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Monday, September 10, 2012

What's Your Chocolate?

I couldn't not participate in this blogfest once I saw the title on several blogs I read.  It's  What’s Your Chocolate? hosted by M. Pax, Laura Eno, Brinda Barry, and Ciarra Knight.  It's a simple and delicious premise, post about your favorite chocolate to eat, when and where you eat it, chocolate memory, anything chocolate related.  

I love chocolate.  If we had as many words for love as the Inuits have for snow, there would be one just to describe my love of chocolate.  I take it pretty seriously.  I love to read about the harvesting of the cacao beans, the hulling and roasting process.  I've read and experimented with the tempering process (it's hard to keep your own temper, let alone the chocolate's, when you are trying this in a tiny kitchen with two little ones underfoot).  I still have plans to make my own chocolates.

It wouldn't be fair for me to call out one favorite chocolate.  I grew up in Belgium, so I was in the perfect place to indulge.  Sometimes, when I would go downtown Brussels just to walk around (why don't I do that as much here?), I'd let the different chocolate shops dictate which direction I would take.  There was a Leonidas shop on Northwest corner of the Grand Place, and my friend and I would buy a few chocolates and then eat them on the steps of the Bourse before seeing concerts at the Ancienne Belgique.  I'd pick up Cote D'Or bars from the local grocery stores, the Noissette and Double Lait were my favorite.  From the American Shoppette I'd buy Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which you couldn't easily find on the local economy (a shame, since peanut butter and chocolate is one of the best combinations of all time).

Nowadays, I practice a little more self control when it comes to my consuming passion for chocolate (except  lately, but I'm pregnant, and there are so few vices I can indulge in).  I no longer devour an entire bar in one sitting.  I buy small amounts of quality, mostly dark chocolate, and have just one ounce at a time.  My children are chocoholics as well, which secretly pleases me.  Two Christmases ago, my sister and I each made a dessert for dinner.  I made a Buche de Noel with chocolate ganache and mocha buttercream.  My sister made a beautiful and delicious lemon-cranberry bundt cake.  She was serving cake to my son, cut him a slice of the Buche, and asked if he wanted some of her cake.  "No!" he shouted adamantly. "It's not chocolate!"

14 comments:

  1. I love your stories about Belgian chocolate. I'd love the chance to live in a chocolate-loving place like that.

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  2. My preference is to EAT it, not make it :) Eat a lot of it!

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  3. My favorite chocolate memory took place in Brussels while my now husband and I were living overseas.

    Belgian chocolate is my favorite.

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  4. I'm with Judy. I could eat my weight in chocolate. :)

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  5. lol on your son's comment to your sister. Your passion for chocolate comes through. Lucky that you grew up in Belgium. I love the dark stuff.

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  6. Lucky you to grow up in Belgium! That place must be a chocolate-lovers paradise! I love your son's comment. I can just imagine him saying that!

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  7. Ah, Belgian chocolate is so good. LOL about your son's preference for chocolate. After chocolate, lemon is my next favorite.

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  8. Your son has discerning taste. :) Thanks for joining the blogfest!

    Laura Eno

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  9. I've heard good things about the chocolate in Belgium. Your description of the chocolate there makes me wonder if they offer tours there specifically for chocolate lovers like myself. Anyway, I hope you're doing well in your pregnancy.

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  10. Growing up in Belgium sounds like a dream to any chocoholic. :)

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  11. I believe I must find a way to visit Belgium just for the chocolate.

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  12. Oh I can so relate to what you say. Belgium chocolate. Mmmmmm! I used to eat alot of chocolate and now I eat one square of the best with a coffee and that's often enough.

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  13. I feel the same way your son does about dessert. If it's not chocolate, what's the point??

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  14. I probably would have taken a piece of your sister's cake, but only because I dont' like chocolate. I'm sure the quality of cake was equal!

    Just stopping by from the Chocolate Blog Hop and saying hi!

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