canadian blogging by post # 1 : recipe round-up

Welcome to the round up for the first Canadian Blogging By Post event. The theme for this round is chocolate. Before CBBP was cooked up, I read in a magazine that chocolate is the new wine! I laughed. Journalists are always making these sorts of comparisons. Ironically, today there is some truth to the statement: at least, the demand for varied and high quality chocolates is present and growing. Artisan chocolate shops seem to be popping up everywhere, offering a range of chocolates in varying cocoa percentages and, even, bean origins. Sophisticated chocolate is now more readily available to the home cook. Also interesting is that three 2006 IACP cookbook awards went to books on chocolate. The popularity of high quality chocolate is growing rapidly.

Canadian bloggers from across the country shared with CBBP some of their favourite chocolate recipes. From desserts that dazzle to baking that comforts, these posts are an enticing collection that prove that good chocolate is here to stay and is not a trend.





Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict posts Apple Fritters with Chocolate-Maple Syrup, which not only looks great but also represents Canada by using real Canadian maple syrup! I love that Jasmine’s dessert is another entry in her "cooking by proxy series”, in which her ex-partner cooks while she instructs.









Elizabeth from Rabbit Hole is not a foodie blogger but rather a scrap blogger. Her site reminds me that there are more than food bloggers out there! Elizabeth posts a delicious and wonderful looking Chocolate Mud Pie! Thanks Elizabeth for participating.










Strawberry from Sourcream Timbits shows us how to make an Indonesian snack called Kue Pukis. Don’t let the English phonetics of the name fool you: this snack looks good and the ingredients sound wonderful.

















Rob from Hungry in Hogtown yet again shares an adventurous and inspiring recipe from El Bulli—Chocolate with Wasabi. Need I say more? Check out his post.














Tania of The Candied Quince serves things up Toronto-style by making Chocolate Crinkle Cookies from Torontonian Bonnie Stern. Tania notes: “These cookies are typical of Bonnie’s recipes. They are easy to make, call for readily-available ingredients, and offer outstanding results.”









Vanessa from Tongue and Cheek brings us mouthwatering Chocolate Macaroons with Pistachio Buttercream. Sounds delicious. Thanks Vanessa!












Candy of Desserts by Candy makes a wonderful looking Chocolate Panforte. Candy clearly tackles chocolate decadence head-on: her ingredients are unsweetened chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, high quality cocoa, hazelnuts and Grand Marnier!










Zoubida of Kitchen Culture prepares Moroccan Nut and Chocolate Squares, which look absolutely stunning. The title of her blog states, “what happens in a Moroccan-French-Canadian woman’s kitchen…”. It appears wonderful things. Check out her blog.










Christine of Knife Skills brings us Black Bottom Pecan Praline Bars from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate. Simple and satisfying.











Ivonne from Cream Puffs in Venice makes a wonderful looking Chocolate Pecan Spread. Inspired by Out to Lunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs of Mildred Pierce, Ivonne does it again.











Raspberry Sour of The Sour Patch makes Mexican Chocolate Ice Box Cookies for both CBBP and Cinco de Mayo. Her recipe comes from veteran Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts. Mmm…chocolate and spice!










Kelli of avoir une famille n'est pas comme un téléroman explains her love affair with peanut butter. She makes a delightful Surprise Peanut Butter Cookie from Canadian Living.











Linda from Kayak Soup makes a fantastic sounding Mexican Chocolate Pecan Bar, which has been on the menu of Frontera’s Grill House restaurant for 13 years. Thanks for sharing Linda.











Jen of The Canadian Baker shows us how to make lovely Caramel-Layered Brownies—a simple and wonderful treat. It took her a long time to decide what to make, and she almost didn't participate. I am certainly glad she did.










Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess, who started the incredibly popular Sugar High Friday, shares another fantastic treat, Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk.











Sam of Sweet Pleasure : Plaisir Sucré, and the host of this event, offers his homemade Caramel Hazelnut Chocolate Bar. Is it as decadent as it looks and sounds? Feel free to give it a try!









I want to thank all the participants of the first Canadian Blogging By Post. I would especially like to thank Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice and Tania of The Candied Quince for their assistance and input in getting this event off the ground. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing and reading everyone’s post. All we do now is wait in anticipation for our packages to arrive in the mail. Cheers!

Technorati Tags: Baking, Canada, Canadian blogging by post, CBBP, Chocolate, Dessert