Mocha: [A Recipe Book]

by Michael Turback, Leo Gong (Photographer)

Overview

Coffee and chocolate combined have a complementary effect, which means drinking a mocha wakes you up and puts you in a good mood.

High-quality chocolate, strong coffee, and a big mug--basic tools of the trade for Mocha, the sophisticated follow-up to Michael Turback's best-selling Hot Chocolate. Presented in a compact yet luxurious collection, Mocha offers nearly sixty recipes featuring the companionable ingredients of chocolate and coffee. Ranging from cozy cocoa concoctions to caffeinated couture combinations, recipes include hot drinks (the Triple Chocolate Maple Passion hails from Toronto, where they know how to heat things up); cold, refreshing classics (the Black-and-White Espresso Milkshake is almost a meal); creative cocktails (Chocolate-Espresso Martini, anyone?); and outrageous desserts (the Mocha-Java Cheesecake is the richest and smoothest cheesecake ever). Recipe contributors include notable chocolatiers, popular coffee purveyors, preeminent restaurant chefs, and a competitive cadre of coffeehouse baristas.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780307762269
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	02/13/2013
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

MICHAEL TURBACK is a graduate of Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and a veteran restaurateur of 30 years. He currently works in the gourmet and specialty food products industry and is a founding partner of The New York First Company, an online department store. He lives in Ithaca, New York.

 THE AUTHOR SCOOP

Who would you cast as yourself in a movie of your life?
When I ran my restaurant in Ithaca, NY, we would often guess who would play each of the staff if they ever filmed the story of running a restaurant.  The consensus was that Clint Eastwood would have been tapped to play me:  "Go ahead, make my day."

Have you ever met a famous person?
Guest speakers and performers who visited Cornell would often be taken out to dinner at my restaurant, so over the years I met people like George McGovern, Geraldine Ferraro, William F. Buckley, John Houseman, Douglas Edwards, Carl Sagan, John F. Kennedy Jr., Betty Freidan, Andre Tschelicheff, Al Unser, Jr., Kim Alexis, Cousin Bruce Morrow, Peter Yarrow, and Neil Sedaka, to name a few.
 
Favorite cocktail?
Smoked-Tomato Bloody Mary (Stonecat Café, Hector, NY)

Favorite dessert?
Tin Roof Sundae (Tom's Ice Cream Bowl, Zanesville, OH)

Tell me something that people might not know about you.
As a long distance runner, I've completed 109 races of marathon distance or longer (includes five 50-mile trail races).

Read an Excerpt

Mocha

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By MICHAEL TURBACK TEN SPEED PRESS Copyright © 2007 Michael Turback
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-58008-861-9

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Chapter One Chocolate & Coffee: MUTUAL ATTRACTION

Although seemingly contradictory in their culinary natures, chocolate and coffee have more in common than they have differences. Both ingredients, derived from roasted beans grown in tropical and subtropical regions, are synonymous with sensory delight and noble thoughts, their incorporation into modern culture preceded by centuries of mythology and tradition.

Mature cacao trees produce pods the size of a human hand, and inside these fruits are the tree's seeds, known as cocoa beans to the trade. The less statuesque coffee tree produces berries the color and size of small cherries. Inside the skin and pulp are nestled twin coffee beans, flat sides facing each other.

Although worlds apart in origin and genealogy chocolate and coffee eventually came to share some of the same geography. The coffee tree, native to Africa, was first cultivated in the Ethiopian province of Kaffa, giving the drink its name. By the eighteenth century, Jesuit missionaries from Spain and Portugal had transplanted African coffee into South America, where the volcanic soil of the Andes Mountains, along with mild temperatures and abundant rainfall, enabled the new crop to flourish. Today, Brazil and Columbia produce most of the planet's coffee.

The journey of chocolate was just the reverse. Native cacao from Mexico, Costa Rica, and Venezuela supplied Europe and the Americas with chocolate until the nineteenth century when the Dutch introduced New World cacao to the Gold Coast of West Africa. And today, as fate would have it, fine African nations of Ghana and Nigeria have become the leading growers of cacao.

As with wine grapes, the totality of environment or terroir proves critical to the development of specific flavor notes within both cacao and coffee beans. A singular variety often dominates in each specific latitude and growing region, imparting an expected taste profile uniquely characteristic of those beans. Coffee beans from the rich volcanic soils in the highlands of Kenya are usually roasted lightly so their signature body, acidity, and blackcurrant flavors are preserved. Chuao, a small village in the northern coastal range of Venezuela, shielded by mountains from all but the warm Caribbean breezes, is home to distinctive, assertive cacao with undertones of exotic fruits and traces of vanilla.

While the blending of cacao beans, and the blending of coffee beans, are considered art forms, ensuring quality and consistency, there is steady movement toward single-origin chocolates and coffees, derived from only one type of bean from a specific locale. These unblended, appellation-specific products capture the pure essence of beans grown and harvested from a single farm or estate, much to the delight of sophisticated palates everywhere.

Throughout early coffee history, Arab traders held a monopoly on the exportation of the precious beans from the port of Mocha in southwestern Yemen on the Red Sea. At one time the name "mocha" was synonymous with coffee, yet the term has become somewhat ambiguous. On the palate, roasted native Mocha beans exhibit distinct chocolatey notes, and for that reason, legend persists, the same term is used to describe the marriage of coffee and chocolate.

As sixteenth-century sailing ships carried goods from the Arabian Peninsula across the Mediterranean, the Italian port of Venice became coffee's gateway to European markets. Merchants in Venice and Turin opened the earliest coffee houses, and when Spanish drinking chocolate was first introduced to Turin, it was mixed with coffee and cream into a stimulating novelty called bavareisa.

In Italy confectioners from the "Sweet Piemonte" region developed the art of combining these two culinary treasures, culminating with bicerin (meaning "small glass"). This short, rich chocolate and espresso beverage is still served in a clear glass so the drinker can admire the layers of dark liquids mingling together with each sip.

Outside Italy, caffè latte has become the basis for a drink of one-third espresso and two-thirds steamed milk. The ubiquitous caffè mocha, a latte with the addition of chocolate powder or chocolate syrup, only hints at the possibilities of more complex combinations.

Chocolate and coffee each run the gamut from light to dark, bitter to sweet, and, when blended together in creative drinks and desserts, bring an elegant sophistication to the table. The synergy of these two dependable pleasures is obvious at the finish of dinner, when they often combine to aid digestion and elevate the mood. On the affinity of the two ingredients, L'Academie de Cuisine pastry chef and chocolatier Anil Rohira observes: "Like a happy couple, chocolate and coffee bring out each other's best qualities."

The compatibility of chocolate and coffee is a fertile subject in readiness for more exploration. To that end, I have been occupied in the agreeable task of collecting recipes-from practiced hands and curious palates, engaged in devious experiments to find new delights in the fusion of the two ingredients. As the assembled chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and baristas unite the flavors of chocolate and coffee so naturally and seamlessly, it reminds me that the world is still full of magic. It's nothing short of spellbinding when two things merge to from something entirely new without losing their individuality.

Chocolate and coffee, in my considered opinion, provide the most dazzling of all flavor combinations. For you, dear reader, I offer a book's worth of taste poems to prove it. May you enjoy runny a convivial hour in putting them to the test.

Michael Turback Ithaca, New York

Mochalogue: INGREDIENTS, TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Chocolate and coffee prove to be kindred companions in a range of drinks and desserts, and this book is intended to advance the current state of the art with contributions from an impressive multitude of professionals.

The theme uniting this assemblage has less to do with the individual ingredients than in how they come together in glorious, often unexpected ways. But first, let's take a few pages to discuss the essential elements in a little more depth.

INGREDIENTS

The essence of the chocolate coffee partnership lies as much with an informed choice of ingredients as with an informed approach to preparation. While many of the items that follow are available at your local supermarket or coffee shop, I encourage you to stock your cupboard with supplies that may he more challenging to find.

Master chocolatiers and baristas are, each in their own way, as selective and fanatical about ingredients as vintners are about grape varieties. As mentioned earlier, cacao and coffee develop different characteristics when grown in different regions. Thus it follows that each region contributes a distinctive aroma, personality, and complexity to the preparation's final character.

Chocolate

A package of fine chocolate will list the percentage of cocoa butter and/or cacao solids it contains. High-quality chocolate contains more fat, which results in more flavor and a luxurious feeling on the tongue, or mouthfeel. The higher the number, the better the chocolate. Superior chocolates, the "couvertures" used by professional chefs, consist of 56 to 70 percent cacao solids and include 31 percent cacao butter.

Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate liquor and about 50 percent cocoa butter. Bittersweet chocolate blends at least 35 percent liquor with as much as 50 percent cocoa butter, sugar, and vanilla. Semisweet chocolate has the same ingredients as bittersweet with the addition of more sugar. Milk chocolate, which contains about 10 percent chocolate liquor, takes the process a step further by adding about 12 percent milk solids. Some of the recommended chocolates come in blocks and must be chopped or shaved before use.

The recipes in this book mostly call for dark, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate and a few use white chocolate. (Because it does not contain cacao solids, white chocolate is technically not a chocolate.) Where it makes a difference, the exact percentage of cacao or specific maker is indicated.

A mocha-inspired preparation is meant to be a balance between the chocolate and the coffee. Base the selection of each chocolate for your recipe in combination, rather than separately. Chocolates often behave differently once they become part of a blend.

Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is made by extracting much of the cocoa butter richness from the chocolate liquor (ground, roasted cocoa beans), then pulverizing the dry residue into a fine, soft powder.

There are two types of cocoa: natural (nonalkalinized) and Dutch process (alkalinized). Natural cocoa powder (also called unsweetened) is simply untreated cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa has been treated with an alkali to make the powder more soluble. Along the way, "dutching" gives the cocoa a deep mahogany color and an area cookie flavor. The most popular American brands of cocoa powder contain about 7 percent cocoa butter, while specialty and European cocoa powders contain 12 to 24 percent cocoa butter. Recipes in this book call fin pure cocoa powder, not cocoa mixes that include artificial flavors, nonfat dry milk, preservatives, soy lecithin, vanilla, and sugar.

Cocoa powder is often used aesthetically as a light dusting to add pleasing color and aromatics to a drink or dessert presentation.

Coffee

While there are over twenty species of coffee plants, only two, robusta and arabica, account for the lion's share of commercial coffees. Robusta beans have a woody, bitter taste and aroma, and they are usually relegated to mass-produced, pre-ground coffee blends and freeze-dried products. In Italian tradition, robustas are often included in espresso blends to boost crema, the alluring layer of tiny, smooth bubbles that trap precious aromatics.

Arabica varieties, descendents of the original Ethiopian coffee trees, are the best beans down here where mortals tread, appreciated for distinctive bouquet, sweet, wine-like tones, and superior acidity or "high notes." Beans from different origins are blended to make a coffee that is higher in quality than any of the ingredients individually, often to create a proprietary or signature blend. But the highest-quality arabica varieties usually stand alone as single-origin and estate coffees. For a match with chocolate, it's better to avoid very bitter coffees or any with a scorched flavor.

As beans are lightly roasted, they change to a buttery gold color and develop a very mild, nutty flavor. Further roasting adds more body, and the darkest or French roast produces savory, rich characters with satisfying bittersweet and smoky flavors.

The difference between coffee and espresso is simply the amount of water that dilutes the grounds. An invigorating shot of espresso has the least amount of water, and therefore has a stronger, more concentrated taste profile. Instant coffees or espressos have been dried into soluble powders or granules, which can be quickly dissolved in hot water for consumption or employed as ingredients in recipes.

Syrups

In Europe, flavored syrups are added to mineral waters to make "Italian sodas." On this side of the Atlantic they serve a dual purpose of flavoring and sweetening lattes and cappuccinos, an idea conceived by "Brandy" Brandenburger of General Foods and first promoted by Torani & Company of San Francisco. Flavored syrups are highly concentrated, but when used judiciously, they can give sweet little bursts of flavor to creative mochas.

Spices

Spices are among the earliest commodities to have circumnavigated the globe in trade. The practice of adding these powerful, lyrical, sensual aromatics to enhance the natural flavors of both chocolate and coffee can be traced back many centuries.

For best results, buy small quantities of ground spices and store them in tightly-closed containers in a cool, dark, and dry place for no longer than a year. Before using, sniff them. If the fragrance of a spice has dimmed, toss it out. Chances are, the flavor has weakened as well and will do nothing to improve your recipe. If you're using nonsoluble spices, place them in a tea ball or wrap them in cheesecloth before dropping them into liquid so you can easily fish them out later.

Store vanilla beans completely submerged in granulated sugar. This process preserves not only the moisture and freshness of the beans, but also creates an aromatic vanilla sugar that can be used for making cookies add other baked treats.

Sweeteners

Sugar is persistently valued, not only for the sweetening of drinks and desserts, but for adding volume, tenderness, and texture.

Granulated white, or table, sugar has medium-sized granules and is most often called for in recipes. When heated, granulated sugar takes on a toffee-like color and flavor.

Confectioners' sugar, which has been crushed mechanically (and generally mixed with a little starch to keep it from clumping), is favored for its dissolving properties, especially in iced chocolate drinks.

Brown sugar is simply white sugar with a bit of molasses to give it texture and color. Its color will depend on the amount of molasses added during processing. The darker the color, the stronger the taste, so use one that suits your taste preference. Substituting brown sugar for white will add notes of caramel and molasses.

Honey adds sweetness as well as flavor, however, you may need to experiment as some honey varieties tend to overwhelm the subtleties of other flavors. Because honey is sweeter than table sugar, you'll need less of it to please your palate. For more robust, bittersweet flavors, natural molasses is a one-to-one substitute for honey.

Conversions & Equivalents

FLUID MEASURES

10 milliliters (ml) = 2 teaspoons (t) 50 ml = 3 tablespoons (T) 100 ml = 3 1/2 ounces 250 ml = 1 cup + 1 (T) 500 ml = 1 pint + 2 (T) 1 liter = 1 quart + 3 (T) 1 teaspoon = 5 ml 1 tablespoon = 15 ml 1 ounce = 30 ml 1 cup = 235 ml 1 quart = 950 ml 1 gallon = 3 3/4 liters

DRY MEASURES

10 grams = 1/3 ounce 50 grams = 1 3/4 ounces 100 grams = 3 1/2 ounces 250 grams = 8 3/4 ounces 500 grams = 1 lb + 1 1/2 ounces l/2 ounce = 14 grams 1 ounce 28 grams 1/4 pound = 112 grams 1/2 pound = 224 grams 1 pound = 448 grams

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Measuring

When measuring chocolate or coffee, an ounce is measured in weight, not volume. Professionals use scales to measure dry ingredients for greater speed and accuracy. Digital and balance scales are preferred, since they can be recalibrated to maintain accuracy. Spring-loaded scales are not as precise.

For home cooks, there are inexpensive digital scales available that will hold up to eleven pounds, are accurate to within 1/4 ounce, and convert between grams and ounces.

To properly measure, first weigh the container in which each ingredient will be placed. Set the zero indicator at fine container's final weight. Then add the ingredients. In effect, you have ignored the weight of the container and only included the weight of the chocolate or coffee.

As for equipment, most recipes can be prepared with utensils you probably already have in your kitchen: measuring cups and spoons, a scale, a serrated knife, a pot or two, and a wooden spoon or wire whisk. Use a scoop for powder and a shot glass for syrups. Set aside a few bowls and/or a set of demitasse cups for serving.

Chopping, Shaving & Grinding

Most superior-quality chocolate comes in blocks and must therefore be either shaved on a coarse cheese grater or chopped into small chunks (about 1/4 inch) with a knife.

To work with chocolate, have your block at room temperature. Cold chocolate is too hard to cut, and room-temperature chocolate will chop into pieces without splintering. Use a long serrated knife and score at fine point you want the break to occur to a depth of about 1/8 inch. Press the knife into the chocolate with firm steady pressure at several spots along the scored line, advancing the knife a little deeper into the bar at each spot.

Hold both the handle and the dull side of the blade, and chop into small pieces, as uniformly-sized as possible so they will melt evenly in the liquid. (If the pieces are different sizes the chocolate won't melt evenly, and you risk scorching some of the smaller pieces while waiting tot the larger lines to melt.)

To shave chocolate in a food processor, chill the chocolate, bowl, and blade first, then pulse the chocolate to desired shavings. (Some manufacturers are making their chocolate available in small wafers or disks called "pistoles". Their slim, uniform size eliminates the need for chopping or shaving.)

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Mocha by MICHAEL TURBACK Copyright © 2007 by Michael Turback. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents
 
Acknowledgments  . . . . . . . . vii
About the Author . . . . . . . . viii
Chocolate & Coffee: Mutual Attraction . . . . . . . . 1
Mochalogue: Ingredients, Tools, & Techniques . . . . . . . . 5
Italian Lessons:
    The Treasure of Turin . . . . . . . . 16
    The Tuscan Aesthetic . . . . . . . . 21
Drinks . . . . . . . . 26
Cocktails . . . . . . . . 73
Desserts . . . . . . . . 88
Resources . . . . . . . . 127
Index . . . . . . . . 132