CL Talks to Owners of Online Chocolate Store, Savorique!

 

Chocolate seems to be one of those items that many people want to indulge in, but don’t think they can. After chatting about all things chocolate with Stephan and Fred from online chocolate store Savorique,  CL knows that there’s no reason to deny yourself of such a delectable treat! (Just make sure to indulge in dark, fine chocolate, as milk chocolate contains all of the sugar and artificial ingredients that you don’t want to consume.)

If you’re hungry for some gourmet, chocolatey sweets, look no further than to Savorique.com!

College Lifestyles: Tell College Lifestyles a little bit about Savorique. How did you and Fred come up with the name Savorique and how long has it been in business? 

Stephan and Fred: Savorique.com is an online store that evolved from a blog in 2008. We wanted an original name that sounded elegant, different, unique, gourmet and fun: Savorique = Savor+Magnifique!

What sets it apart is that all the items you can purchase have been tried, curated, and vetted by us. They have organic or natural ingredients, are made by artisans or in small batches, or are otherwise good for you. And they always have beautiful packaging that are great for gifts.

CL: Do you and Fred have plans of expanding Savorique? 

S&F: Savorique started with chocolate, and we have already expanded to cakes and cookies, coffee and tea, condiments… We definitely plan on continuing to expand by adding cookware and dinnerware so that our customers can prepare meals from the products we offer.

CL: Have you [Stephan] always been a lover of chocolate?

S: I grew up in France, so I do have a certain appreciation for gourmet foods including chocolate. Chocolate is actually good for you–it has a healthy amount of antioxidants, flavonols, and other micro-elements.

CL: What’s so special about the taste of fine chocolate?

F: Fine chocolate is like wine. It’s an interesting, complex food with as many flavor profiles as there are areas where the cocoa is grown. You may very well smell or taste a subtle berry aftertaste when eating a chocolate bar. Sometimes, you’ll taste caramel or light smoked wood, even though their is none added into the chocolate! And chocolate is so versatile–you can pair it with the most amazing (and unexpected) foods to make it taste unbelievable: peanut butter, bacon, chai tea, spices, olive oil, or wine.

CL: What are Savorique’s best sellers?

S&F: People love the Squirrel Brand Nuts because of its taste and presentation. They can be found in a gift box and as a refill. And a new addition is getting a lot of attention: Ginger Syrup from Brooklyn and Dark Maple Syrup. To keep in touch with our additions, I recommend our mailing-list, Facebook and Twitter page.

CL: Do you [Stephan] have a favorite brand of chocolate that’s sold in Savorique?

S: We offer more than a thousand products, so it is difficult to have favorites! I personally recommend Knipschildt which is a great value with wonderful confections and bars at an affordable price. You can also find fun bars from Bloomsberry and single origin bars from Cacao Atlanta.

CL: Which items would be the best to give to someone as a gift?

S: For a gift that stays around for some time, I’d go for hot chocolate, especially Gnosis Passion Elixir. And for something fun that disappears instantly, the marshmallows don’t stand a chance.

CL: What would you two say to college students who would never consider trying caviar–don’t knock it ’till you try it?

S&F: The best strategy in order to not feel guilty about spending on caviar is to offer it to parents for the holidays or for a homecoming weekend and enjoy it together. You can make or buy blinis, spread an optional dab of whipped cream, and add the caviar on top–delicious.

CL: What is a recipe that college students can whip up in their apartment (or with a microwave in a dorm, if possible). Drinks? Brownies? You decide!

F: Here’s an amazingly simple, quick, and affordable recipe for a Peanut Butter Cup that involves only two ingredients: chocolate and peanut butter.

1. Get a quality chocolate bar because they have the right amount of cocoa butter that makes it creamy and smooth when it melts.
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave.
3. Pour a layer of melted chocolate in a paper cup, let it cool and harden, then spread a generous amount of peanut butter.
4. Cover it with more melted chocolate to make a chocolate and peanut butter sandwich in the cup.
5. Let the cup cool again, or stick in the fridge if you can’t wait!

As always, stay happy and healthy, CL readers!

Tiana Blue is an intern for College Lifestyles™ and is a print journalism major at Penn State. This sophomore is an avid blogger that loves to write, draw, roam the streets of Manhattan, and channel her inner chef by watching Food Network re-runs.

Baking with Chocolate the CL Way

Any of you classy co-eds looking for a way to relax or procrastinate? I have always found that baking is a wonderful way to do both, especially because my flat mates love American cookies. So set up your laptop in the kitchen and dance to some music while making some of these delicious cookies. They are also great for group dinners if you need to bring a desert!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cup Butter (unsalted, softened)

1 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

2 teaspoons Vanilla

3/4 Cup Milk (or Semi-Sweet) Chocolate Chips

2 Cups Flour

2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder

3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

3 Pinches Salt

Baking Time: 8-10 minutes

Makes: Approximately 3 Dozen cookies

1)      Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.

2)      Mix the softened butter with the sugar. Then add the eggs and vanilla until mixture is smooth.

3)      Melt the Milk Chocolate Chips either on the stove or in the microwave and add the warm chocolate to the mixture.

4)      Slowly fold in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt). Dough should be sticky and firm.

5)      Place balls of dough on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and put in the oven.

6)      Wait for them to spread out and bake. Take them out when they are still soft in the middle.

7)      Let them cool on a wire rack or wax paper.

Then grab a few friends like I did (to avoid eating them all yourself) and enjoy some chocolaty treats!

The majority of this recipe was taken from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Chocolate-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies-I/Detail.aspx?prop31=2 but I put my own twist on the recipe by adding melted milk chocolate chips after finding this recipe by Diana Rattray http://southernfood.about.com/od/chocchipcookies/r/bl30617o.htm.

Samantha Kettering is a junior at Kenyon College, majoring in English with a creative writing emphasis. She is currently studying abroad in Exeter, England. She enjoys Spring weather, chocolate, and singing to the radio.

14 Days of Valentine’s (Part II): The Response

THE RESPONSE!!

Are you participating in the 14 Days of Valentine’s Challenge, or do you have more ideas of what one can do to show love to others??  Post them here and let us know!

** Some Valentine’s Day facts to make the day special**

all courtesy of www.mydearvalentine.com!

• Every year around 1 billion Valentine cards are sent. It’s the second largest card-sending holiday of the year!!

• Verona, the Italian city where Shakespeare’s play lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters every year sent to Juliet on Valentine’s Day.

• The most beautiful and incredible gift of love is the monument Taj Mahal in India. Built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife it stands as the emblem of the eternal love story. Work on the Taj Mahal began in 1634 and continued for almost 22 years and required the labor of 20,000 workers from all over India and Central Asia.

• Lovebirds are often associated with Valentine’s Day. These lovebirds found in Africa, are brightly colored and sit very close together with their mates, earning them their name.

Kelsey Book is a  writer and a dreamer who thinks faith, family, and musicals make her world go ’round!   She is excited for the 14 Days of Valentine’s challenge, and can’t wait to see what she comes up with herself

14 Days of Valentine’s (Part I): The Challenge

Valentine’s Day is a holiday of mixed feelings and perceptions…there are those who love it and go “all out” to celebrate it, and there are those who despise the holiday — some even go so far as to label it “Singles Awareness Day (SAD).”

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about romantic relationships – it can be about spreading love to everyone around you in a special way!  At CL, one of our goals is to make every co-ed and member of any community feel included, appreciated, and like they belong (CL intern Maggie wrote a fabulous article recently about letting yourself shine!).  So to honor Valentine’s Day this year, why not celebrate it a little differently?

The Challenge

• For the 14 days leading up to Valentine’s Day (or even commit to a few days in between now and Valentine’s Day), make a point to show “love” to someone in some way.
• At least one of the times you show “love” let it be to someone you don’t know or don’t know very well; at least one of the times let it be to a family member; at least one of the times let it be to a friend or sorority sister
• Tell us about it!

The Response (Part II to this blog)

• CL wants to know what you did to show love to others, so write to us!  Respond to the Part II blog with an example of something you did as an act of love to others – I will collect the responses I receive and create a follow-up blog post telling others what sweet deeds were completed leading up to Valentine’s Day (and also how creative our readers are!)

Examples of “love” you can show to others:

To someone you don’t know:

1) When you’re purchasing your coffee at a local coffee shop, hand the barista an extra five dollars or so, and tell them you would like to use that to pay for whoever comes to purchase a coffee after you.  Tell them Happy Valentine’s Day!

2) When you go out to a restaurant or any place of service, leave the server a tip that’s over 20%, or make them a Valentine’s card or little gift.  Write on the guest check or say directly to them “Happy Valentine’s Day!” (I’m a waitress, and this would make my day)

To one of your friends or sorority sisters:

1) Make a homemade Valentine’s Day card — construction paper, glitter, pipe cleaners, the whole deal!  Make it creative — perhaps even write a short list of some of the qualities they have that you love the most about them!

2) Text them during the day unexpectedly (like our CL TSM campaign!!) — tell them they are fabulous, or super talented, or simply that you are thinking of them and hope they have an awesome day today

To someone in your family:

1) Frame a picture of you and the person you are showing love to, and give it to them in an unconventional way — like wrapping it up and sending it to their work, or setting it somewhere randomly with a  little note, like a lost treasure

2) Surprise them by making them a nice, homemade dinner!

Are you in for the challenge?

Kelsey Book is a  writer and a dreamer who thinks faith, family, and musicals make her world go ’round!   She used to be an adamant supporter of “Singles Awareness Day” but even now as she has a boyfriend, she likes to focus more on loving everyone around her than someone she already gets to love each day of the year.

Easy & Inexpensive Holiday Gifts!

Need some inexpensive gifts for your friends & family around the holidays? Or maybe you’re going to a bunch of holiday parties and need gifts for all the hosts. I’ve found that one of the easiest gifts to give is food, especially candy! Here are my special recipes for some yummy treats to hand out in bulk or for a few favors for friends:

Peppermint Bark

This is my absolute fav! It’s my very own holiday specialty (my friends specifically ask for it) and the best part is it’s suuuuper easy and inexpensive to make!

What you need:

• 1 bag of white chocolate (12 oz)
• 1 bag of milk chocolate (12oz) *You can use dark chocolate to make it healthier!
• 2-3 Candy Canes
• Spatula
• Wax Paper
• 2 Medium-sized bowls
• Microwave
• Fridge space
• Plate
• Hammer or Food grater

How to Make It:

Place the wax paper on a large flat surface (a baking sheet works perfectly). Then unwrap one of your candy canes. You’ll need to crush it, so if you want to work out some frustration, you can place wax paper over it on the plate and hammer away. Or you can use a food grater to grind it down over the plate. Do this for all 3 of your candy canes. Set this aside. Empty the milk or dark chocolate into one of the bowls. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat this until all the chocolate is melted (should be 3-4 times). Once melted, use the spatula to spread the chocolate out evenly on the wax paper, spreading it as thinly as possible to cover most of the baking sheet. Repeat the melting process for the white chocolate, and then spread it out over the darker chocolate. It’s ok if some of the darker chocolate “bleeds” through. Once you’ve got the chocolate spread out in the desired manner, take the candy canes you’ve set aside and sprinkle them evenly over the top. Press down slightly so that the peppermint will stick, then place the whole thing in the fridge for 2+ hours so it solidifies. Once it’s solidified, you can break it apart with your fingers and put it in a cute baggie (see below).

Peanut Brittle

For the non-chocolate lovers in your life (or the lactose-intolerant), there’s always this recipe:

What You Need:

• 1.5 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 TBLSP butter
• 1 TSP vanilla extract
• 1 TSP baking soda
• Large mixing bowl
• Large spoon

How to Make It:

Lay out wax paper (like above). Combine the peanuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt, and microwave them for 6-7 minutes on High. The mixture should be bubbly and peanuts should look brown. Stir in the butter and vanilla, and then cook it 2-3 minutes longer. Quickly stir the baking soda in, and stir just until the mixture is foamy. Pour the mixture immediately onto the wax paper, and spread it out quickly. It only takes about 15 minutes to cool, and then can be broken apart by hand.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

These are my favorite snacks ever! And you can make them as fancy or simply as you want!

What You Need:

• Pretzels (I recommend the “rods”)
• Chocolate (your choice, or combine chocolates)
• Sprinkles or other decorations
• Fridge
• Medium mixing bowl

How to Make It:

Lay out wax paper on a baking sheet like above. Melt your chocolate just as you did for the Peppermint Bark. Dip pretzels into the chocolate (about half of your pretzel should be dipped in chocolate) and lay them out on the wax paper. Sprinkle on the decorations and press them in gently so they stick. Once finished decorating, stick them in the fridge to harden. If you want to get fancy, you can put the chocolate in a plastic baggie and cut off a small corner of the baggie. You can drip it over the pretzels and make a pretty pattern like in the picture!

Presentation

One of the best ways to present these to people is to put them in little plastic baggies that have holiday prints on them. You can find them at most any Walmart, Party City, or Michaels, and a pack of 20 usually only costs $1-2. Tie the top with any cute ribbon you have laying around, and add a “gift tag” on it so they know who to shower thank-yous on!

And there you have it, easy and affordable holiday gifts!

Kathryn Moore is so close to graduating (eep!) from Georgia Tech with a major in Public Policy. She loves Christmas more than anything and can be found singing carols any time of year!

CLassic S’mores Fit for the Healthy Co-Ed

Tonight my 6-year-old neighbor boy came knocking on our door to invite us over after dinner to make s’mores. Ignoring the fact that I’d just polished off a bowl of homemade banana softserve, I gladly accepted his adorable invitation. Really, who turns down s’mores on a relatively warm, Saturday night in July!?

When I got home from our backyard campfire, my tummy was two s’mores fuller, my old swim team sweatshirt was saturated with smoke, my toes were chilled to the bone, and I had terrible nostalgia of my childhood summer camping trips with my family to Ruth Lake — where every long day in the sun was finished with a community campfire and traditional s’mores.

I can’t think of many more things that scream summer like s’mores do. They may seem like an adolescent recipe, but let me tell you, even my 50+ year-old dad couldn’t get enough of them puffy marshmallow sandwiches tonight.

All that sugar got me to thinking… why oh why can’t a classy co-ed enjoy s’mores this summer to!? A backyard campfire is casual way to spend an evening socializing with new and old friends, and simple s’mores are an easy recipe that will please any guest.

CLassic S’mores

1 bag large marshmallows
1 box graham crackers
Hershey’s milk chocolate bars — you can never have too many!

Light a fire and let burn until flames have calmed somewhat. Place 1-2 ‘mallows on roasting stick — wood or metal — and roast until gooey in the center and golden brown. Place between two pieces of sweet graham with hunk of creamy milk chocolate. Enjoy… and don’t forget to lick your sticky fingers!

Healthified Version

several ripe bananas
1 batch of healthy, homemade grahams
dark chocolate

Place bananas (with peel) on the grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until peel gets dark. Peel bananas and scoop pulp out in a bowl. Pulp turns custard-like. Place 1-2T of grilled banana between 2 pieces of graham with a generous piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate.

* A smear of hearty-healthy peanut or almond butter would be a delicious addition, too!

Don’t forget to check out Kelsey’s advice for Becoming a Savvy Party Hostess with the “Mostest” before inviting your friends over. Wishing you s’more success this summer!  : )

Hillary is an intern at College Lifestyles and student of Food & Nutrition Communication at California State University, Chico. She thinks you are never too old or too classy for a classic s’more.

Kayla’s Fabulous CHERRY February!