When it comes to desserts, I'm first in line. I love to make them and I love to eat them. Recently, I attended a catered open house for an opening business where they served an array of beautiful desserts. I tasted a sampling of several items. I'm not a picky eater, but the appeal of these desserts quickly ended with their appearance. I felt stunned, wondering how it was possible for me not to enjoy dessert and also wondering how the caterer stayed in business.

         Unfortunately, this letdown has happened more than once. After eyeing a restaurant or bakery dessert with pleasure, I bite into it to only taste disillusionment. Sometimes I fear the flavor is lost in mass production and commercial dessert stabilizers and preservatives. Thankfully, there are still home cooks out there, stirring and brewing, baking and garnishing scrumptious desserts that remind us of what dessert is supposed to be--pure passion, pure pleasure!

         The recipes in this issue of Home Cook'n do just that. With a focus on chocolate, each recipe aptly meets the passion/pleasure principle of true desserts. Tips for working with chocolate abound in the newsletter alongside pointers on reducing the fat and sugar in desserts for those who want the taste, without the calories. Hoping you'll splurge a bit, and enjoy a luscious treat, I encourage you to head to your kitchen and whip up any of the following chocolate sensations:

Chocolate Truffles
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Light Chocolate Crème Pudding
Chocolate Raspberry Roulade
Candy Bar Cream Pie
White Chocolate Berry Parfait

         Enjoy Your Cook'n,


         Desi @ DVO