Scourings

Previously, tempering by hand using methods like tabliering, seeding and with microwave was the only choice for hobbyist-chocolatiers, relying heavily on double boilers and standardized thermometers to achieve a perfectly-tempered chocolate candy.

But these two methods were difficult and complicated and for beginners, it was all the more difficult as it could be repetitive as well when failure struck. The only chocolate tempering machines at hand then were the ones that tempered hundreds of pounds of chocolates an hour, too much for casual hobbyists.

It was due to the innovation made by Skip Snyder, a computer professional from New York that the chocolate tempering machine entered the modest kitchens of hobbyists and homemakers alike, with the compact size of his tempering machine and its ability to temper successfully the first time.

Snyder focused his developed on the temperature control feature of this new tempering machine because tempering could be successful only if precise temperatures were maintained during tempering. This was necessitated by the polymorphic crystallization characteristic of the fatty acids in cocoa butter each crystal type dominating at a certain temperature and thereby preventing type V crystals from forming. Only the temperature at which type V crystals could form was necessary because these crystals yielded chocolates that were luxurious, lustrous, and firm.

Snyder received his patent in 1996 and immediately put his Sinsation Chocolate Maker on the market. The Sinsation, initially sold by Chandre LLC for where Snyder himself was Chairman, immediately became a hit to its target market: the enthusiasts and homemakers. Indotronix, another New York IT company, provided $1 million in funds for this initial campaign. The Sinsation was subsequently marketed in cookery and chocolate publications; only through mail order were the initial sales made.

In 2000, the Sinsation began to be marketed by ChocoVision and the machine was given the new name of the “New Sinsation,” which became another product in the Revolation line. There is still a wide belief that Indrotronix still held a big stake in the fledgling company at this time.

The initial stages saw online sales of ChocoVision happening through eBay. After quite a few more years, the company started participating in trade and industry shows and in such big events as the World and National Pastry Competitions, which they sponsored in a big way in 2006.

The present trend is that even professional pastry chefs, reputed chocolatiers, restaurants, coffee shops and modest confectionery outifts have begun to patronize the Revolation, taking a cue from the hobbyists and homemakers who were its first market. This machine is now sold all over the world through retailers and several other distribution channels.

Cuban artistry is an assorted cultural coalescence of African, European and North American visual design reflecting the multi-ethnic population make-up of the island. Artists from Cuba embraced European modernism and the 1920-1950 era saw an increase in Cuban modernist movements; these trends were known by a diversity of modern artistic styles. Well-known Cuban creatives tended to come from the earlier 1900s (for instance Wifredo Lam).

It’s been argued that the most famous artwork (of sorts) to be produced in the island of Cuba was THAT photo of Che Guevara (photo by Alberto Korda) which went onto become arguably one of the most recognisable photographs of the 20th century.

The indigenous Cuban art cause gathered momentum after the opening of San Alejandro academy in 1818, which was developed to gratify the European appreciation of the Cuban middle class. In the late 1800s, landscapes were very representative within the Cuban art movement and classicism was still the preferred style.

Nonetheless, the Vanguardia Cuban modern artists of the late 1920s had scorned the academic rules of the national art academy of Cuba. In their genesis, many Cuban artists had resided in Paris, where they studied and engaged in the rules of cubism, surrealism and modernist primitivism. They returned to Cuba committed to innovative artistic styles and were keen to combine this new aesthetic persuasion with a Cuban influence. The pioneering artists accomplished worldwide acclaim only as recently as 2003 with the Modern Cuban Painting show at the MOMA in New York.

You might have to use multiple shades and make multiple measurements. Anyway, after you have your measurements you can determine the type of shade you want. Your options will be slimmed down by your budget and your measurements. There are electronic retractable shades. A retractable patio shade can be pulled up and down with the touch of a button. This is great if you want to use it at night but not during the day and vice versa. These types of shades tend to be pretty expensive. Some shades and awnings now come with wind protection. It is a good idea if your budget allows for it.

If your patio does not yet have a patio cover then you have two options. You can either build a freestanding cover or an attached cover. You can also buy a cover and patio shade in one. These are often very cheap and can be purchased in some general stores and in most hardware stores. As the price will tell you these sometime tend to be very unsteady. The more you are willing to pay the more durable your cover and shade set will be. There are very suitable for a quick fix for those that don’t have a patio cover.

Burning Autumn Leaves
[1950s in St. Paul, Minnesota]

My long steel pointed rake punctured
And twisted through tons of autumn leaves
(back in the ’50s);
And there’s a hill yet, I didn’t rake, I see
Behind it, two embankments
Leaves I didn’t rake a day ago;
The essence of fall sleeps on the ground.
I love the scent of burning leaves:
I seem to dream of them nowadays.
I cannot shake the excitement I get
From the sight and smells of burning leaves.
Now the city will not allow the burning,
Not sure what can take its place:
Only wishful thinking and dreaming, I think.

But every leaf that now appears, in autumn
I keep hearing the cracking of the fire; see
The flickering-flames of burning leaves; I
Can even smell-the autumn leaves of long ago.
I have had too much of raking leaves, I do believe.
I’m now old and tired, too tired to rake those hills;
Yet raking I still desire, not sure why.
There were a thousand days I raked, back then
Held in hand, the rake that struck the earth
Spiked, into its dirtcapturing those critters (leaves)
Like thieves: thieves sleeping.

This tiredness of mine will never go away, I fear
It’s called aging, or something, so I will have to find
Another place, to smell the burning autumn leaves;
And perhaps, perchance, do just a ting of raking:
Before the long, long, very long sleep.

#771 7/24/05

In Spanish

Hojas ardientes de otoo
(Los aos de 1950 en St. Pal. Minnesota)

Mi rastrillo de acero largo y puntiagudo pinch
Y dio vuelta a través de toneladas de hojas
(Atrs en los aos 50);
Y hay una colina an, que no rastrillé, yo veo
Detrs de esto, dos terraplenes
De hojas que yo no rastrille hace un da;
La esencia del otoo dormir sobre el piso.
Me gusta la esencia de las hojas ardiendo;
Yo parezco soar con ellas estos das.
No puedo sacudirme el entusiasmo que consigo
De la vista y los olores de quemar hojas:
Ahora la ciudad no permitir quemar,
No seguro de qué puede tomar lugar-:
Solo el optimismo pensando y soando, Pienso

Pero cada hoja que ahora aparece, en otoo
Yo sigo oyendo el crujir del fuego; veo
El parpadear de las llamas de hojas ardiendo; yo
Puedo an oler- las hojas de otoo de hace tiempo.
He tenido demasiado rastrillando hojas, Yo creo-
Ahora yo estoy viejo y cansado, demasiado cansado

para rastrillar esas colinas;
Aun rastrillando y todava deseando, no seguro por qué?
Hubo miles de das que rastrillé, atrs entonces
Sosteniendo en la mano, el rastrillo que golpeo la tierra-
Claveteando, dentro de su suciedad- capturando aquellos

bichos (hojas)
Como ladrones-: ladrones durmiendo.

Este cansancio mo no se ir jams, yo temo

Esto es llamado envejecimiento o vejez, entonces yo tendré

que encontrar
Otro lugar, para oler las hojas ardiendo en otoo;
Y talvez, la posibilidad, de hacer justo un intento de rastrillar:
Antes de largo, largo, muy largo sueo.

#771 7/24/05

Poet Dennis Siluk http://dennissiluk.tripod.com