The Great Expert Blog

In tempering chocolates, most chocolatiers now use chocolate tempering machines to be able to keep them from the complicated task of tempering. Handmade tempering requires quite a patience to be able to keep the proper temperature at all times. The automated machine is designed to provide accurate temperatures for the chocolate so that chocolatiers can turn their attention to other activities while the machine tempers their chocolates.

Still, no matter how this machine can make life easy for the chocolatiers, there are still some who prefer to do it the artisan’s way, which is through tabliering. Handmade chocolate confectioneries still claim millions of dollars in the market hence their preference of tempering their chocolates manually.

Tabliering is done carefully, since even a drop of moisture that comes into contact with the chocolate can ruin it. It can make the chocolate seize, causing it to turn into a congealed lump that is useless for any kind of dipping and molding.

You have to make sure that all equipment that you are going to use are free of moisture; you will need a pound of chocolate, knife, chopping board, spatula, mixing bowl, double boiler and a thermometer.

With the use of a knife, slice the chocolates into chunks and place them inside the double boiler. Bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat into low. Slowly stir the chocolates until it has fully melted and reaches a range of 108-115F, depending on the kind of chocolate you may have. As soon as your chocolate reaches the appropriate temperatures, transfer it onto a mixing bowl.

Place the 2/3 melted chocolate over the surface of the marble slab and with the use of spatula, spread and fold it continuously until it has cool down to the temperature of 82F. While you are in the process, keep the rest of the mush in 100F.

Once you have attained the right temperature, slowly mix 1/3 part of the chocolate, keep stirring until the whole mush have attained the same level of cooling. Heat the mush all over again–if you have dark chocolate it should be at 90F, for semi-sweet at 88 and for white chocolates at 84F. You can easily learn if you have tempered the chocolate perfectly by simply dipping down the spatula to the mixture, if in five minutes it hardens and is glossy around the spatula’s tip, then it is ready.

It is important that you keep the right temperatures at all times, since sudden changes can ruin tempers and you may have to do the whole process over again.

If you plan on purchasing different Xmas favours and have a enjoyer of smokable herbs in your Christmas gift list getting a bong might be a nice idea, and in this era you can even purchase bongs online.

These smoke contraptions come in a variety of idiosyncratic shapes, tints and prices running from the exclusively practical to the just downright odd. Simple acrylic bongs can be bought very cheap, but if your present recipient is highly singular you might want a bong to equal that. In that state of affairs some choices including a multi-chambered ceramic bong that looks like something from a scientist’s science laboratory, to a three tube bong shaped like Yoda’s head…perfect for the Star Wars lover in you Xmas shopping list!

As with most online shopping large bargains can be detected if you’re happy to spend time looking around, and you can often save money on regular charges. In some instances significant discounts or cheap postage are obtainable which can genuinely lower the charges on your Christmas purchases.

A bong makes a right present for your precious tobacco user even if you’re to get them to stop. As the smoked herbs is percolated when it goes through the bong liquid the substances absorbed are not as pernicious, and ultimately not as likely to cause tobacco correlated health problems. And after all, it’s their choice and their health!

These beds are so fantastic and when you see one you will take a glance at it for a few seconds just to appreciate the stylish design. Not all of these beds are uniquely styled and designed some are just simple and you will not even notice that the bed is made of wrought iron. This is the fact that some of the beds have been made so simple and the base would be made of wrought iron and the foam placed on top of it. These wrought iron beds are usually common at boarding schools, hospitals and other places where a large number of people are located.

The other types of beds are so marvelous to see and they would have nicely styled the headboard of the bed with nice designs, artwork and colouring. These beds are available international and they range from the simple to stylish beds. These beds are commonly designed as base beds and comfortable foams are to be place on them. They are so durable compared to the wooden beds and they do not break at all. I bet you have seen these beds somewhere or you have one. These beds have become very popular ever since the creation of beds.

Fairy figurines come in all sizes and price ranges. The cheapest figurines of fairies and angels are those made of resin, but they still look really elegant. You can also get fairy figurines made of porcelain, crystal and pewter. It doesn’t matter what your preference if when you collect fairy figurines. Each one is a work of art and when combined with figurines depicting angels, you have a truly fanciful collection. Mini figurines or larger varieties - it doesn’t matter because you can combine them all and have an elegant display.

A porcelain fairy doll is the perfect gift for a little girl or a young lady. It will be something that she will treasure for a lifetime. These dolls come as fairy figurines in various sizes, such as 16 inches tall or a mini fairy figurine that is only 4 inches tall. It is easy to tell the difference between angel and fairy figurines because the angels are always white, whereas the fairies are usually in various colors.

A graceful mini fairy figurine in metal cast with real butterfly wings is one of the more elegant fairy figurines that you can buy. Each fairy figurine of this nature is cast from bronze and lead-free pewter with the wings coming from butterflies at a nature reserve. The wings are not used until the butterflies reach the end of their life cycle, so you don’t have to worry that they are being harmed in order to bring you mini fairy figurines. The idea behind this is that the spirit of the butterfly lives on through the figurine that you have displayed in your home.

Wedding fairy figurines make the perfect cake topper for the wedding cake. Along with these, you can also get angel and fairy figurines to celebrate the birth of a baby and to use as a birth or christening gift. Use a Christmas angel as the focal point of your centrepiece during the holiday season or have a fairy figurine in your sign of the Zodiac. When you want to start a collection of mini fairy figurines, the choices are almost endless in the wide variety of figurines that are available.

Add an African American fairy figurine to your collection. These fairy figurines are made from polyresin and feature a fairy balanced on a musical instrument decorated with colourful flowers. You can get this type of figurine with a magnet on the back in addition to a mini fairy figurine that you can place in your curio cabinet. How about fairy figurines showing a couple kissing? This would be the perfect addition to your collection. Browse the catalog of online retailers just to see all the different figurines of fairies and angels that you can purchase. No doubt you will want to buy all of them at once.

Writing poetry is an art, a way of expression, finding meaning in few words. A melody of passion flowing out onto the pages, words that flow into each other and yet express the inner most thoughts and feelings of those who read the words. Writing poetry is a gift, a wonderful gift, being able to illuminate words so that they form a picture, express a feeling and share a thought in so few words. Unlike telling a story or writing a novel that explains every intricate detail a poem leaves you to draw your own conclusion. Writing poetry can be a healing process, putting down on paper all the emotions locked up inside ones head, a way of remembering and a way of re-living. Poetry has many forms from free verse to sonnet but all poems tell a story, a story of words, words wrapped around each other in such away that they flow together, locked in meaning. The poem below is titled “Playing” and every time I read this poem I cannot help but smile, as too will any mother reading this poem. See if you smile.

Playing

Running gently
Screams of laughter
Looking back
I see you smile
Golden hair
Such bright blue eyes
Once a baby
In my arms

Laughing harder
Running around
Two years old
I feel so proud
Golden hair
And eyes so blue
You call “Mummy Mummy”
Come play too

Copyright © Amanda Evans

Poetry can also portray emotions of hurt and betrayal, unrequited love, loss and great suffering. Just putting these feelings onto paper helps to unburden the mind and the heart. Off loading the grief, if only for a moment. The next two poems titled “Dreams” and “Suicide” display emotions of loss and sorrow. They are a complete contrast to the above poem “Playing” filled with laughter and happiness.

Dreams

Crystal moons
And dancing stars
Images of place
So near yet so far
Staring for hours
As the night passes by
My life at a standstill
I painfully cry
No grand illusions
No place to go
Destined to stay here
This I now know
Lost are the dreams
You and me side by side
Gone now forever
With you they died

Copyright © Amanda Evans

Suicide

The power to suppress
The pain and the loss
The tears and the sadness
The grief inside
Lying there
Dormant
Sleep please, oh sleep
The memories suppressed
No power to deal
With the pain that you caused
The gap no one can fill
Your selfish act
Leaves me broken
Afraid to love
Afraid to live
Through suppression I survive
Suicide not only killed you

Copyright © Amanda Evans

Many of the worlds great poets wrote about loss and pain, Shakespeare’s Sonnets spoke of love “Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s Day” and Emily Dickinson’s poetry was about death “Because I could not stop for death, He kindly stopped for me”, all contained great emotions and sadness that could be felt by the reader. Having the ability to express yourself with poetry is an exceptional gift, one that should be embraced and nurtured. The internet provides a vast amount of poetry sites where you can submit your poetry for critique and review. You can join workshops and receive expert help and advice or even help others. There are also numerous courses available via distance learning that you can take. Learning as much as you can about the art of poetry, will greatly increase your chances of becoming a recognised poet.

Expressing emotions through the art of poetry can be very daunting. Poems will always be clear to the author it is only when the reader understands the meaning that it can truly be called a poem.

Amanda Evans is webmaster for http://www.amandawrites.com a website dedicated to helping others achieve their dreams of becoming writers. You can subscribe to the free monthly newsletter Writers Passion. Amanda Evans is also the author of the newly published “From Those Death Left Behind” a collection of poetry and stories describing the grief and emotions of a family that lost a member to suicide. This book can be purchased at http://www.lulu.com/content/120733