Confession #28 - CHOCOLATE!!!

Chocolate. 

Beautiful, glorious chocolate.

Confession: There is no replacement for chocolate.

Chocolate is synonymous with happy. How many memories do you have, that involve chocolate, that ended badly? 

...

Exactly my point.

In my family, at Christmas time, everybody gets a chocolate letter from Santa Claus.

(Or St. Nicholas, whatever you want to call him by)

Here's a whole article about it:
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/chocolate-letters/

Chocolate is amazing! So many varieties and flavors!

A lot of thought has gone into chocolate.

Making it artistic, more delicious....

Or classic. :o)

But I have a theory!!!

If I crave chocolate, I've realized I might as well go straight ahead and eat it.

Why? BECAUSE - you know it's true - whenever you try and avoid chocolate, a pattern of events unfold.

First: One thinks, chocolate sounds delicious. But I shouldn't have it, candy/sugar/fat/etc is bad for me.

Then: One figures, if I snack on something else, something healthier, I will stop worrying about chocolate. 

First, something healthy. 

Then, something salty - obviously healthy wasn't doing the trick. 

Then, something slightly sweet, but not what I want. 

Like... oh, let's say raisins, for example. 

Still... one is not satisfied. 

After mowing through a variety of snacks, I just can't put my finger on it.

Eventually: One ends up eating the chocolate anyways, but kind of feels gross from eating so many other things too.

Solution:
Satisfy the chocolate craving! It's delicious, and if it's dark, or whatever the other studies say, then it's good for you! It comes from a bean! It could easily be a vegetable! Right?? RIGHT??

But in moderation, it is just fine. And certainly better than blowing through my whole pantry. 

I love raspberry truffle loaf - I actually use the truffle loaf in a few circumstances. It's great as frosting, and also as a cake filling. It is a BIG hit as cake filling. It's part of The Christmas Cake. :o)
(See my cake blog for more information on The Christmas Cake)

Chocolate was a fun activity - as kids, my brother and I would sit down together when a new box of chocolates arrived (during Easter or Christmas) and use the "map" that came with it to find each chocolate and read the description of what was inside. Sometimes we fought about specific ones, but most of all it was fun to laugh at some of the flavors in there, and then try one of them. 

Sometimes, we dared each other to eat the most repulsive-sounding chocolate. 

Through these experiences, I can say honestly... fruit and chocolate together are not a friend for me.

Fruit + chocolate?
No.
No thank you please.

Chocolate... is the best flavor ice cream.

As a kid, my favorite part of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was watching the opening credits.... all that chocolate... It was magical! And then to wonder what it would be like to go to a land made out of candy!

Which was great - but I came to the conclusion that it would probably be gross, if birds could poop on it. 

But it was insiiiiiiide... hmm.
I guess the only hazard there is oompa loompa feet in the edible grass.

Blech.

ANYWAY! Maaaaagicalllllll.... choooocolaaate......

When I was a kid, I thought about what it would be like if the buildings were made of chocolate.

I decided that would be gross, because birds could poop on it.

(I think I had a thing about being pooped on by birds.)

Chocolate... also an art medium!

Look at these. Just.... just look.

Artful, magical, wonderful, glorious, delicious chocolate.
♥♥♥

GIVE IN!

It's ok to be spoiled sometimes.

:o)