Introduction

There is very little that can cause the same excitement as a large bowl filled with warm chocolate. Especially if said bowl is accompanied with pillowy soft marshmallows and sweet, crispy cookies to use as a vehicle to enjoy the chocolate. Add to that the fresh hint of mint that cools the deep, dark chocolate and you are in for a new Holiday tradition.

It’s a little bit excessive and quite a bit extravagant, I’ll give you that. But isn’t that, in some part, what the holidays call for?

I wish I carried the same exuberance for the season as my children do. Don’t get me wrong, I love this time of year, but you won’t find me sleeping at the top of the stairs in excitement as my oldest did last year or counting down the days till Christmas starting the day after Halloween. Their joy overflows onto us and we anticipate right along with them just not quite as fanatically.

No longer do the ringing of bells and twinkling of Christmas lights excite me the way they used to. As an adult it is a tabletop adorned with a bowl full of minted chocolate fondue with piles of marshmallows and cookies that stir in me that feeling of excitement and glee. So yes, bring on a bit of excess, it only happens once a year, right?!

Happy Holidays.

Fresh Mint Chocolate Fondue

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 sprigs fresh mint
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
• 2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate

In a medium saucepan combine all of the ingredients except for the chocolate. Bring to a simmer then turn off the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. With the back of a wooden spoon lightly bruise the mint in the cream mixture to release the essential oils.

Add the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl. Bring the cream back to a simmer. Remove from heat and strain over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute then whisk to combine.

Add to the fondue pot over very gentle heat. Serve with marshmallows (homemade if you prefer - recipe here), and sugar cookies or shortbread.

About Ashley E. Rodriguez

Food became my life while living in Italy. Growing up I was fortunate to have been brought up around a mother who intuitively knew how to cook, and just by being around that, it rubbed off on me. But it was in Italy where I truly began to appreciate the power of good food.

For me food is so much more than following a recipe in order to reach a desired product. As much as I enjoy that tasty product and the process in which it was created, my personal infatuation with food focuses on the aspects that go beyond satisfying a bodily hunger. I am completely and utterly obsessed with food because of its effect on the people who consume it, grow it, produce it, enjoy it, and live for it. Food is culture, it nourishes our bodies, it is passion, it is hard work, and for many it is their livelihood.

My culinary career has been primarily pastry focused. I worked under the Captain of the winning American Coupe du Monde team (the Olympics of bread baking) at the Essential Bread Baking Company in Seattle, WA. From there I went on to Los Angeles where I studied under Sherry Yard (Executive Pastry Chef for Wolfgang Puck's restaurant empire) at Wolfgang Puck's famous Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. While working with Sherry, I also assisted her with her second book, Desserts By The Yard.

I moved back to Washington State and began my pastry business, fulfilling all sweet needs. You can see my work in numerous publications including Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom. Currently I am focusing on training my two young boys to have distinguished palates. You can also find me writing, teaching and creating a television program on the subject of real, good food.

Photographs copyright by Gabriel Rodriguez. Used with permission.