{"id":12178,"date":"2017-03-07T08:54:27","date_gmt":"2017-03-07T08:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ikachocolate.com\/?p=12178"},"modified":"2017-08-20T11:40:06","modified_gmt":"2017-08-20T11:40:06","slug":"mad-about-music-and-chocolate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ikachocolate.com\/he\/uncategorized\/mad-about-music-and-chocolate\/","title":{"rendered":"Mad About Music (And Chocolate)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Talking with Ika about music is like talking to her about chocolate \u2013 basically we end up discussing her entire life \u2013 past and present.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to work in a radio station for many years as a sound technician. I can\u2019t possibly describe how much music means to me. I flew four hours to Barcelona from Tel Aviv and back last week just for a Sting concert.\u201d<\/p>\n

As usual, Ika\u2019s answers are just a prelude for a longer story: \u201cHis voice fills me with hope. Sting has been an inspiration for me ever since high school. In general, I feel that music is instrumental to my work. On the sound job I learned how to mix and balance sensory experiences. But the most important lesson sound engineering taught me is how to be patient while working. It wasn\u2019t an easy lesson to learn, let me tell you,\u201d and she goes on\u2026<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the most memorable concert you have ever attended?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a\u00a0Tosca<\/em>\u00a0performance at the magnificent Sydney Opera House.\u201d<\/p>\n

Surely even just entering the building is a hugely inspiring experience: The pure curving shapes rise across the harbor render a heroic artistic achievement.<\/p>\n

\"Inspiring<\/p>\n

Savoring Splendor<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Another magnificent opera building, though completely different in its Baroque style, is the famous\u00a0Op\u00e9ra Garnier<\/em>. We mention it here because the building is said to have been the inspiration for a luxurious popular cake \u2013\u00a0the Opera Cake<\/a>.<\/p>\n

G\u00e2teau op\u00e9ra<\/em>\u00a0is an elaborate almond sponge cake with a coffee and chocolate filling and icing (Grande Larrousse Gastronomique).<\/p>\n

\"Opera<\/p>\n

Cyriaque Gavillon claimed he had invented the cake in 1955, while working as a Pastery Chef at\u00a0La Maison Dalloyau<\/a>\u00a0(established in Versailles in 1682); Gavillon\u2019s wife Andr\u00e9e supposedly named it after the Garnier Opera building.<\/p>\n

\n

\"opera<\/p>\n

Opera Garnier (c) wikimedia commons<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The idea behind this dessert is that all of the flavours of the cake should be tasted in just one bite.<\/p>\n

And what is a praline, if not pleasure concentrated into one rich chocolate-y bite?<\/p>\n

\n

\"Ika<\/p>\n

Ika Chocolate Passion Fruit Praline<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

P\u00e2tisserie Expressions<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

On the night before flying to the Barcelona Sting concert, we visited a new temporary exhibition here in Tel Aviv: The artist\u00a0Anat Hutzler<\/a>\u00a0created eight unique chocolate desserts, each inspired by a song or an album she loves. Anat had let the words and melodies inspire color and taste combinations, textures, compositions, under the title FoodPlay.<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind every act of creation there is inspiration, igniting passion.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Abbey-Road\"<\/p>\n

Above: inspired by Abbey Road: Pralines filled with bittersweet English Breakfast Tea Ganache, crossing strips of homemade vanilla marzipan. Every band member has a different shell.
\nDid you guess that John is made of white chocolate?<\/p>\n

The Sweet Sound of Sting<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

What do you listen to when you work?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to have been able to tell you that I put on an opera CD early every morning at the chocolatery, when I start my long day at work,\u201d Ika says. \u201cBut really, I only listen to a couple of uplifting songs on my iPhone, before the craziness of the workday tasks and calls take over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here is her favorite Sting song, \u00e0 propos de #MarchMadness<\/p>\n