What is your favourite “everyday” chocolate?

Posted on 01/25/2012 by

Alyssa and I have the great pleasure of tasting chocolate from all over the world that is sent to us by gifted chocolatiers. We love nothing more than to savour every morsel and write about our favourite new finds.

But in the eagerness to share exciting chocolaty discoveries, we sometimes neglect our old favourites. I’ve never taken the time to really think about what is my tried-and-true chocolate companion.

When I sat down to consider the options for my number one favourite chocolate it was an impossible task. If I am thinking of handcrafted, artisan chocolate then I sincerely could never narrow it down. I’d have a list long enough to make the Oscars a 14 day long broadcast. But if I take more of a “People’s Choice Awards” approach to  picking my go-to-every-day-easy-accessible-affordable-standby and, if I am really honest, then it’s no contest at all.

My secret guilty pleasure is Lindt’s Sea Salt Dark Chocolate bar.

While the Swiss are known best for their mass-produced milk chocolate – their dark chocolate is definitely worth writing home about too.

Before salted chocolate became trendy and was being added to every confectioner’s line up, years ago Lindt introduced their incredible Sea Salt bar.

It’s the perfect combination of bitter and salt and sweet. It is smooth – but not too smooth and has an unexpected finish.

I have been responsible for getting more than one friend addicted to this bar. I am a bit of a sea salt pusher it would seem. What I love most is that it’s the perfect impulse purchase because I can spot it in nearly every grocery store or drug store in Canada.

It’s also the kind of chocolate you can take your time eating while still feeling like you’ve had an indulgent fix.  I’ll nibble on a square and then tuck away the rest for later. It’s a bit strong for my 10-year-old so I never need to share. I don’t think it gets any more perfect than that.

It’s not my only impulse chocolate but it has admittedly been my consistent choice for a long time.  In fact, I think I’ll run out and get one now ….

What is your fav everyday chocolate?

~ Sandra 

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Documentary – “Chocolate’s Child Slaves”

Posted on 01/20/2012 by

As chocolate ambassadors and enthusiasts, we love to share with you all of the extraordinary things we love about chocolate.

But we also know that we have a responsibility shine a light on some of the less “fun” sides of chocolate. Like many industries, chocolate production can be plagued with complex issues and practices that we shouldn’t ignore.

At Blog Chocolate we’ve not yet spoken at length about one of the most important, ugly, hidden truths about the chocolate industry – child slavery. We wanted to change that and share with you that CNN has produced what looks like a stirring documentary that premiers tonight (Friday, January 20th, 2012). It will make us all think carefully about our chocolate consumption and consider how we can be part of the solution.

Check out a short clip from this thought- provoking documentary about 10-year-old Abdul (who is the same age as my son) … Chocolate’s Child Slaves

I plan to tune in tonight. And I hope you will too.

~Sandra

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Apple, meet Tree.

Posted on 01/17/2012 by

Well howdy there stranger! It’s been a while. I could go into a whole long explanation of why we’ve been AWOL for the last little while, but why? We’re back, and ready to greet the new year in chocolatey style!

To that end, let me share with you my super chocolate-filled weekend. It was my eldest son’s 7th birthday and we held a party for him with his closest friends. Now, he’s not your average sport-o type boy child. He didn’t want to play laser tag, hockey or go sledding. He’s not old enough for video games and too scared to watch most movies. He’d much rather have something like a cooking party, but we’ve “done that before” and we can’t do that again (God forbid).

Well, all I can say is thank goodness for Google. I did a search on kids cooking parties and came across Chocolate Tales – a company that does chocolate making parties. A party where you get to make – and eat – chocolate? My sweet-toothed kid was all over it. (What can I say? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.)

The owner, David Levy, worked with me to adapt his regular birthday party program to the shorter attention-span and higher energy levels of a group of boys made up of 6 and 7 year olds. They got a short history of chocolate, made chocolate shavings, chocolate lollipops in fun animal shapes, and “tie-dyed” marshmallows. They had a truffle making contest, and learned how to shape chocolate cups with balloons. They even made chocolate lava cakes. The kids, naturally, got to “test” all the chocolate as they went. (I tested it too – afterwards – and everything was ridiculously good. High quality Belgium Chocolate. Nut-free. I *may* have eaten an embarrassing amount of leftover lava cakes all by myself…)

Sound fun, but kind of like a recipe for disaster? Nothing could have been easier. Our chocolatier arrived 45 minutes prior to the party to set up. She put down tarps and several layers of plastic tablecloths. The kids all had disposable aprons and gloves. Not a drop of chocolate got anywhere that it wasn’t supposed to (other than a few unfortunate kids’ sleeves) – and I own a couple of cream armchairs that were perilously close to the party. And at the end of it all, she cleaned up and took everything away. Easy peasy.

My experience with Chocolate Tales was seamless. They were courteous, prompt, professional and engaging. And they didn’t have the easiest crowd to please in terms of age. I would recommend them without hesitation. My son had the Chocolate Party of his dreams. And I had a lot of chocolate left over.

Really. Good. Chocolate. WIN!

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