Charlie and the At-Home Chocolate Factory: Chocolate Tomato Soup

                         

When I  broke out the cotton candy machine for our Backyard Fair, I thought about other fun toys we've accumulated over the years of birthday parties.  Which is how I decided to plan a day centered around our chocolate fondue fountain.  Because I don't think we've used that thing since Thatbaby's second birthday.  

But what could I plan that centered around a chocolate fountain?  Why a Willy Wonka Day of course.  It may not be a chocolate waterfall, but it's pretty close.  It definitely helped that I had bookmarked Economy Candy's "Candy Care Package" as a fun idea way back in April and this would be the perfect excuse to order one.   As an aside, Thatboy has declared this the absolute best mail to ever receive and it has become our go-to "happy mail" to send.  

We made gummy legos during "Lego Mom Camp"    (maybe one of these days I'll get around to writing up all those camp lessons.  You know, in case anyone wants them for the next pandemic) which also inspired the idea of making our own candy.  Especially since Thatbaby has been so into science kits and growing his own rock candy.  So I picked up a Candy-Science kit and we made sour blue raspberry gummies (which were completely sour - not sweet - to the point where they were probably just vitamin c gummies), watermelon sucking candies, and grape marshmallows.

Did I mention that Thatkid wanted to dress up like Willy Wonka for the day?

Another one of our pandemic purchases with a bubble machine which filled our entire yard with bubbles.  The kids love it so much.  And I thought it would be even cooler if we could fill it with edible bubbles, like in the Fizzy Lifting Drink room.  So when I found "Lick-A-Bubbles" which are literally edible bubbles you can flavor with any non-dairy drink, I knew we were set for the day.  I poured them into our bubble machine and the kids went crazy running around trying to catch the bubbles in their mouth.

And while I was on the site purchasing the bubbles one of those "you may also be interested in" things popped up and I was interested!

Edible stickers!  So we could make our own lickable wallpaper.

One thing we already owned, that needed no modification was the Candy Land board game.  

Now, it was definitely a dangerous idea to throw in this game.  It never goes well.  We have retired it from weekly game nights because inevitably one of the kids ends up near the finish and having to go back to the start and there are tears and anger and flipping of tables.

So we moved quickly from game to lunch.  In trying to find ideas for a "chocolate factory lunch" I came across white chocolate macaroni and cheese.  Which doesn't sound super-appetizing, but had rave reviews from other skeptical persons.  So I thought, maybe the white chocolate just adds some thickness and creaminess.  Especially since the rest of the white cheeses mixed in sounded so delicious.

Y'all, this was not delicious.  Too sweet.  It was like eating a dessert.  Even my chocolate loving, macaroni and cheese loving kids did not enjoy it.

After nap I set up some chocolate we did enjoy - our very own chocolate waterfall (fountain).  

And then we relaxed for the rest of the evening by watching the original film.  With a special drink I found in the grocery store.

Thatkid had requested a dinner inspired by Willy Wonka's amazing gum - the one containing a three course meal that had poor Violet Beauregard blow up like a giant blueberry.

We began with a tomato soup.

Followed by roast beef and a buttery baked potato.

And of course, the famous blueberry pie with cream.

I wanted to dress up the tomato soup a bit, but I was a little wary after the macaroni and cheese incident.  But I've put chocolate in chili, and what is tomato soup except chili without the rice and beans?  Plus this recipe uses bittersweet chocolate, which REALLY doesn't add sweetness, just a depth of flavor.  The result?  Well Thatbaby hates tomato soup, but he loved this one so much he asked for it for lunch the next day too.  

Chocolate Tomato Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 cup sundried tomatoes

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 cup white wine

28-oz can of diced tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

4oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 Tbsp honey

1. Melt butter and oil in a pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and saute 5 minutes, until translucent.
2. Add garlic, carrots, celery, tomatoes, paprika, cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for an additional 3 minutes.  
3. Add wine and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated.
4. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat.  Simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Let cool slightly and then puree in a blender.  Return to pot and heat until warmed through.
6. Add chocolate and honey.  Stir until chocolate is melted and serve.