Chinese New Year: Martine's Chocolate Dogs

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Remember eating chocolate cigarettes when you were a kid? There was something so tantalizing about eating a sweet that looked like something you should never eat. You could preserve a strong anti-cigarette posture and still practice being a glamorous, grown-up movie star. Eating a dog isn't quite the same thing -- more like a grown-up's "animal cracker." There is that sadistic but delicious decision facing each bite: snout, tail, legs -- or a bit of all of them? Martine's Chocolates make exquisite chocolate pups -- perfect for a post-banquet treat on Chinese New Year, which starts January 29, 2006 (Chinese year 4073). Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. In case you haven't heard or guessed, this is the Year of the Dog, so it's appropriate to pop one of these lucky omens into your mouth. Whether you are a dog lover or despise sharing your city street with that genus of mammals, they are sinfully fun to eat. Martine's dogs come in a whole slew of breeds from Cocker Spaniels to Great Danes to Schnauzers. (Don't forget the Lassie dog, too -- or the French bull dog, pictured above.) Martine's chocolate dogs are all rich, smooth and intensely flavored. Superchefblog asked Martine Leventer Pechenik where the idea for the dogs comes from: I started to make "A" dog years ago. I don't remember when, but I know I just melted when I saw a mold for a small Yorkshire: he looked exactly like the one my Mother had, with the same cute look. To this day, he is my favorite one. I added the others little by little, as I "met" them, until I decided to have a whole line of dogs: there are so many different breeds on the streets of New York, it always surprises me(nothing like it in Paris!). So I keep trying to find new molds too. Of course, I love dogs, too! And Valentine's Day is a great way to show your love. Previous articles: The Sex in Chrismukkah Easter Special: Super Pastry Chefs Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, chocolate, valentine's --> back to superchefblog