From Our Answers on Quora

Why does pairing fruit and ice cream work? Doesn't the sweetness of each one cancel each other out?

Actually, sweets can pair well together. Take a Gewurtztraminer paired with a Creme Brûlée. On it's own, Gewurtz is very sweet - in fact its about all you taste. But paired with another sweet, the "sweets" sort of raise the noise level of the sweet taste - and the floral notes of the gewurtz shine through. It's like drinking flowers.

Now one of the keys to this is the acid content of the gewurtz, which is quite high. This helps the palette to notice the difference.

Pairing fruit and ice cream goes well - when the acid content is high. So think berries, pineapple, kiwi - even oranges and citrus. You can check on the pH (acid level) of common fruits and vegetables to get a reference on the unknown - and remember that a lower number is more acidic than a higher one.

Cantaloupe, watermelon, etc. might not work as nicely. That being said, putting two delicious things together sometimes works for strange reasons... like adding bananas.

Since the goal is to make the fruit stand out, and augment it with the ice cold goodness of the ice cream, I would suggest a vanilla ice cream. Dave HamptonImage courtesy Susanne Nilsson

Most people have wondered if they should start eating Organic or not. Here at Robin's Nest Cottage, we decided a long time ago that eating Organic was something we would strive to do. It's not always easy. It's hard to find organic items - especially if you are on a budget.

But what really is the fallout from not eating Organic? What gets in your body? Is it harmful? The research always seems to be skewed by whoever paid for the study. But one thing we can be sure of is that when you eat pesticides, herbicides, growth regulators, hormones - etc. - They do end up in your body.

So it's really your decision. Since no one is going to tell you whether a certain chemical is safe or not - and our own FDA really no longer regulates food in order to protect our food supply - it's up to you.

Here's the shocking results of tests showing the results of your eating habits. It's only a minute. Watch it.

I wish I could shop there (but it's in Sweden.) So... Are you going to change what you eat? Tell us what you think in the comments below. Dave Hampton

Chocolate = Awesomer!

Just when you thought science couldn't get any more awesomer(sic), those brilliant African (and Belgian) Chocolate Scientists have done it again. In a week, when Sri Lankan Rice Scientists published how to halve the calories in rice and make it a super prebiotic(food for your gut microflora), and we were reminded of how Italian Pasta Scientists had found something very similar with Pasta(simple really, for both just cook one day, refrigerate and eat the next day, cold or reheated).

Now, the African and Belgium Scientists, discovered easy methods the cocoa bean processors can greatly increase the really really good things in chocolate and at the same time, improve the taste too! And the best part is that there are no added chemicals, weird processing, or other additives to make this happen.  Actually, a caveman could do it.

Essentially what they found was to simply add a step of storing and aging the large pods the chocolate beans come in for a week, and then roasting them slightly cooler but for a little longer.

Chocolate pods are typically split open immediately and the beans set to ferment a few days, and then roasted at a moderately low temperature(compared to roasting coffee).  Roasting is what brings out the awesome chocolate flavors.  Both the immediate fermenting and the roasting degrade the polyphenols, the antioxidant good guys in chocolate.  The aging before fermenting and slightly lower roasting temperature seem to greatly protect those antioxidants, while at the same time making the flavors fine or even better.
The really good things in chocolate are in the dark chocolates(look for 55% plus cacao) and in the cocoa, not so much in milk chocolates and not all in white chocolates.  You gotta love science!!!!

So can you really eat all the chocolate you can handle? Well, not yet.  But soon, eating Chocolate will be a whole lot better for you - and tastier.  So eating more chocolate should cause more good than harm!
Links:

• http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-found-a-way-to-make-chocolate-better-for-you-and-sweeter

Chuck Goecke