24 in 2024 -- Try at Least One New Food -- Melon Tasting

 Erin knows that I am usually game to try weird fruits. Before our Galentine's Brunch she sends a text saying "I have picked up some strange melon's for Amy's strange fruit goal." One was a Kiwano Melon from Africa and the other was a Pepino Melon from Ecuador. Both are more of a cucumber melon from what I learned on Google. She found both of them at Pick n Save. 

When we got to to her house, she had both melons cut for us to try. 

The Kiwano Melon was bright green and full of seeds. It definitely looked like a neon green cucumber. Erin said it was a pain to cut that she made her husband do it due to the prickly skin. She kept getting poked. 

Verdict; This was actually very good. Google said it could taste like banana and passion fruit or cucumber lime. The first bite I took did taste like banana but the rest was more cucumber melon. It reminded me of a lime Jell-O shot. If you don't like Jell-O because of the texture, you probably won't like this fruit. The fruit slime, as we called it because it reminded us of Ghostbuster slime or Nickelodeon slime, was even good as a yogurt topping.

The Pepino Melon reminded me of a honeydew melon especially in texture. This one you could eat the skin on. 

Verdict: It lacked flavor. It was boring. Given the choice, I would take the Kiwano melon. It just did not wow me. The others felt the same way.

Both fruits were definitely an adventure. I would actually buy the Kiwano melon in the future, especially if I was having a gathering and wanted to serve something different. It would also be good on a St. Patrick's Day board based on the color. 

I am not sure what the next fruit Erin will discover for me to try is but I'm sure it will be interesting. Maybe I should tell her Prickly Pear. 

Around the World Chocolate Tasting

 Looking at the various library calendars, I saw that Kimberly was having a Chocolate Around the World Tasting. That sounds like an event for me. I confirmed that the hubby was busy and no one else wanted to go. I signed up first thing in the morning when registration opened. I think I surprised them that I wanted to sign up as soon as the library open.

The event was from 6-7. We were given the chance to taste 8 different chocolates from around the world plus learned some history of the chocolate in that country. Tracy, the librarian, went to World Market and brought a variety of chocolates. 

We were told use all of our senses to taste, smell, look, and touch to taste the chocolate. We actually had a crash course in tasting chocolate from Maui Kuʻia Estate Chocolate. 

Our chocolates

Japan -- Meltybend: A chocolate truffle coated in a thin layer of cocoa powder. Definitely smooth and creamy. This was my favorite chocolate. 4.5 stars.

Mexico -- Mazapn de la Rosa: A Peanut confection similar to the English Almond Variation. It was very crumbly, kind of Peanut butter like, very sweet. This was my least favorite. 2 stars.

Germany -- Mazipan Niederegger Lubeck: Kissed by the sun, the almonds have a sweet nutty flavor. It was smooth and soft. Sweet but not too sweet. A solid 3 stars

US -- Macadamias Hawaiian Host -- Creamy, nutty, milk, and honey dusted in powdered sugar. I thought it had a coffee undertone. I didn't taste the honey. It was sweet and crunchy. Another solid 3 stars

Iceland -- Traditional Icelandic Chocolate Noi Sinius -- Bitter, cocoa, and vanilla. It was only 58% but it was hard. It was not dark enough for me. 3.5 stars

Belgium -- Lait Caramel Sale (Cote De' Or) -- Rich Smooth Milk Chocolate bar with delicious salted caramel chips. It needs to be at least 35% cacao to be Belgium Chocolate. Definitely smelling the caramel. I thought it was too crunchy and sweet. 2.5 stars.

United Kingdom -- Willie Cacao Cuban Bar (Lime Ginger) -- It is made in small batches that takes several weeks to make a single bar. It was dark and the lime and ginger made for an interesting flavor. Very tasty in my book. I was in the minority on this one. 4 stars

France -- Terry's Original Chocolate Orange Bar -- Definitely smell the orange. It was like a chocolate orange in bar form. Their motto: Tap it, Unwrap it, Enjoy it. Too much orange for me. 2.5 stars.

It was definitely a fun and tasty experience. I will have to explore the more international chocolate bars when I'm at World Market next. I usually go for the darker the better but some of these were intriguing enough to see what else World Market has. 

It was a perfect Galentine's Day or even Valentine's Day activity put on by the library. I will definitely keep my eye out for more library fun.

Books and Chocolates -- A Colleen Hoover Chocolate Pairing

 While playing book bingo the other week, I was checking out library events at the area libraries for February. Menasha library was having a chocolate and book pairing on Valentine's Day. The hubby had a game so nothing was on the docket for me. I figured I might as well enjoy some chocolate.

The Menasha Library teamed up with Vande Walles Chocolates to pair different pieces of chocolates with 6 different Colleen Hoover books. I have not read Colleen Hoover but I know she is wildly popular and I figured I might as well see what all the fuss is about.

Book #1: November 9 and Dark Chocolate Vanilla Caramel. 

The reasoning: Because like Colleen Hoover's book, the caramel will pull away and flip. The book is full of plot twists that so it's similar to the caramel flipping over on itself. Being dark chocolate and caramel it was one of my favorite pieces.

Book #2: It Ends With US and Milk Chocolate Covered Biltmore Delight

The reasoning: Because of how Lily reflects on her childhood in the book and how Steve Vande Walles reflected on life growing up in the Biltmore when he visited. Okay this one is stretch but not all of the are perfect matches. This chocolate would be better if it didn't have the peanut butter in it. Too many flavor combinations

Book #3: It Starts With Us and Milk Chocolate Covered Sea Salt Caramel

I don't remember the reasoning but this is a book about second chances and starting over. The tie-in has to do with that. I am not a fan of sea salt and chocolate so this one was okay.

Book 4: Reminders of Him and Milk Chocolate Covered Chocolate Meltaway

The Reasoning: Because like the book, chocolate has the ability to pull you into a moment. If you close your eyes, you can savor the chocolate melting in your melt while appreciating the complexities of milk and dark chocolate working together. This piece of chocolate was decedent and sweet.

Book 5: Verity and Milk Chocolate English Toffee

The Reasoning; Lowen doesn't expect to find chaos in Verity's office and this chocolate causes chaos in your mouth. Um.. okay. I am not a fan of toffee because of how hard it is so I struggled to eat this one. The hubby would have enjoyed it though.

Book 6: Ugly Love and Dark Chocolate Caramel Filled Heart

The Reasoning: What better way to kick of a messy love story than with messy chocolate. The ooey-gooey caramel spills out of the heart and makes a mess. This was definitely my favorite chocolate. 

Word to the wise: Don't eat 6 pieces of rich chocolate in 30 minutes. You will get a belly ache. It doesn't mater how good the chocolate is, it's too much chocolate.

 Besides OD'ing on chocolate, it was a fun event. I learned a little about Colleen Hoover's novels and even picked up Verity to read. Everyone said I needed to read that one. I really only had time to read one otherwise I would have gotten It Ends With Us since I already listened to It Begins With Us before the event.

The Menasha Library is thinking about doing other chocolate and book pairings. I will be curious to see what other authors or genres they do in the future. Chocolate and books are always a good combination in my eyes.