German Chocolate Cake Recipe - Gourmet Cake That's Easy to Make

Aug 4, 2010 Pamela Watson

Keep this German Chocolate Cake Refrigerated - Pamela Watson

Along with, jazz, the Plaza and barbeque, Kansas City could easily be known for this creamy gourmet chocolate cake from a 1992 Junior League cook book.

Every special occasion deserves a special cake, but a gourmet cake may not be an easy cake to make. Custom cakes often require hours of time in the kitchen, an expert pastry chef, or both. Presenting anniversary cakes, graduation cakes, or celebration cakes of all kinds, and taking the time to make them, shows special feelings as well as a little indulgence.
In Above and Beyond Parsley, a cookbook published in 1992 by the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, nearly 300 pages of delicious, easy to make recipes were compiled by the League’s cookbook committee. One recipe that stands out with Kansas City sparkle, and makes a great gourmet chocolate cake for special occasions, is the Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cake.

German Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cake

Although an easy cake to make, this German chocolate cake takes several steps, but the result is a special cake everyone will love. Start with the basic German chocolate cake recipe as found on the inside of the Baker’s German’s® Sweet Baking Chocolate package. Add spreadable raspberry fruit, a mountain of whipped cream frosting and six tablespoons of Chambord liquor

German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ok, now that you have roasted you pecans; lets move on to the most important step, the cake. Before we start making our chocolaty goodie, make sure you have the right ingredients and equipment. Warning: This recipe does not work at high altitudes. If you live around a mile above sea level, the cake will collapse.

German Chocolate Cake Ingredients	Cake Ingredients This recipe calls for: 1 (4-oz.) package of Baker's Sweetened Chocolate 1/2 cup boiling water 1 cup butter or margarine 2 cups sugar 4 egg yolks 4 eggs whites 1 teaspoon Vanilla 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk
Cake Equipment	Cake Equipment For this recipe you will need: Kitchen Aid, or hand mixer bowl measuring cups measuring spoons whisk spatula 3 cake pans 8 inches wide cooling racks flour sifter
Mixing Chocolate	Step One: Melting Chocolate Take one package of Baker's sweetened chocolate and mix it with 1/2 cup of boiling water. You are done mixing the chocolate once it is all dissolved (as seen in the lower left picture). Let this cool before adding it to the mixture in step four. You will want to go ahead and preheat the oven to 350F so it will be ready when you need it.
Butter and Sugar	Step Two: Mixing Butter Mix 1 cup of butter with 2 cups of sugar until they are fluffy and rich. This should not take but a few minutes.
Adding Egg Yolks	Step Three: Add Egg Yolks Slowly add in your egg yolks while beating the mixture. Once no more streaks, or spots of yellow remain they have been mixed in well enough.
Adding Chocolate and Vanilla	Step Four: Add Melted Chocolate Add Chocolate liquid and 1 teaspoon vanilla after the egg yolk is completely mixed in to the batter.
Sifting Flour	Step Five: Sift Flour It is important to sift the flour in order to remove all the lumps. This is the time when you add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the flour. You may want to do step nine now so that you don't have your cake batter sitting out of the oven too long.
Adding Milk and Flour	Step Six: Adding Milk and Flour Add the milk and flour to the mixture at the same time, but alternating between the two (milk, flour, milk, flour...) Don't stop mixing as you do this. Once you are done beating in the milk and flour, make sure that it is smooth.
	Step Seven: Beating Egg Whites If you have never beaten egg whites before; it can be tricky, so pay close attention.  Take your four egg whites and beat them at a high speed. When you lift the beater out of the bowl it should have a peak, or pointed tip at the end of it. This means they are done being whipped. They should look exactly like the ones in the lower left picture of this step. This process should take about 5 minutes. You will want to move quickly on to the next step to keep the egg white fluffy. Make sure that there is no egg yolk mixed into your egg whites.
Folding in Egg Whites	Step Eight: Fold in Egg Whites Now fold in your egg whites SLOWLY. DO NOT STIR OR BEAT THEM IN!! This would ruin the cake!
Cake Pan	Step Nine: Cutting Wax-Paper Use a knife, or a pen to mark a sheet of wax paper around the exterior of the pan. Then cut on the line you just drew. Coat the inside of the pan with shortening. Then put flour on the inside and shake it till the sides and bottom are covered with flour. Then put the cut wax paper in the bottom of the pan. Do this for each of the three cake pans.
Pouring Cake Batter in Pans	Step Ten: Pour Cake Batter Pour equal amounts of batter into each 8 inch cake pan.
Cake in Oven	Step Eleven: Baking German Chocolate Cake   Put the cakes in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Do not open the oven until the cake has been in for the required time, if you do it will fall in the middle.  Stick a tooth pick in your cake after baking. If it comes out clean your cake is done, if it comes out gooey then it needs another five to ten minutes.
Cake Layers	Step Twelve: Cake Flipping Once your cake layers have cooled for 15  minutes you will need to remove them from their cake pans. Using a knife, or a spatula like the one seen in the picture to the left, cut the cake away from the sides of the cake pan. Then flip it over on a cooling rack and remove the wax paper from the bottom.
Now your cake layers are done and you are ready to make the mouth watering Coconut Pecan frosting: Click here for Frosting Recipe

My absolute favorite german chocolate is the "Milka Chocolate". It is sold in bar form, in specialty forms and in holiday shapes. The brand has the "Milka Cow", as well-known symbol, and the chocolates are distinctively packaged in purple.


But the best of all is its unforgettable taste. The smooth, rich chocolate melts in your mouth - think of Lindt chocolate - for me even better...

Milka is made in Germany by Kraft Foods and I think it doesn't surprise to hear that Milka is the largest brand of chocolate in Europe.

I’ve tried each one of them from early childhood, and based on my own personal experience I can ask you upfront to forget about Swiss chocolate. Nothing and nothing will ever beat the German ones.

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Great Kinderschokolade by Ferrero

Perhaps the most famous chocolate in the world is a German chocolate despite the fact that its name is mostly for children - Kinderschokolade. But did you know that this chocolate is not a German creation? Although the brand name is German, very few people are aware, that the Kinder Egg is not really a German invention; the chocolate was invented in Italy by "Ferrero".

One package contains 10 delicious chocolate bars. Outside brown, inside milky white – really unforgettable taste and of course not only for kids… But that's not all. Ferrero produces a whole range of products under its "Kinder" brand. Make sure to try also Kinder Schokobons, Kinder Country, Kinder Bueno,Hanuta or Duplo.

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Famous Kinder Surprise or Kinder Egg

Along the same lines let us not forget the very famous Kinder Egg. Once again, this is not a German invention rather it was incepted by Ferrero in Italy.
Other German companies like Bofrost, Haribo or Bahlsen etc. are now manufacturing chocolates that are similar to Kinder’s Surprise Eggs. Therefore, you should also take a look at some of their products.

The value of these small collectors’ eggs in Germany is growing at an incredible rate at over 500 Euro. If you buy such collectors kinder eggs you should consider that there are some counterfeits of these eggs. This demands caution and care on your part to make sure that what you are getting is what you are actually paying for.

German Chocolate

German chocolate is very much understated. Despite World War Two causing serious problems for companies like Stollwerck and Ritter Sport, Germany has produced, and continues to make, high quality chocolate that is sold and appreciated around the world.

Ritter Sport Ritter Sport was founded in Bad Cannstatt in 1912 by Afred Ritter and his wife, Clara. The company was very successful in spite of economic crisis in Germany, employing over 80 workers by 1930. The chocolate square was launched in 1932. Clara Ritter suggested making "a chocolate bar that will fit in any sport's jacket pocket without breaking, and yet still weighs the same as the normal long bar of chocolate". The idea met with much approval and the square chocolate was given the name Ritter’s Sport Schokolade (Ritter's Sport Chocolate). The world war affected chocolate production at Ritter significantly. By 1940 all produiction ceased. In 1946 production restarted, but because of post-war shortages only sweets not using cocoa were made. By 1950 however cocoa was available again without restriction. This allowed chocolate production to restart. Since then popularity and consumption of Ritter Sport chocolate has only increased, being sold in over 70 different countries.

Stollwerck Franz Stollwerck founded his company in 1839, producing cough drops. In 1860 production was extended to include chocolate, marzipan and gingerbread. After Franz Stollwerck's death his five sons founded: "Gebrüder Stollwerck" (Stollwerck Brothers) and successfully marketed the Stollwerck brand. After continued success Stollwerck became a Public Limited Company (AG) in 1902. Factories were opened in London, Vienna, Kronstadt (Basov/Romania), Preßburg (Bratislava) and Stamford/USA. The depression of the thirties and World War Two severly affected Stollwerck. Turnover fell drastically and many factories were destroyed in bombings. However, with assistance from Deutsche Bank and direction from Dr. Hans Imhoff Stollwerk rose from the ashes to become the market leader that it is toaday with factories producing superior quality chocolate all across Europe.

Chocolate         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.0/10 X   Users: 7.0/10 (4,338 votes) 53 reviews | Critics: 70 reviews An autistic woman with powerful martial art skills looks to settle her ailing mother's debts by seeking out the ruthless gangs that owe her family money. Director: Prachya Pinkaew Writers: Chukiat Sakveerakul (screenplay), Napalee (screenplay) Stars: JeeJa Yanin, Hiroshi Abe and Pongpat Wachirabunjong

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Angles ’n’ Attitudes

Xocoatl

William Bothwell I n 20 years, said a news report, with the rising cost of cocoa beans, a 100 gram chocolate bar could cost $50. At least, that may mean the end of those chocolate bunnies that have nothing to do with the meaning of Easter. By comparison, 20 years ago a gallon (4.5 litres) of gasoline cost $1.14. To put that into perspective, the average (not the median) Canadian annual income at the time was $29,500.
We know that our costly petroleum dependence has enriched the sinister and sensuous sheiks of Araby, once featured romantically in productions like Kismet and songs such as “Stranger in paradise”. Rudolph Valentino and Vic Damone could not, of course, show us everything that Middle Eastern potentates and martyrs expect to enjoy in a voluptuous paradise that might have been designed for Signor Berlusconi. Silvio’s earthly realm of a United Italy, by the way, celebrates its sesquicentennial today, March 17.
Cocoa beans, the raw material from which chocolate is made, were first harvested by the aboriginal Maya of Central America. The Aztecs gave them the name ‘xocoatl’. The yellow pods in which they form are the size of a buttermilk squash. They cling to the trunks of the trees from which workers cut them to harvest seeds the size of almonds that are held in a moist pulp.
After a process of fermentation the beans, when ground, spiced or sweetened, become the seductive confection we call chocolate. Five centuries ago the Spanish conquistadors were introduced to a brown liquid that native people claimed was relaxing and reduced fatigue. It was also said to have various curative powers.
The Europeans were surprised to find that cocoa beans were also a means of exchange in Meso- America. Four of them bought a chicken or a rabbit; 100 could purchase a slave. The gold and silver that the Spanish coveted were used by the “West Indians” mainly for decoration, thus their willingness to part with them to the newcomers.
When cocoa was introduced to Europe it quickly became popular. Aristocrats ‘took chocolate’, like coffee, at breakfast. The beans were sold with herbs in apothecary shops. Agricultural mass production in Central America gradually destroyed the broad-leafed trees that needed filtered jungle light and lush ground covering around them. Colonial growers mistakenly provided sunlit and cultivated fields. Production finally moved to Africa.
For the past century the chief source of cocoa has been the tropical West coast area of that continent, particularly the British Gold Coast (now the Republic of Ghana) and the Côte d’Ivoire. That misruled and debt-ridden former French colony once produced more chocolate wealth for foreign entrepreneurs than for the native population. The present dictatorship there guarantees that an end to worker unrest is nowhere in sight. As with other African problems, it awaits a revolutionary solution.
Carol Off, a CBC Radio reporter, published a 2006 book, Bitter Chocolate, that tells the sad story of the 19th Century European exploitation of sub-Saharan Africa. Joseph Conrad’s 1902 Heart of Darkness had lifted the curtain on Leopold of Belgium’s royal plundering of the Congo and what one critic called “the exposure of the white man’s civilised inhumanity”.
The villainy of ivory hunters and profiteers from cocoa production added to that of the old slave trade. To make things worse, native workers were subjected to deplorable conditions and were supervised by unsympathetic managers brought in from rival tribal areas who exacerbated the other problems.
As early as 1825 a young Dutchman, Coenraad Van Houten, had developed a process for roasting beans in a way that separated the bitter fat and made the pulverised product quickly and economically soluble in water or milk. Suchard and Sprüngli of Switzerland were soon competitors.
In England, Joseph Fry of Bristol blended the cocoa powder with ‘cocoa butter’ to make the first hard chocolate bars. Then bite-sized bonbons were popularised by the Lindt and Tobler interests.
Enter the Rowntrees of Yorkshire and the London Cadburys. Both families built model communities in which their employees could live. Those Quaker family enterprises pioneered social welfare and workers’ rights. That, however, was not the good fortune of equatorial farm workers, few of whom to this day can afford a chocolate bar even at 2011 prices.
In the USA, Milton S. Hershey, a maker of caramel confections, saw chocolate making machinery at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He brought to North America a Swiss process developed by Henri Nestlé for blending milk powder with ground cocoa beans to make ‘milk chocolate’. He called himself ‘the chocolate king of America’ and founded his own model community, Hershey, Pennsylvania, dubbed “the sweetest place on Earth”, disregarding Cadbury’s Bournville, near Birmingham. Our neighbours to the south are fond of their superlativesthe greatest, tallest, richest, sweetest and so on.
A chocolate maker produces the basic product; a chocolatier creates the confectionery. The premier Canadian chocolatier is Ganong Bros. of New Brunswick. Most of us remember Neilson’s of Toronto, now subsumed in the Kraft/Cadbury conglomerate.
When inter-tribal unrest and the demand for freedom from European rule became common after World War 2 and, later, when ecological change became part of the equation, cocoa production took a dive.
Euro-American manipulation continued. The Hershey people bought billions of tons of cocoa beans, held them for a time and then dumped them on the market. The price of cocoa beans tumbled but the cost of chocolate products continued to rise. Smart business.
The chocolate-company-eatchocolate company age followed and competition will get more vicious. The recent acquisition of Cadbury by Kraft Foods forced what the Aztecs called xocoatl, “the food of the gods”, into an undistinguished blended family with Kraft Dinner and with Cheez Whiz (500 grams $3 in 1991, $6.20 now).
Watch for higher prices and lower cocoa percentages in chocolate bars. Don’t let your children get too fond of them. As adults they will have to pay much more for chocolate, all other foodstuffs, motor fuel and the energy electricity and natural gas to light, heat or cool the houses in which they will live. Let them eat cake.

No sweet escape: Can’t give up on chocolate? You’re not alone

By MARIAM NIHAL, LIFE.STYLE@ARABNEWS.COM

Published: Mar 16, 2011 17:43 Updated: Mar 16, 2011 17:50

Join the club. Three months into the New Year and — having made hardcore, unbreakable oaths to consume less chocolate (admit it, no chocolate is out of the question) to get that perfect size — we are doomed. This is called sweet damnation. There is no escape from the bittersweet truth of dessert delicacies. And to be honest, cocoa is healthy. Dark cocoa that is.
Yes, that is wonderful news for those who have discovered this new phenomenon. By the way, coffee can be healthy too. For those who may appreciate another joyful revelation, the question remains: How? Well, that is scientifically proven. But before we delve deep into the intricacies of chocolate adoration, let’s face fact.
The elephant in the room is hard to be ignored. If you are addicted to cheesecake and Ben & Jerry’s then you might just resemble a little one of those baby elephants. Not enough motivation? Well, it is time to find some. Chocolate is undeniable, and there is always a legit reasoning behind madness. In this case, the aura of intense and alluring dark melting chocolate is just a rush, like shifting the gear to overdrive.
But what comes after is not so such a pleasantry. We need to stick to the real dilemma and face it. It is a much bigger problem. Junk food is unadvisable but if you are headed for tiramisu or chocolate fudge after a whopper burger one evening, then you are blameless. Except, make sure it is just one evening. No one can deny the pleasure of a hot meal with chilly cheese fries and Coke or Mountain Dew; young girls wanting to be the next top model of town will suffer immensely.
Let’s get down to business and deal with the epidemic. Vouch for the size you want and follow your mind. Let the heart win sometimes, but if you want to watch your weight it is none of your hearts’ business. Obesity has become a global epidemic. More than half a billion people, or one in 10 adults worldwide, are reportedly obese — over double the percentage in 1980. Obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of US medical spending, or an estimated $147 billion a year.
Local Impact
It is not just a personal predicament; this catch-22 is a national health concern.
Figures released by the Saudi Diabetes and Endocrinology Society revealed that a shocking 70 percent of the Kingdom’s local population is classified as obese in 2010. A recent study also revealed that among middle-aged people, 34 percent of men and 45 percent of women are overweight.
More than a billion adults are classified as overweight and almost 300 million clinically obese, according to figures from the World Health Organization. “The pervasive nature of diseases in Arab countries include cholesterol problems, and insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables and water. There is also obesity, high blood pressure, lack of physical activity, drug abuse and increasing tobacco use in society,” said Dr. Shaima Abdullah, a physician in Jeddah.
Foreign Solutions
Professor Eric Finkelstein, deputy director for health services and systems research at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, estimated that obese workers cost the American economy around $73 billion in lost productivity. Not only are fatter people more often absent for health reasons than fitter colleagues, they are also less efficient at work as they tire more easily and work more slowly. As per a new incentive policy constructed in the US, workers get paid to drop a few pounds and companies hope to improve their workers’ efficiency, mood and morale with the new strategy. In the US, since employers, rather than the government, tend to pick up healthcare bills, they hope paying workers to shed weight will save on insurance premiums on the long run.
Your Solution
Exercise, join a gym, begin Taekwondo, kickboxing or karate, walk for half an hour, dance and burn off the extra calories. Swimming is an excellent calorie-burner; it can rip off calories as well as tone your body. So can Pilates. It makes your muscles lean, tones your body and burns fat that hangs loose as excess flab.
Sprint. Go for a jog early morning before your humdrum day starts or skip. The Telegraph recommends dumbbell squat presses — “Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level. First lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you press the dumbbells overhead while you straighten your legs and return to the starting position.”
Yoga is pure medicine. Make it part of your routine as it helps more than just getting rid of excess body fat. Kim Kardashian suggests squats. Marisa Miller loves boxing and spinning.
Winner of the Biggest Loser show, Helen Phillips, has some great advice. “Throw out the things that set you up for failure. If you crave sugar, get rid of sweets. If salty foods are your weakness, dump the chips, pretzels and salted nuts. Tackle your cupboards, fridge freezer, basement stashes, everything. Then stock up on fresh fruits and veggies.”
Tina Fey had a bad experience we may term as our very own, but she did it. She is perhaps a good example to follow in terms of weight watching. “When I was 29, I lost 35 pounds. I did it through Weight Watchers. That's how I learned how to eat properly for the first time. Before, I used to be one of those people who wouldn't eat all day, then would eat a piece of cake at 4 p.m., have McDonald's at 10 p.m. and then go to bed,” she said.
So what should I eat if I can’t satisfy my Big Mac Meal craving? Well, eat in plenty. Have proteins, grilled chicken or enjoy a barbeque with friends. Have white fish, cheese, nuts, veggies, cottage cheese, fruits, salads and lots of organic oil. Notice the change in your skin, hair, energy and mood. They have been tried and tested.
Also recommended are lunges. Listen to the woman who helped shelf off hundreds of pounds as a fitness trainer — Kim Lyons, former Biggest Loser trainer. A woman into Olympics could not be a better role model. Kristin Armstrong, Olympic Cyclist, recommends fun and a great workout that is her job. “Invest in a bike that fits, get a comfortable saddle, and cycle with a group whenever possible. Try not to be intimidated and, most importantly, have fun,” she said.
Do morning exercises on an empty stomach. Eat your first meal of the day an hour later, then have a meal every three to four hours after that.
Gazing at Adriana Lima, wishing to pick up Gisele’s diet and dreaming of fitting into J-Lo’s dress will only get you so far. Want to translate your dreams from paper (read Vogue) to reality? Make the change, because it is all in your hands.
Yes, it is easier said than done. Fair enough, you know that too. But if you really want it, no one can stop you. That’s why Nike says " Just Do It."

Lindt USA Introduces Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P.

New Direct Sales Program Provides Chocolate Lovers with the Opportunity to Create Their Own Premium Chocolate Business

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STRATHAM, N.H., March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lindt & Sprungli, the world's leading producer of premium chocolate, today announces the introduction of Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P., a new direct sales program for Lindt USA.  The new venture provides chocolate lovers with the chance to become entrepreneurial, independent Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. Consultants, and to host in-home chocolate tasting parties.  In addition, the program allows Lindt to showcase and sample its wide variety of premium chocolate, including exclusive Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. specialties, to new consumers across the country.
(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110314/NE64435LOGO )
Not only can Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. Consultants take pride in selling the world's most premium chocolate, the program also features a compelling commission structure and enticing host rewards.  Consultants are given the tools they need to create a fun and rewarding chocolate business including training programs, expert coaching, a personal website that aids in generating successful sales results, and an invitation to the annual Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P national sales conference.
"The Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. business venture is a great opportunity for Lindt to share our premium chocolate with an extended audience," said Thomas Linemayr, chief executive officer and president of Lindt USA.  "We are excited to provide chocolate lovers with the opportunity to indulge in an unmatched chocolate experience."
At a Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. party, Consultants introduce guests to the exceptional quality of Lindt's products in a comfortable, private setting.  Consultants and hosts choose from a variety of party formats, including wine and chocolate pairings, chocolate fondue, or dessert creation.  Each party centers on a Consultant-led "Five Senses of Chocolate" tasting, engaging guests' senses to fully experience all that premium chocolate has to offer.
From the iconic smooth melting Lindor Truffles to expertly-crafted Excellence bars, all Lindt chocolate offerings are made with the finest ingredients and most sophisticated refinement.  In addition to these classic Lindt offerings, exclusive products are available at Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. parties.  For more information on Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P., how to become a Consultant or to host a party, visit www.lindtchocolatersvp.com.
About Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P.
Introduced in 2011, Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. is the premium chocolate direct sales program of Lindt USA.  The business provides consumers with the opportunity to become independent Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. Consultants or to host chocolate parties, using Lindt's premium chocolate offerings.  For more information on Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P., how to become a Consultant, or host a party, visit www.lindtchocolatersvp.com.
About Lindt & Sprungli
Founded in 1845, Lindt & Sprungli is a global leader in the premium chocolate category, offering high-quality products in more than 100 countries.  Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs 7,400 worldwide.  Lindt USA operates more than 40 retail stores in the U.S. and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels.  For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindt.com.
SOURCE Lindt & Sprungli
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Restaurant Review

Carolina’s

That’s new Mexican, not New Mexican

By Ari LeVaux

Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com

Carolina’s smothered fries = Mexican poutine

Poutine is a popular French-Canadian dish that's renowned as a late-night beer sponge. It consists of a pile of fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy. I don’t know if poutine was the inspiration for the french-fry-based dishes available at Carolina’s, a Mexican restaurant in the old Chocolate Café space near Girard and Central, but the resemblance is striking. My introduction to this Mexican poutine was a pile of fries interspersed with yellow cheese, topped with carnitas and smothered in enchilada sauce. Cheesy fries formed a latticed raft that held the crispy brown carnitas and their sauce, allowing me to use a fork to shovel the glorious, greasy amalgam into my mouth.
Although billed as a Mexican restaurant, I was told by the counter person that it’s actually California-style Mexican. This apparently means more shredded cabbage, white cheese and guacamole, and less grease (the Mexican poutine being an exception). The biggest downside of this style of cuisine, from a New Mexican perspective, is the green sauce—it’s tomatillo-based and contains no green chile. Now, I understand the desire to honor one’s roots. But trying to get away with tomatillo green in this town like trying to will yourself back to California by wearing shorts and flip-flops through the winter.
The red chile, meanwhile, is bright, tangy and smokin’ hot. I must have poured gallons of that red into my machaca breakfast burrito. Though slow-cooked until tender, the beef somehow retained its pink color. The chunks were large and went perfectly with egg and potatoes.
The interior layout of Carolina’s reminds me of the neighborhood pizza joint in my hometown outside of Boston. It has an open floor plan with booths along the wall and a Ms. Pac-Man video game. But instead of pictures of Italy, the wall is lined with watercolors of Southwest scenery.

Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com

The vegetarian burrito is a handful.

The best part of the ambience at Carolina’s revealed itself as I struggled to control my burrito with one hand and my 4-month-old in the other. Yvette, the owner, offered to hold him while I ate, and it was clear that she enjoyed every minute of it. If only more restaurants offered free child care.
Yvette’s mother is the restaurant's namesake Carolina, while her sister’s father-in-law is Roberto of Roberto’s in San Diego. The famous restaurant chain was the first of its kind in that area. And, by many estimations, it’s the standard of Southern California-style Mexican food.
Thankfully, the boundaries of California-style Mexican cuisine appear to include tamales, because those at Carolina’s were splendid, drenched in that bright red, slightly sweet and acidic enchilada sauce. The guacamole rolled tacos, smothered in more guacamole and white cheese, are probably what a lot of vegetarians are looking for in a Mexican restaurant. And the veggie burrito—full of beans, rice and pico de gallo, but no cheese—is one of the healthier gut bombs in town.
Both the rolled chicken and beef enchiladas were excellent, with a nice Cali presentation. The beef was that same machaca from the burrito, and the chicken pieces were pleasantly toothsome. The way the enchilada sauce interacted with the tortillas was magic.
The tacos are large enough that four are more than the average belly can handle. Each filling (asada, machaca, fish and veggie) comes in a different presentation. Here, the beef was shredded and crispy-edged. The only disappointment was the fish—school lunch-style breaded fish sticks from a bag.

Sergio Salvador salvadorphoto.com

Owner Yvette Montoya Serofani works the register.

A warning: I can’t mention the veggie taco without mentioning the word “cumin.” Members of the New Mexico anti-cumin coalition may want to avert their eyes from the following statement. OK, here goes: There’s cumin in the veggie tacos.
I first went to Carolina’s based on a tip that the chicharrónes were awesome, but they don’t serve chicharrónes. My informant then suggested he meant the adovada, which also does not exist at Carolina’s. Inexplicably, the menu is smaller than at many taco trucks, which is disappointing given the restaurant’s full-size kitchen. When I asked about carne adovada I was told they make it for themselves, but it’s different than how people expect it, so they don’t put it on the menu.
That’s a shame. Because what the cooks do at Carolina’s, they do well. If they’re bold enough to serve Mexican poutine and aren’t going to give us real green chile, the least they can do is show us their adovada.

The carne asada plate served with rice and beans, pico de gallo and guacamole at La Costa Mexican Restaurant on State Street in American Fork on Monday, March 7, 2011. They also have a location in Sandy. ASHLEY FRANSCELL/Daily Herald

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Review

La Costa Mexican Restaurant
Where: 852 E. State St., American Fork
Prices: Appetizers $5-$10; sides $1-$6; salads $8-$13; entrees $8-$17
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Info: (801) 492-0041, www.lacostamexrestaurant.com

Visitors should bring two things with them when they visit La Costa Mexican Restaurant in American Fork: Their wallets and their appetites.
We learned this the easy way during a recent week-night visit to La Costa, meaning "the coast" in Spanish, which opened up two months ago in what was originally the old Fazoli's building on East State Street. The menu prices, it seemed to us, were a bit more pricy than many similar Mexican restaurants in the area, but the difference was more than accounted for with extremely large portions and an overall great dining experience.
Our server was extremely friendly and helpful -- to the point where we were almost tempted to invite him to sit down and dine with us (and would have been comfortable doing so). When we asked for some suggestions off the menu, he was quick to point out and explain a couple of the restaurant's more popular items.
While waiting for our appetizer to arrive, we took in the Santa Fe vibe of the dining room's decor and munched on the excellent complimentary chips and salsa while listening to festive Mexican music. We've found that the first sign of a great Mexican restaurant is its chips and salsa, and suffice to say that our anticipation for the remainder of the meal was raised significantly from La Costa's offering (which, in addition to salsa, also included a dipping bowl with refried beans).
Our Mexican Pizza appetizer was a solid followup. It contained ground beef, Spanish rice, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions and refried beans on a fried tortilla with sour cream and guacamole on the side.
Our favorite plate was the Fajitas La Costa. When our server described the plate as sizzling fajitas, he was not exaggerating. In fact, a more apt description might have been "Four-Alarm Fire" as the main plate arrived with strips of steak on a bed of sizzling red and green peppers, and onions, accompanied by vast amounts of steam.
Actually, referring to plate in the singular might be a bit of a disservice. It actually came on two plates -- the second containing all the additionals, including rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce and four large shrimp with crab meat soaking in melted butter. The two plates were so packed, I had to ask for a third just to assemble everything in the accompanying tortillas. How many tortillas you ask? Seven! Si, siete! Remember the earlier mention of extremely large portions?
We also tried the Burrito Guadalajara on our server's recommendation. It came bursting at the seams with diced chicken, rice, beans, melted cheese, lettuce and enchilada sauce and topped with sour cream, avocado and tomatoes.
We forced ourselves -- forced ourselves I tell you -- to sample the Chimi Cheesecake for dessert. It featured a cheesecake filling inside a fried pastry crust with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate, caramel, cinnamon and sugar. In a word: Delicious.
Yes, the cost of doing business at La Costa Mexican Restaurant might be a few cents more than similar local fare, but you can bet your bottom dollar that we will be back again in the future.