol consumed throughout the rest of the day.

You might also serve elements from a traditional Japanese hot breakfast for your breakfast meeting. Steamed asparagus, sautéed tomato and mushrooms make a fresh alternative to more bready options and are a wonderful way to start the day.

While most people recognize that breakfast is important from a health perspective, they primarily eat it for enjoyment. If your breakfast meeting has hot food that is both delicious and healthful, your meeting is bound to be more productive.

Now go get your cat spayed if you haven’t already. Let it not be said we didn’t do anything for Responsible Pet Owners Month.