LI-LAC CHOCOLATES ARE A VALENTINE LOVE

According to Wiki, “Theobromine, formerly known as xantheose, is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao (pronounced ka-key-o) plant.  It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, and the kola nut.” That wafting aroma that fills the room of a chocolate store is what draws you to that absolute delicious flavor when chocolate is prepared in a specialty store and not when you pass the aisles of the packaged sweets in the aisles of the grocery stores. 

 

There are few places that purchase cacao beans and go through the long process of roasting, chopping into nibs, grinding it into the chocolate liquor that then gets processed with sugar, vanillin for dark and added milk solids for milk chocolate.  Instead, the chocolate is purchased in bulk where they melt, temper it and get poured into various forms.  Fruits, cream fillings and nuts are dipped in the chocolate and then placed in the structure.  They are then put out on the shelves or in window cases. 

Chocolate has various percentages of cocoa with darker chocolates having the most and less sweet. When you see white chocolate, it is not really considered to be called “chocolate” as the chocolate liquor is pretty much removed and replaced with cocoa butter, which although still comes from the cacao bean, works best for those that are allergic to chocolate but love the taste. In other words it is a   blend of cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar, milk fat and lecithin, a fatty emulsifier that holds it all together. 

One other important thing to understand is something called “compounds” or “confectioners coatings.”  They may look and taste like real chocolate, but cocoa butter is removed replacing it with either palm oil or coconut oil.  

Let’s take a stroll to a chocolate factory in Brooklyn known as Li-Lac Chocolates, located in Sunset Park’s  Industry City, a group of old but renovated warehouses.  The address is 68 35th St. (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.) (212) 924-2280. 

Founder George Demetrious opened the original Lilac Chocolates in the West Village on Christopher Street. After more than 90 years, Li-Lac still offers the original French-inspired confections that Demetrious put in his display cases, but Li-Lac has changed radically. Outgrowing the original intimate shop, the West Village store is now on Eighth Avenue and there are three additional locations. A boutique in bustling Grand Central Station serves commuters and tourists. Across the East River in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, Li-Lac carefully crafts its small-batch chocolate in a state-of-the- old-fashioned-art factory.

Anthony Cirone is the current President and owner of Li-Llac Chocolates. “The hazelnut squares are one of the original recipes that our founder developed in the 1920’s.  Made with a layer of dark chocolate, milk chocolate and hazelnut paste they are very creamy truffles that you bite into and melts in your mouth.  It’s the signature chocolate that our company is known for.  Everyone who loves hazelnut loves this item.  Dark chocolate almond bark and butter crunch are two of our other best sellers.” 

Anwar Khoder is the Master Chocolatier.  He’s responsible for memorizing all of the chocolate formulas as well as seeing that the other employees are creating each piece to be consistent.  Did I indulge?  I purchased a box and picked out my favorites:  Chocolates roll filled with marzipan; milk chocolate butter crunch; chocolate bar; raspberry cream; cordial cherries; glace ginger; glace orange peel; glace lemon peel; chocolate pretzels; raspberry jelly; and ganache truffles.  They also make fudge.  In addition, Li-Lac chocolates creates specialty molds that go back several years.

 

The factory has an open space so you are able to see the employees at work.  Then again, if you want to view the “I Love Lucy” chocolates going along the belt, go outside of the store to the left and view it through the large window. 

Li-Lac Chocolates has other locations: West Village; Greenwich Village; Grand Central Market; and Chelsea Market. For further information go to www.li-lacchocolates.com And yes, I know which bulk chocolate is being used.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Regular Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. , Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Sunday11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

JAPAN VILLAGE OPEN IN BROOKLYN’S INDUSTRY CITY

If you ever traveled to Japan and want to feel nostalgic, there is village of food that will spark that “kid in a candy store” experience. A Japanese food and drink marketplace with authentic Japanese food stalls and New York City’s largest Japanese grocery store, tofu market, fish market and meat market recently opened in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn and still expanding.  Known as Japan Village, said to be a 20,000 square-foot, it is a totally authentic Japanese marketplace. 

 

Owners Tony and Takuya Yoshida, who leased the space in Industry City, had it designed to make us feel as though we stepped into a traditional Japanese village square as you enter the doors of 934 3^rd Avenue. 

Japan Village is divided into four sections, featuring: Sunrise Market, the Japanese grocery store; 11 food stalls, and both Kuracihi, a Japanese liquor store located in an adjacent building along with the near future Wakuwaku, a full scale restaurant. 

Sunrise Mart features a foodie’s paradise of frozen and packaged proteins as well as frozen and fresh vegetables. Shelves are lined with all the groceries you would need to prepare your own authentic Japanese meal including drinks and desserts.  Go up to the meat market, upcoming fish market and tofu market and give them your requests.   

Trying to take it all in, I did a “walk through” of Sunrise Mart, promising myself to return with at the least one insulated bag. 

  

There appeared to be an ample amount of table seating at the food court.  I did, however, go there at about noon on a weekday.  A courtyard is just outside the door and may well work for those days that the weather permits you to hang out.  

With eleven vendors in the food court area, here are the ones that I sampled.  Obentoyasan has daily-made bentos and made-to-order onigiri, featuring different Japanese rice. I was most interested in the miso soup station. You choose a red, white or mixed miso and variety of toppings such as: scallion, fried or soft bean curd, chicken, pork, and burdock.  Basis soup costs $3 and each topping is fifty cents more.  I went for the white miso with chicken and tofu.  Miso soup was not salty or made from a packaged mix. 

Hachi : Japanese street food, takoyaki (octopus balls), yakisoba (pan-fried noodles), taiyaki (fish-shaped sweets filled with red bean), and obanyaki (round cakes with assorted fillings), of which I indulged in, made with octopus, cabbage, shrimp and scallop.  Hiroshima style prepares one with cabbage, tempura flakes, dried bonito flakes, red pickled ginger and yakisoba noodles. 

Shokusaido : Japanese appetizers, including agedashi tofu, hijiki seaweed salad, and salmon nanbanzuke. The shop serves traditional tempura, and an assorted mix of Japanese croquettes, fried chicken, fried mackerel, and french-fries with Japanese dips such as mentaikomayo.  I sampled the hijiki seaweed salad that is simmered in a sweet soy sauce as well as Kinpira Gobo, a container of braised burdock root and carrot, in a buttery soy sauce.  Both were addicting-ly delicious.  

Café Japon is a bakery with Japanese bread and cakes crafted on-site, as well as teas, matcha lattes, and drip coffee. They actually grind the matcha tea leaves to prepare your tea rather than a product already in powder form.   I indulged in a matcha latte and did my own ceremony.  They sell bread and pastries that are already packaged or you can choose one from their case.  I chose the tiramisu with green tea topping.  So….good.  Brought home packaged Green Tea cookie custard and what is called “melon bread.”  It resembles a pastry shaped into a sort of “melon.”  Slightly sweet, crunchy and soft, I chose one topped with chocolate chips.  What? I’m a chocoholic! 

When I return I will pig out…errr…sample some of the other vendors, such as Gohei, a soba and udon noodle shop, which has their own sit down counter.  You to view the production of the buckwheat and flour noodles on-site.  Nothing like having the noodles freshly made in front of you.  The menu changes, but basically, a base soup of fish and seaweed broth with either of the noodles, costs $8.  Add mountain vegetables and wakame for $2, washugyu (premium beef) for $3 or gyusuji (beef tendon) for $5. 

If you prefer ramen noodles, there is Ramen Setagaya.  Choose from either the vegan or pork (tonkotsu) bone broth.  A classic tonkotsu contains: two pieces of chashu (pork belly), bamboo shoots, scallions and seaweed at a price of $12.  Homemade pork gyoza (dumplings) are also sold $5 for five.  

Moriya  is a rice bowl shop serving gyudon (washugyu beef bowl), Japanese curry, shogayaki (pork ginger), oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl), katsu-don (chicken or pork cutlet with egg bowl), vegetarian rice bowl and more.  A plain vegetable curry using either white or brown rice costs $8.00.  

Mika N’ Momo : Japanese juice and salad bar, featuring fresh vegetables including shiso (a sort of Japanese basil), mizuna (said to taste a bit like arugula), kabocha (a winter squash), mitsuba (parsley type vegetable) and komatsuna (a mustard spinach).

Brooklyn Steak & Lobster : Teppanyaki steak and lobster is yet to open.  Here is the info given. “The steak cuts will be wagyu, washugyu, or premium beef, and each steak will be served with Japanese condiments including ponzu with daikon, soy sauce with fresh wasabi, and yuzu kosho pepper. The lobster will be served with various condiments including soy sauce butter and yuzu butter.”

Also coming soon is Wakuwaku a restaurant that will serve “Japanese tapas, from grilled chicken skewers, to sashimi, to gyoza dumplings, and additional eats paired with specialty beverages. The cocktail bar will serve local craft beers and specialty cocktails.” 

Japan Village’s liquor store, Kuraichi, will exclusively feature alcohol from Japan with a focus on sake, Japanese whisky and wine. 

Japan Village is accessible by subway and bus.  However, the ferry nyc has a stop at Sunset Park.  It’s a 15 minute trip from Rockaway or along the Brooklyn run from Wall St to Astoria.  You can either walk the mile after or take a bus.  Taking the car? Parking on the premises is free for two hours if you make a purchase of $50 or more.  Have the ticket validated. 

 

Japan Village is open every day from 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM. For further information go to www.japanvillage.com