The Magic of (Dove) Chocolate

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Wendi and I are having a Magic of Chocolate event in Wooster on Saturday night, and she is getting ready for it by making Dove Chocolate-covered strawberries. They will be just one of the many chocolate samplings that will be featured.

Wendi is an independent Dove Chocolate Discoveries Chocolatier. She has home parties that feature Dove's premium lines of ready-to-eat chocolates, beverages, elegant desserts and candy-making products. (You can read more about what she does on her website.)

Wendi will be treating guests to fine Dove Chocolate Discoveries products, and I will be performing magic. My effects will have a chocolate theme.

The event is 7 p.m. Saturday. I forgot to deliver some of my invites. So, if you are interested in going and can do so on such short notice, sent me a tweet, a message on Facebook, an email or text message and I can fill you in on the details.

The event is geared for couples, but anyone can attend.

Note: The photos above are of the chocolate-covered strawberries and of chocolate tempering.

Bustelo Cool: The New Craze

A friend recently introduced me to Bustelo Cool, a ready-to-drink coffee product from Miami-based Rowland Coffee Roasters, which was recently purchased by The J.M. Smucker Co. of Orrville, Ohio.

Bustelo Cool comes in two flavors: Cafe Mocha and Cafe con Leche. Both of them are very good. They incorporate espresso coffee from Cafe Bustelo blended with milk (leche). The mocha has hints of chocolate.

I am one who only drinks iced or frozen coffee drinks. I want my coffee milky and sweet. I do not want a bold, dark, strong, bitter coffee.

I have been drinking iced coffee drinks for a long time, and I am a big fan of the Bustelo Cool offerings.. Growing up in Revere, Mass., my mother bought us children coffee syrup to put in our milk to make coffee drinks. Since the early 1990s, I have been pretty much an exclusive iced coffee drinker. I have had more than my fair share of failures when trying to make a good iced coffee at home. I love Dunkin Donuts' iced coffee, particularly the toasted almond flavor. When McDonald's came out with its vanilla iced coffee, I fell in love with it.

I tried Starbucks' ready-to-drink iced coffee drinks, but I never really warmed up to them (yes, pun intended). But, when I tried Bustelo Cool, first I had the Cafe con Leche, and later the Cafe Mocha, and I immediately liked it. They had a great coffee flavor, not overly strong in my opinion, and it had the right blend of milk and sweetness. The drinks are smooth, and I mean smooth.

If I have one criticism of the product, it is the size: Only 8 ounces of cool coffee goodness in a can. As one person said, "They need to put it in a gallon jug."

I agree.