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Torn Ranch Wine Truffles

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Each month here at Jilly Chicago we be bringing you information on what we feel to be some of the industry’s leading companies. We do this in hopes to bring to light a company you may not know that much about and to bask them in the glory they so richly deserve. If you have any great companies that you feel should get the nod please email them to us at Jillys.

As one of the year’s most chocolate obsessed holidays fast approaches (February) we felt it would be just to entice you with one of the nation’s premier artisan chocolatiers, Torn Ranch.

The beginnings of Torn Ranch are similar to that of many purveyors of gourmet specialty foods. Torn Ranch began as a small retail store located in Marin County. As a warm welcome, the store owner (whose name really was Torn) would place a jumbo cashew in each customers hand as they entered his store. Eventually as the demand for his products increased rapidly, Torn closed his retail store to focus on the wholesale gourmet specialty market. 

Today, appropriately nestled between San Francisco and Napa Valley, with the leadership of Dean and Sue Morrow, they boast over 100 employees and have become well known as leading innovators in the gourmet industry. Their unparalleled commitments to the highest standard for product quality and gift design, Torn Ranch chocolatiers have quickly become known for their artisan chocolate.

Torn Ranch took the food world by storm with the creation of their tea infused truffles. They appeared in the Wall Street Journal among other publications, which helped them create national reorganization. For the past 30 years Torn Ranch has hand crafted their artisanal truffles which now feature such delicacies as wine infused and fruit ganache. It has long been known that the pairing of wine and chocolate is a perfect match.  Torn Ranch has taken it one step further by infusing rare vintage port wine, sparkling champagne, buttery chardonnay and a full bodied cabernet together with their signature milk chocolate; a wine connoisseurs dream!

Their artisan fruit ganache truffles are equally delectable with the addition of succulent passion fruit, guava, tangelo, pear, pineapple, coconut and other exotic fruits! Each artisan truffle is then hand-painted with their signature milk chocolate. Torn Ranch didn’t just stop there. They went on to create many other delectable confections such as snappy ginger cookies, chocolate dipped glaced apricots and chocolate glaced orange slices! Drooling yet? I know I am! I had an opportunity to get my hands on some of these delectable treats but I will save that for another post! Torn Ranch can only be found at high end retailers and is well worth the search!

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How to Flambe

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The word Flambé is one that creates the impression of an extravagant and difficult to prepare meal. Many chefs stray away from desserts or meals that are prepared using this method because they fear that is simply an art that is too difficult to master. That or they are afraid they might accidentally burn down the house.

Flambé (which means flaming when translated in French) is one of the best ways to add an additional layer of flavor to your meal. The flambé method allows the chef to incorporate a flavor of the liqueur without having the harsh bite of alcohol remaining. This can be an effective method for meals ranging from meats to desserts and can create a very beautiful presentation when used in front of guests.

The first step when flambéing is to choose the liqueur to pair with your meal. You will want to use a brandy or high proof liqueur. It is best to choose a liqueur that is 80 proof; as anything containing a higher proof is viewed as too unstable for the flaming process and can yield explosive results (literally). However, liqueurs that are of a lower proof run the risk of not igniting when held to the flame. It is best to add a liqueur that resembles the flavor of the fruit or meat being prepared. A cognac or whiskey can compliment the flavor of a meat and will create a complexity that is hard to rival with other cooking methods.

Next heat the brandy or liqueur in a small sauce pan with high sides as most recipes will call for little more then 4 oz of liqueur (approximately ½ cup). You will want to heat the sauce pan until bubbles begin to form around the edges. This will happen as the liqueur reaches its boiling point of 175 degrees which is much lower then water (212 degrees).

At the same time in a separate pan heat the food that you are planning on flambéing. If the food is not warm when the liqueur is added you run the risk of cooling the liqueur too much and it may not light. It is important when using a gas stove not to poor the liqueur directly from the bottle over the stove as the flame can chase up the bottle and explode, which would not be a good thing. While flambéing can impress your guests a trip to the hospital can also impress them as well, just not in a way you were hoping for.

When both the liqueur and food have reached their temperatures simply add the liqueur from the sauce pan. If you are using a gas stove be prepared as the flame may ignite the fumes and begin the flambé process. If you are using an electric stove or the flame does not light the alcohol as it is added simply use a long lighter or match (like you would use for your fireplace) to begin the flaming process.

From here, simply let it cook until the flame has disappeared which signifies the burning off of the alcohol. As the flame burns simply move the pan in a back and forth motion being careful not to spill the contents over the side of the pan to ensure the burning off of all the alcohol. When finished, remove from the heat and serve immediately as most flambé recipes are meant to be served hot!

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Whats the best way to bake a potato Barbecue Baked Potato

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What’s the best way to bake a potato you ask?

Well personally I think that this is dependent upon your time. There are three widely accepted methods of cooking a “baked” potato, each with it’s own advantages and disadvantages.

Method 1: Baking it in the oven.

What I love about baking a potato in the oven is that it seems to have a little more taste then that of a potato prepared by other methods. This is probably because it gets a nice crispy texture without getting too mushy. The downside of this method you ask? Well it can take anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the spud!

Method 2: Microwave!

The advent of the microwave has greatly reduced the amount of time required to cook up many a things. There are both good sides and bad. The good is that a baked potato can be heated up in just 15 minutes. The downsides here come in the form of overcooked ends that become hardened in a hurry and no one wants that!

Method 3: Boiling – The choice of most restaurants.

While boiling a potato takes a little longer than that of it’s microwaved cousin it can cut down overall cooking time by 15 to 20 minutes when compared to the oven baking method. One other nice point is the addition of water to the cooking process allows for potatoes that are softer and because of the salt added sometimes a little more flavorful.

For me the best way to bake a potato really depends on the time in which I have. If I have all the time in the world I bake them in an oven. If I’m pressed for time the microwave or boiling methods work great! I do however; feel that the way in which you bake your potato doesn’t matter as much as how you plan on topping it.

Yesterday I started a series of posts about some of America’s greatest ball park foods. Coming in at my second favorite little league game favorite is the Barbecue Baked Potato! This portable potato is not only quick and easy to prepare its probably the best way to top a potato ever invented.

To begin our barbecue baked potatoes cook your “baked” potato using the method of your choice. Pull it out of the oven/microwave/pot and cut it open. Then using a fork, press the softened potato into a small bowl like so.

Once you have your bowl it’s time to fill it! Put your barbecue flavored pulled pork into the center. Now, if you have all the time in the world you can make this from scratch. Or if you’re looking to save some time I find that Lloyds makes a great BBQ pulled pork that can be heated up in the microwave in 2 minutes flat.

Once you have your barbecue goodness on the potato it’s time to add some cheese.

Now add some freshly cut chives!

Finally, no baked potato is complete without a dollop of sour cream! One thing I like to do is keep it in the tin foil used to bake it with (this is provided you don’t use the microwave or boiling options) to create a little portable dish. If you do choose another method there’s nothing stopping you from putting this innovative plate idea to use once your tater is cooked. See you at the game!

One more look at this bad boy….. Oh yeah!

Barbecue baked potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 2 large baked potatoes
  • 16 oz pulled pork (preferably Lloyds)
  • 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh minced chives
  • 2 oz sour cream

Directions:

  1. Bake your potato using method of your choice. Using a fork create a bowl within the baked potato.
  2. Warm pulled pork according to directions and fill the bowl created in the baked potato.
  3. Top pulled pork with cheese, chives, and sour cream.