At first it seemed a bit odd to receive a review offer, for a book about chocolate, from the representative of a high end vanilla company, but as I thought further on the subject, it all began to make sense. Chocolate and vanilla so often work hand in hand. The flavor of one, helping the other to reach higher heights in taste satisfaction. Many of the recipes in Chocolate Bliss make generous use of vanilla, and when one is using high quality cacao products, a cheap vanilla will simply not do. Hence, the connection with Nielson-Massey Vanilla.
Chocolate Bliss, by Susie Norris, is sort of an ode to chocolate, in all it’s forms. It is packed with information about the types of chocolate, health benefits, history, tasting, techniques and anything else a well informed chocolatier should know. In addition to edible recipes, there is also a health and beauty chapter, which features recipes like Chocolate Soap and Hint of Cocoa Body Lotion.
Some of the more scrumptious looking offerings in this book are Artisan Caramel Bonbons (shown in cover pic), Black Forest Cupcakes (pictured below), and the enticingly exotic savory dish, Chicken with Mole Negro Sauce, which I am dying to try once I gather the extensive ingredient list.
All in all Chocolate Bliss is a nice little book which covers the ingredient of chocolate well. It would make an excellent gift for the chocolate lover in your life.
Disclosure: While I received a complimentary copy of the book for the purose of review, and have reviewed Nielsen-Massey vanilla in the past, all opinions presented here are my own and no monetary compensation was given.
Giveaway
The winner of this giveaway will receive both a copy of Chocolate Bliss and a bottle of Nielson-Massey Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, so they can get on with making terrific chocolate-vanilla concoctions.
Mandatory Entry (must be done for all other entries to count): Visit either the Chocolate Bliss website or the Nielsen-Massey website, and tell me something you learned (if you visit both make 2 separate comments, for an extra entry).
For additional entries:
- Follow this blog via email or RSS
- Follow me through Google Friend Connect
- Follow @TwiMommi on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway up to one time per day.
- Become a fan (now called like) Nielsen Massey Vanillason Facebook
- Become a fan (now called like) Blommi on Facebook
- For 2 entries! Grab my button and post it on your blog, or add Blommi.com to your blogroll. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
- For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post (be sure to leave 3 separate comments)
One winner will be selected from all valid entries, using the “and the winner is..” plug-in, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. Contest ends July 22 , 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.
Confirmed winner WCC




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I like Blommi on Facebook
Debra Ford
Spicy Mexican Vanilla complements the flavor of cinnamon and can help reduce the acidity of tomato-based products like chili. Use Tahitian Vanillas to potentiate the flavors of fruit-based products such as sorbets and toppings.
Google friend connect follower kycouple2000.
Twitter follower ky2here1, here’s my tweet:
http://twitter.com/ky2here1/status/19216067446
fun fact:
CHOCOLATE BLISS is a multi-media company designed to celebrate chocolate around the world. Founder & President, Chef Susie Norris, specializes in chocolate.
fun fact:
George Washington liked ice cream and kept two pewter ice cream pots at Mount Vernon during his presidency from 1789-1797.
I subscribed to your feed via mail (same as in my profile / this post)
Following publicly as Louis on Google Friends Connect
following you on twitter at rosidentevil
http://twitter.com/rosidentevil/status/19216722027
I like Blommi on FaceBook (Louis Here)
I like Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on FaceBook (Louis Here)
Daily tweet: http://twitter.com/whitechocolatec/statuses/19221850251
I was a little disappointed to learn that the Bourbon Vanilla was named because of the Boubon Islands NOT because of alcohol flavor.
daily tweet
http://twitter.com/fairydancer35/status/19250905292
I learned CHOCOLATE BLISS is a multi-media company designed to celebrate chocolate around the world.
Google Friend Follower
I learned that I really need to make the featured recipe of gift of the gods chocolate cake… wow does that sound good!
at chocolate bliss i learned that CHOCOLATE BLISS is a multi-media company designed to celebrate chocolate around the world. Founder & President, Chef Susie Norris, specializes in chocolate.
I learned that CHOCOLATE BLISS is a multi-media company designed to celebrate chocolate around the world.
Follow publicly via Google Friend Connect
I learned that in 1602 Hugh Morgan apothecary to Queen Elizabeth I suggested that vanilla could be used as a flavoring all by itself.
Chocolate is better than red wine? Really?
You can put vanilla in a can of paint to eliminate unpleasant odors. How cool is that?
I am now following your site! Please follow mine! http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I follow you GFC
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I follow you on twitter @beckyjwebb
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I now like Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on facebook! I so need some more vanilla! I just put that on my shopping list!
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
Last daily tweet: http://twitter.com/whitechocolatec/statuses/19297953782 Thank you so much for the chance!
I like your site on facebook too!
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
You are on my blogroll! http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com/p/blogroll.html
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
You are on my blogroll! http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com/p/blogroll.html #2
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I did blog about this giveaway! http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com/2010/07/chocolate-craving.html
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I did blog about this giveaway #2 http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com/2010/07/chocolate-craving.html
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I did blog about this giveaway! #3 http://www.ourpeacefulhome.com/2010/07/chocolate-craving.html
Becky @ Our Peaceful Home´s last blog ..Reflections on Marriage
I learned that the term Bourbon applies to beans grown on the Bourbon Islands – Madagascar, Comoro, Seychelle and Reunion not the liquor produced in Kentucky in the United States.
I visited the Nielsen-Massey website and learned that artificial vanillin simulates 1 flavor component out of over 250 different flavor components found in natural vanilla. It is a by product of the wood industry or is produced from petro-chemicals. Gross!
Auriette´s last blog ..Im trying something new
Neilsen Massey started making their products in 1907.
the author’s artisan chocolate business, Happy Chocolates, has been featured on Food Network and in More Magazine.
subscribed to feed
following on google (07violet)
The United States consumption of vanilla beans is approximately 1,200 tons per year!
Nielson-Massey is a family-run business that’s been operating in Illinois for over 100 years. I did not think that it had been around for over a century
Nielson-Massey sounds like it would be a foreign-based company, but but its product manufacturing plant is, in fact, located in Waukegan, Illinois. I also learned that a few drops of vanilla in a paint can will help eliminate unpleasant odors
On chocolateblissbook.com, I learned that Susie Norris’ next book is entitled VANILLA BLISS
CHOCOLATE BLISS is a multi-media company designed to celebrate chocolate around the world.
Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. The finest pure vanilla in the world!
How do we stake such a claim? It starts with a family dedicated to pure vanilla products since 1907. Add the finest vanillaNielsen-Massey Vanillas – manufacturers of pure vanilla extract and more. beans available – hand-picked for perfection, and the process has begun.
I learned that CHOCOLATE BLISS is a multi-media company designed to celebrate chocolate around the world.
On chocolateblissbook.com, I learned that Susie Norris “recently served as associate chef/instructor at Le Cordon Bleu … in Pasadena, CA”
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