Food Bloggers L.A. Celebrate Chocolate and Champagne!

by Dorothy Reinhold on February 6, 2014


Print This Post Print This Post Food Bloggers L.A. Celebrate Chocolate and Champagne for Valentine's Day

The word decadence doesn’t even begin to cover it when you bring Los Angeles food writers together for a meeting with the theme of “chocolate.”

Just in time for Valentine’s Day indulgences, Food Bloggers Los Angeles – the passionate group of talented home cooks, pro chefs and fanatical foodies – met to nosh and nibble their way through a collection of cacao-centric creations that included cakes, fudge, bread, cookies, brownies, truffles — even some chili with cocoa in it!

There were a few rogue non-chocolate dishes, too, which provided a welcome contrast.

FBLA celebrates chocolateBehold, our offerings for your February pleasure! Choose something from here for your family, friends and your own sweeties. Let’s take a look at the visual feast, and then the links to each recipe are below the array of photos. We even have affordable champagne recommendations for you.

We’re going to start with dessert, because in February, our motto is this:

Life is short. Eat dessert first!

Chocolate_petit_fours from Christinas_CucinaChocolate Petit Fours from Christina’s Cucina.

Chocolate Brownie Quick Bread | www.ShockinglyDelicious.comChocolate Brownie Quick Bread, easy to make and good for breakfast with cream cheese or an after school snack, from Shockingly Delicious.

Fair Trade Chocolate Earthquake Cookies from Nourish NetworkFair-Trade Chocolate Earthquake Cookies from Nourish Network.

Mocha Truffle Bars from Cooking on the WeekendsMocha Truffle Bars from Cooking On The Weekends.

Pain au Chocolat fromTwo Broads AbroadPain au Chocolat and Cro-Nut Hearts from Two Broads Abroad.

Birthday cake from Two Broads AbroadJude at Two Broads Abroad also made me a birthday cake! It was a wondrously light cinnamon sponge cake chock full of hazelnuts and chunks of Ibarra chocolate, layered with whipped ganache and masked in dark molding chocolate. And let me tell you, it rocked!

Vegan Nutella Fudge from Eat Real FoodVegan Nutella Fudge from Eat Real Food.

Chocolate Red Wine Tart from A Communal TableChocolate Red Wine Tart from A Communal Table.

Brownie Buttons from Bumbleberry BreezeBrownie Buttons from Bumbleberry Breeze.

Blood Orange Champagne Creme Brulee from Cooking on the WeekendsBlood Orange-Champagne Creme Brûlée also from Cooking on the Weekends (she was a busy baker).

Vintage Lemon Pudding Cake from Bake This CakeVintage Lemon Pudding Cake from Bake This Cake.

Savory Dishes

Game-Day-Chili-with-Cherry-Chipotle-Not-Ketchup-from-In-Erikas-KitchenGame Day Chili from In Erika’s Kitchen. Yep, there’s cocoa in it!

Tamales with Chocolate Mole Sauce from Fresh Food in a FlashTamales with Chocolate Mole Sauce from Fresh Food in a Flash.

Amaretto Sauce Dressing on Spinach Berry Salad from Within My MeansAmaretto Sauce/Dressing on Spinach-Berry Salad from Within My Means.

Chocolate Cheddar Cheese on Shockingly DeliciousChocolate Cheddar Cheese from Shockingly Delicious. Yep, we said chocolate in the cheese, and yep, it’s good!

Deviled Eggs from Worth the WhiskDeviled Eggs with Not Ketchup from our hostess with the mostess Worth the Whisk.

Chinese New Year Slaw from Adventures with Nancy RoseChinese New Year Slaw from Adventures with Nancy Rose.

FBLA Chocolate Party 2014 Recipe and Resource Links

Desserts

Savory Dishes

Champagne/Sparkling Wine Recommendations

  • Jaume Serra Cristaliino Brut Cava by Eating RulesJaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava ($7 “but tastes like $20+”) — Andrew Wilder of Eating Rules
  • NV Presto Prosecco Brut ($10-$12), a “price performer” —  Alison Ashton of Nourish Network
  • Brut Roederer Estate Mixed Vintage ($20)  — Jennifer Daskevich of A Little Gourmet Everyday
  • Colbert Eco Brut (sugar-free organic sparkling wine; $25) — Caren Magill of The Fit Habit
  • Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvée ($10.99).  “When serving mimosas there is no need to buy expensive bubbly, but naturally you don’t want to serve your guests headache-inducing sparkling wines or champagne either. The Brut Cuvée is Barefoot’s most traditional bubbly and tastes of green apple and jasmine with hints of kiwi and peach flavors which bubble up for a crisp finish and, in my opinion, make a delightful Mimosa,” said Priscilla Willis of She’s Cookin’.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

FBLA members arranging their dishes

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

Dana @ Foodie Goes Healthy February 11, 2014 at 9:36 pm

Dorothy- thanks for the round up. Now I get to virtually attend the party, although I am sorry to have missed the real thing. There’s a lot of great recipes here for me to check out. Oh, and I always love a shot of bloggers fussing with their dishes and taking photos– nice shot.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 11, 2014 at 9:45 pm

Dana,
We missed you, and yep, we are ALWAYS fussing over our food, aren’t we?

Reply

Alison February 11, 2014 at 12:23 am

Wow what a selection! Looks great! Will be printing off a few of these for this coming V-Day!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 11, 2014 at 9:42 am

Alison,
Enjoy! And let me know what you try!

Reply

Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought February 7, 2014 at 10:12 am

Everything was SO delicious! Great roundup.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 7, 2014 at 10:19 am

Cathy,
Agreed! It’s hard to be unhappy with chocolate and champ in the room. 🙂

Reply

Nancy Rose Eisman February 6, 2014 at 7:21 pm

Thanks for doing this round-up filled with so many delicious memories. Damn, I wish I’d eaten more! Can we do it again please?

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 6, 2014 at 9:09 pm

Nancy,
How about next month!

Reply

Nancy Rose Eisman February 6, 2014 at 9:28 pm

Absolutely. Let’s designate Chocolate & Champagne as FBLA’s official favorite food “group” – always welcome at any event!

Reply

caren February 6, 2014 at 5:12 pm

Ugh….so bummed I didn’t get to try that gorgeous chocolate cake!!! But I didn’t want to be the one to cut into it first. Way too pretty….

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 6, 2014 at 9:10 pm

Caren.
It was magnificent! You shoulda cut into it.

Reply

Patricia@FreshFoodinaFlash February 6, 2014 at 2:46 pm

What a wonderful roundup of some indulgent Valentine Day desserts and savory dishes.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 6, 2014 at 3:18 pm

Patricia,
It did end up to be pretty darn decadent! I adored your tamales! I am a sucker for mole.

Reply

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