Saturday, May 20, 2006

Ingredient 101 "German's Sweet Chocolate"

A 10" round 3-layer, rich moist chocolate cake, filled & topped with a coconut-pecan custard, the sides frosted with a thick Belgian chocolate glaze, decorated with molded Belgian chocolate lace pieces.

I sell a lot of German Sweet Chocolate Cakes. Funny thing is, the cake is not even German, the name comes from a play on words. It's a brand name.

A man named Sam German created an awesome bittersweet chocolate bar circa 1852. Pure delicious chocolate, no artificial ANYTHING in it! He was not German. They decided to grace the package with his John Hancock.


Supposedly, the originals were stamped with an "S. German, Dorchester, Mass." Imitations were lurking everywhere claimed the 'Walter Baker Co.' who manufactured these, among other, delectable chocolate products.

Many many years passed & they came out with more chemically enhanced packaging & in my humble opinion, chocolate that wasn't too awesome anymore. Bummer.

They say the recipe originated from a Dallas, Texas homemaker. Whatever! Mine's way better than hers anyway! What was I saying? Oh, yeah.....the recipe called for 'German's Sweet Chocolate'. Somewhere along the line those lazy-poor-proof-reading-illiterate Texans (Ok, Ok...I only mean ONE in PARTICULAR! Maybe he screwed this up, too! Who knows?!!?) published the recipe omitting the apostrophe s.

It's now known as 'German Sweet Chocolate Cake' & assumed by ignorant bastards that it tastes good if you buy them from the supermarket in-store bakery because you know they import them straight from Germany.

That's your lesson for this weekend & as always, you'll only get an A on the quiz if you shower me with compliments.

21 Responses to “Ingredient 101 "German's Sweet Chocolate"”

Unknown said...

That looks really really good. And I know about being real.


Now how about a taste test.

I learned about Baker’s Chocolate the hard way. Opened up the cabinet and there was this huge bar of chocolate just laying there unguarded. Couldn’t help but think mom had finally rounded the bend leaving something like that laying around. A great big ol’ bite later and I suddenly realized why she wasn’t worried about my brother or me eating the thing. Blech.

jin said...

real: This cake smelled sooo good! I can't believe I didn't make US one! lol Then I could tell you how good it tastes while I'm typing this!!!

phos: EW! I think we were required to do that "once" as kids!
I actually found a description on about.com saying it's 'sweet' chocolate, they described it as tasting like 'milk' chocolate! Imagine how many poor souls read that & buy some.
SURPRISE!!!

CC said...

ooh... I can almost smell the cake from all the way here in Cal!

(do I get an A Miss Jin? :-))

jin said...

cc: Congratulations! You get the very first "A" today!!!
(I do believe I rather like being called Miss Jin! Heeheehee!)

Cherry! said...

Sorry? I found it difficult to focus after the words 'package' and 'hanCOCK'. My mind wandered. *SIGH*

Those Itailan women, only one thing on their mind - not that I am complaining. Married a Sicilian myself - must be all that Mediterranian sunshine.

I guess eating chocolate does stir up the ol' "feelings" a bit - except for baker's chocolate; that just makes you want to spew.

Lesley said...

So, if the food porn has "Grampa" written on it, does that make it food fetish porn? I'm just asking.

Not that it would deter me. I would love me up a slice of that cake. Especially if I could share it with a friend...

Unknown said...

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Fetish Food Porn Friends rock.

Cherry! said...

HAHAHAHA! OMG! Baker's chocolate sounds revolting. Do you think chocolate of the laxative variety would make you stir up those kind of 'feelings' as well???

And yes, the weather here is balmy and it's making me all hot and bothered, in THAT way.

jin said...

cherry: Uh-oh...sounds like a Virgo in heat. I know the feeling well! A glance at the image of a 'package' of chocolate & you're rubbing up against the sofa.....go out & find yourself a NICE Italian! Forget about Mr. w!

phos: REALLY?!!? Eating chocolate is what causes that? No wonder David's always running away from me! Maybe I should cut down to one pound per day.....

lesley & real: I'm officially going to start "coupling" up on your answers, when appropriate. Since the two of you will be "coupling" up in aproximately 5 days anyway.....

real: Some advice, since you will be the one waiting for lesley to get off the airplane, stand against a wall or lean against a chair or something.....I got really dizzy 'cuz I was sooo nervous waiting for David to walk through that doorway! I though for sure I'd pass out...I leaned on the wall until I started breathing again!!! LOL

Yep. All sorts of talk about coupling and mounting, told you chocolate was dangerous stuff. The movie (Chocolat) is great too - you get chocolate and its effects all in one small space.

Now I have to go burn the living shit out of some potatoes so I can post a picture of them for Cherry.

Unknown said...

Stop with the chocolate! I'm PMSsing, and it's not fair. I don't have a bite of chocolate in the house... Not even dark, bitter baker's chocolate... I'm THIS close to licking my computer screen!!!!

Lesley said...

Wait just a minute... you're giving real advice about what to do if he's nervous as he's waiting? What about me? I'm the one who has to get off the plane, walk down the jetway, walk through the terminal, etc...

Okay, I wasn't nervous but now I am!

:(

jin said...

phos: David & I rented Chocolat right when it came out. This was shortly after we first met. Um...all we saw was the first 10 minutes before we felt it's *ahem* effects...& that's ALL I'm going to say about that. ;-)

jewels: That's ok, from what I hear you wouldn't be the first!!! LOL
*jin decides to be nice & not tell jewels that she's eating a dish of Belgian dark chocolate coins while she's sitting in front of her pc.*
:-D

lesley: Ok...you get your very own advice...he might be too nervous to make the first move, so make sure you hug/kiss him (even if it's on the cheek ;-) when you get off the plane. When you get to the hotel, commence with throwing him on the bed, ripping off his clothes...oops, what I meant to say was don't let him think you're easy.
;-)

You just revealed a secret about my husband's most favorite favorite cake in the universe. It's very hard to find german chocolate cake around NYC. Maybe two months out of the year at the Little Pie Company. I suppose it would be impossible to ship a German Chocolate Cake to NYC, huh?

Lesley said...

Wow, that is very good advice!

And now I am blushing. I think I need some chocolate too...

jin said...

evi: Not impossible at all! Have shipped them to Chicago, but, NOT during the summer. Works best if the entire cake is covered with the chocolate glaze, then frozen for about 1 day before shipping, with cool packs & overnight or 2-day UPS delivery.

I can't believe they don't make them there?!!? I could kick myself for not making an extra one on Friday...I could really go for a piece right now!

lesley: LOL...glad I could help! You two will be just FINE!!! Don't either of you worry! Been there, done that, worn the stupid-ass t-shirt!!! Heeheehee!!!

Unknown said...

Well, since Jin felt the need to tease me, I just had to run to our nearest convenience store, and buy, ug, milk chocolate 'something'.... I so wish I was back in Québec... At least I can get some decent chocolates there..... Oh well, one's gotta make due....

Oh, and Lesley, "Anonymous'" advice sounds good to me! LMAO!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe I missed 3 posts I need to snap out of vacation mood. So did you know that there is no such thing as German Chocolate cake in Germany?!?!?!?? I had never heard of it prior to moving here.

jin said...

jewels: If David & I are desperate & we can't find something 'decent', we'll always grab a Snickers bar, because that's the ONLY candy bar left that's preservative & chemical free, plus you can always find them in a convenience store!

Actually, for a small town, we do have a Walmart & a grocery store that are open 24 hours. The grocery store has some good organic chocolate bars & Walmart, believe it or not, carries many flavours of Lindt chocolates. For your next question, yes, I have already gone out at 3:30am desperately seeking chocolate. Heeheehee!!!

katy: Yes, I do know that, & I knew that YOU knew that, too!! LOL I want one of those gigantic sundae thingys...YUMMM!!!