EVENTS:
Bring your friends!
The Extraordinary Health Benefits of CHOCOLATE! Samples included!
Thursday, July 24, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. International Chocolate & Wine Pairing at D'Vine Wine at 1660 Champa St. in Denver
Sunday, July 27: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser
Join us for this Ladies Night Team-in-Training fundraiser benefiting the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society (open to the public). I'll be speaking about the health benefits of chocolate, how much to eat and which chocolates are best for maximum endurance. Women from around the world are rallying for this amazing NIKE sponsored marathon to be held in October. Contact Alison Mendez at 720-470-4581 for more information.
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NEW
The Chocolate Therapist TV Show!
Get on the show.....
We're looking for top companies that want to have their product featured on my upcoming weekly show, The Chocolate Therapist (airing Feb 2009). We're looking for wine, tea, chocolate, healthy foods that pair with chocolate, companies that sell chocolates and more.
E-mail me with your idea, a contact number and your website. Thank you,
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Many of the artisanal wines served
at the International
Wine & Chocolate Pairings
are from Lido Wine Merchants in downtown Littleton | |
Many of the fine chocolates recommended can be found locally at World Market. |
Read about Julie in the Denver Post |
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Would you like to see your original chocolate recipe in this newsletter or in one of The Chocolate Therapist future books? Or in the next Newsletter?
Share your best original chocolate recipe with fellow chocolate enthusiasts. If your recipe is chosen, we'll feature in the next newsletter and include a link to your website (at your request only).
Please send: Your original recipe (must be your unique recipe) with your full name,
e-mail address/phone number with a note giving
permission to use your recipe.
If chosen, your recipe will be printed with your first name and city only, and a link to your website iat your request.
Send your submission to:
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NEWS VIDEO: "A Chocolate Bar a Day Keeps the Doctor Away? (Click on picture to watch video) |
 NEWS ARTICLE: "Chocoholics Wanted for New Study" (Click on picture to read article) | |
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BRING JULIE TO YOUR NEXT EVENT!
 Julie is available for speaking engagements:
ENJOY FUN, HEALTH & CHOCOLATE at your next EVENT!
*Corporate Events * Luncheons * Community Events * Men's & Women's Groups * Fund Raisers * Worship Groups * Non-Profit Groups * Parties * & More! For more information, send email to:
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SPOTLIGHT ON CHOCOLATE
In one of my recent Chocolate & Wine pairing classes, El Rey took top honors as the favorite chocolate (7 countries were tested) of the evening in the international pairing.
Venezuela is known for its extraordinary cacao beans, and El Rey's old world processing technique combines science and art into a sweet, flavorful chocolate that easily trounced a popular Swiss favorite, among others.
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LATEST CHOCOLATE HEALTH NEWS
 RESEARCH RUNNING RAMPANT!
You may have seen the recent report in the news titled "Chocolate Causes Weak Bones." As a staunch supporter of chocolate for health, I felt obligated to delve into this urban myth a little deeper.
As I suspected, the research is so vague it's surprising it even made it into publication. Unfortunately the media is stuck to it like a chocolate bar wrapper on a hot day.
The study, performed on women over the age of 70, stated that those who ate chocolate daily had 3.1% less bone density than those who ate it less than once a week. There was no distinction at all about the quality. Consumers could have been indulging in dime store chocolate bunnies as opposed to the recommended quality 70%+ dark chocolate advised for health benefits. Even if did use quality chocolate, the study outright ignores hundreds of possible cause-effect relationships. This is just one of the many erroneous conclusions this study reports (more information at the link below).
The moral of the story? Eat high quality dark chocolate and always check the research before you believe anything you read.
Many more details at this link: http://www.jonnybowden.com/2008/01/chocolate-research-worst-study-of-week.html |
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JULY'S DARE TO PAIR!
 CHOCOLATE AND WINE PARING OF THE MONTH:
July's pairing is tawny port with anything chocolate/cinnamon. Tawny Port pairs well with most chocolates, but the cinnamon ignites your "common scents" into a completely unexpected mélange of flavors.
 You may even drift into an image of careening through Santorini's cinnamon fields on a moped -- trust me, this is an experience you want to have before you leave this life! |
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AN EVENING OF CHOCOLATE & WINE
 Just when you think you've tried everything under the Tuscan sun, along comes new-kid-on-the-winery-block, D'Vine Wines. Nestled in the center of downtown, the Denver winemaker is the quintessential stopping place for a unique experience of fresh and lively wines in a cozy setting. D'vine makes its eclectic and enticing wines right in the store.
If you haven't stopped by D'Vine, there's no better time than Thursday, July 24, when D'Vine teams up with Colorado chocolatier "Chocolates by Mary Carol" for the ultimate chocolate and wine soiree. I'll be hosting the non-stop evening of education and entertainment.
Class begins with a sampling of international chocolates--learn how chocolate is made from bean to bar, how to compare and contrast flavors and how to eat chocolate properly while choosing your favorite.
Next, you'll enjoy a selection of D'Vine's own wines (think blackberry Merlot, chocolate Port and more) and pair them with a variety of Mary Carol's handmade chocolates infused with nuts, spices, fruits and essential oils, each designed to enhance the flavors in both the wines and the chocolates.
Reservations Required, only 30 spaces available; $25 per person or $45 per couple. Thursday, July 24, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Call 720-981-5806 for reservations or visit www.TheChocolateTherapist.com to purchase tickets immediately (Upcoming Events tab). |
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CHOCOLATE UNDER THE COVERS
Anti-Wrinkle Assistance:
Recommendation: Gather the girls for an evening of chocolate pampering. Everyone puts on a dark chocolate mask (try Ecco-Bella), serve a little red wine, eat fresh fruit dipped in quality dark chocolate and watch the movie "Le Chocolat."
Supporting Evidence:
The recent explosion of chocolate-based skincare products confirms that chocolate's use is no longer limited to the stomach. It's now acceptable for the face and body as well. Here are just a few of the facts quoted from Ecco Bella, a company that makes a very nice chocolate mask: ...."this chocolate mask treatment is naturally pure and rich in iron, magnesium, vitamins and antioxidants....these nutrients nourish and cleanse your skin while leaving it softer and smoother than ever"....more on page 42 in the book! |
SHARE THE LOVE (of chocolate)! If you've read The Chocolate Therapist, please click here to post a review on AMAZON -- thank you!! |
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FOR YOUR FAVORITE WINE LOVER
Wine Enthusiast's Chocolate Collection
available from The Chocolate Therapist
This is the ultimate combination for health--chocolates that pair beautifully with wines AND include a selection of health-focused dried fruits, nuts, seeds or spices. The organza gift bag (pictured right) contains 4 oz of individually wrapped heart-shaped chocolates all blended with wine-enhancing infusions.
Cabanya, for Cabernet Lovers: 65% dark with pecans and hemp seeds. Unusual, charismatic and brimming with unbridled adventure!
Cambridge, for Port & Dessert Wine Lovers: 65% dark with glazed orange bits. Lively, mysterious and unassuming--guaranteed love at first bite.
Cherize, for Zinfandel and Shiraz lovers: 65% dark blended with tart dried cherries, rolled in cinnamon. Spicy, snappy and intensely fruity with an attitude!
$6.00 per 4 oz. bag. Wholesale pricing available in quantities of 12+.
Email for more information and for orders
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BEST-OF-CHOCOLATE RECIPE
Chocolate Milkshakes / Hot Chocolate
Only a true Chocolate Therapist would send out a recipe for hot chocolate in July. But keep in mind this is an international newsletter, so I decided to cover the world (because it's winter somewhere!) with this recommendation to include more cocoa powder in your diet because of its extraordinary antioxidant content.
The entire process is a bit like homework--you just have to keep working on it until you get it right. And no one knows what's "right" for you except you, so don't be afraid to alter the recipe to suit your taste. Start here...
Chocolate Milkshakes  1. 1 cup frozen strawberries and/or bananas 2. 2 Tbs cocoa powder 3. 1/2 cup almond milk*
4. 2 Tbs agave nectar**
Blend until smooth. Some people might like more cocoa powder, or more ice cream, or more milk. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find out what works best for you.  Hot Chocolate 1. 1 cup almond milk*
2. 2 Tbs cocoa powder
3. 2 Tbs agave nectar**
Stir vigorously or use a hand blender to mix--the pure cocoa powder is a little temperamental and doesn't like to blend.
*I suggest almond milk because it's tasty, lactose free, cholesterol and gluten-free and low on the glycemic index (doesn't raise blood sugar). Controversial research also suggests that the casein in milk may bind to the antioxidants in chocolate and make them less absorbable in the body (more on this as more research is available).
**Agave nectar, available at most natural grocers, is a natural sweetener that comes in much lower on the glycemic index compared to sugar. I don't recommend artificial sweeteners because of their toxicity, but if you like them and don't mind using them, they'll work too.
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XOCAI CHOCOLATE BUSINESS
(Pronounced Show-Sigh)
Start Your Chocolate Business Today! This is a unique opportunity to use the increasing sales and momentum of "The Chocolate Therapist" to build a downline for the healthiest chocolate on the market quickly and easily. Contact me at 720-981-5806 or go directly to my Xocai website for information or to sign up. | |
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