Mackenzies Chocolate Horse - May 19, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Mackenzies Chocolates
Horse - Standing
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4.8 oz. (135.8 g.) total horse
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $7.50 total piece/horse
Purchased from: Mackenzies Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Transportation Theme Week.

While we travel by "iron horses" and other motorized vehicles these days -- and we're more likely to see horses at sporting events than in our neighborhood streets -- horses deserve a shout out for transporting humans for hundreds of years.

The Preakness, Chocolate Horses

Yesterday (Sat., May 18, '13) was the 138th running of the Preakness, the second of three horse races that comprise the Triple Crown in the U.S. Each race is held in a different city and has its own colors (and signature drink). This year's winning horse at the Preakness, held at Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, MD, was a deep brown (I'd say 80% cacao colored) horse named Oxbow, ridden by a 50-year old jockey, and grandfather, (Gary Stevens), who came out of retirement to win this race. Inspiring.

Virgin Black-eyed Susan

Today's sweet, milk chocolate horse (purchased long before this race) was closer to the color of  "Orb" -- the favored horse in yesterday's race. While Orb fans were denied the opportunity to see their favorite become a Triple Crown race winner, they were among many who enjoyed sipping on Black-eyed Susans, the "official" drink of the Preakness Stakes (named for a flower). Black and yellow sunflowers also adorned a beautiful, big black and white "helper" horse assisting riders on the track. I couldn't find a photo of this horse, but I'd love to see a chocsimile (chocolate facsimile) of this horse. Which begs the question...

The Kentucky Derby (first race of the Triple Crown series) has chocolate pecan pie, bourbon balls and other chocolate desserts. Why there isn't a Black-eyed Susan chocolate truffle or dessert for the Preakness?

What? No Preakness Dessert?

If someone has heard of such a thing, please write and let me know, and I'll be happy to feature it next May (2014). Below is a recipe for a Black-eyed Susan (drink), in case anyone is interested in creating a chocolate dessert with these ingredients. Although, when I sat in the infield at the Preakness many years ago, the recipe for a Black-eyed Susan was considerably simpler: vodka and lemonade over ice.

Black-eyed Susan recipe
1.25 oz. Finlandia Vodka
0.25 oz. St. Germain Liqueur
2 oz. Lemon juice
3 oz. Lemongrass and Blackberry simple syrup
6 drops Angostura bitters
Garnish with one sage leaf

(Above recipe created by Gina Chersavini Dundee; from Preakness website)

Mackenzies Chocolates

Thank you for Mackenzies Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA) for making 52 different molded chocolates under the category "Transportation." (Although, technically, this horse was under the company's "Animals" category -- that lists well over a hundred different chocolate items.)