Chocolate Quotes: List

Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.  – Anonymous

Found this quote at the website Facts About Chocolate. They have a section devoted entirely to quotes about chocolate. Most of these quotes are anonymous. However, some were made by famous chocolate-lovers.

I think it’s good advice. Don’t you? Sometimes it’s good to know that you’re going to at least tackle one thing on that list of things to do. I make lots of lists to keep track of all the stuff I’m supposed to finish. However, I often forget to follow them. Or I mean to follow the list but stuff comes up, as always, and I end up only accomplishing “publish blog post.”

As someone who often fails to follow lists, this advice is great for me. It’s a wonderful encouragement. And at least I won’t feel so bad that I didn’t get all the other things done if I got at least one thing done.

But maybe, after tackling just that one thing, the rest of the items on the list don’t seem as overwhelming.

So add that item to your to do list today. You know that it’s something you won’t fail to follow. Why not?

Picture by suavehouse113

Death By Chocolate

Recently, there was a death.

By chocolate.

I was horrified.

CBS news reported that a 29 year old man (name not released) fell to his death in a 8-foot vat of melted chocolate in a New Jersey chocolate processing plant.

This man was a temporary worker at Cocoa Services Inc. CBS news says that he was loading raw chocolate into the vat where it would be melted and mixed before being shipped somewhere to be made into candy when a blade used to mix raw chocolate hit him.

He was then trapped in the vat for 10 minutes before being freed. It’s reported that he might have suffered a head injury while inside there. “A co-worker tried to shut off the machine and two otheres tried to pull the man out of the 8-foot vat.”

Eight feet is a pretty big vat.

Many of the readers’ reactions to this happening was to laugh. After all, it was really really bizarre. It’s not every day that someone dies by falling into a vat of chocolate.

But still, no matter how strange, a death happened. His family is grieving for him right now.

They have my condolences.

On another note, I found this horrifiying. Chocolate should be something enjoyable and fun, not something that you die of. It almost makes me want to skip out on eating chocolate for a few weeks until my stomach stops feeling queasy.

And I hope this does not happen again.

Picture credit: RogueSun Media

Chocorotica: Chocolate Drought

One busy night on the Absolute Write forum (which is the best forum evah) one of the regulars (by that I mean one of the crazies) was talking about money. She asked, “What would you do with a thousand dollars?”

I immediately wrote, “Books. Cute Asian stationery. New dresses. Like a formal one. And my own copy of Writer’s Market. To fondle. And a digital camera.”

I doubt a thousand dollars would buy all those things, looking back now. And I didn’t say it quite so steadily. I gushed. Sort of. And I am embarrassed (or maybe not) to say that I did my Gollum impression.

YESSSS PRECIOUSSSS

However, I forgot one important thing that I love and adore.

Chocolate.

So an hour after that, I rushed back and gushed some more. That I would buy myself some chocolate, and these days my house seems to be in a chocolate drought. Or was that because I ate all of the chocolate?

So I’m asking my readers today: do you sometimes feel that you are in a desert devoid of the one thing you need?And that the only oasis in sight is that of a pool of melted chocolate like the pictures top and right?

You are not alone.

However, you must also acknowledge that the lack of chocolate is either because…

1. You’re poor and can’t buy any.
2. You ate all the chocolate.
3. Both 1 and 2.

With that thought, I bring to you this delectable piece of Chocorotica.

Here.

The blogger writes,

One piece of this delicious, moist, chocolatey cake is more than enough! Eat it warm, with chocolate sauce on top (melted dark chocolate and cream). Delicious. And pretty darned close to perfect. Hubby says the best mud cake ever. Cannot form long sentences. Chocolate overload. Bliss.

Her husband says it’s excellent! But you don’t need a husband’s approval to know that this chocolate cake is SPECIAL. Just look at the pictures. *licks computer screen*

Here’s one of them, used with permission.

See how good it looks? *drool*

Katie, the blogger and baker, includes the recipe.

Enjoy! And as you eat it, know that you are no longer in a chocolate drought, but enjoying the oasis in the desert.

*Pictures from askville @ amazon and greg4all on Flickr. Last picture used with permission.

A Deep, Dark Secret

I was browsing Glamour’s blogs once again when I came upon an interesting one.

It was titled, “The Secret to Great Staycation Sex.”

Don’t ask.

So you’re skipping this year’s romantic getaway and staying home with a good book, an oscillating fan and some Real Housewives reruns. That’s no reason to sacrifice the awesome sex that always seems to go with a tropical vacation. Follow these expert tips to set the mood for a beachlike romp without leaving home.

Uhh… thanks?

I’ll start by saying that sex blogs (like in Glamour or Cosmo) tend to write as if their female readers have nothing better to do than meet hunky men and spend time in bed with them. This summer? This summer I have no romantic getaway. I have no boyfriend. I have to practice piano for my audition into the music program in the fall. I have to write. I HAVE TO WORK DANGIT. Even though I’m at home, I have to WORK.

I have no time to romp in the bedsheets with some random guy. I have no desire to, either. And besides if I even wanted to, where would I find one? The bar has plenty of creepy guys. Plenty if you want them. End up with some sores in VERY convenient places.

What about the weirdo that used to follow me around in church? Guys like those are fair game.

Ok, now that that rant is out of the way, let’s get started with our main feature.

Slide 5 out of 9 tells us to leave chocolate on our own pillows. It’s not a scientifically proven aphrodisiac, granted. But a bedside piece can help the lady get herself and her man in the mood. I have never tried this out, so I don’t know for sure. I do know that chocolate isn’t like a pill that you pop and then all of a sudden want to do stuff. You know.

But coming back from work (uh huh) to find that chocolate waiting for you on your pillow is a “sexy surprise” as they say.

I did read somewhere that chocolate releases feel good chemicals in your brain to make you feel happy. So that might have something to do with this.

However, all that aside, I firmly believe that there’s nothing like a little chocolate to express your love for another. If someday I get married, I’d like him to leave chocolate on my pillow, provided that it isn’t summer. I don’t want it to melt. Besides, I don’t see the point of putting chocolate on my own pillow when I can just take it from the cupboard.

For chocolate, I recommend Dove chocolate. They sell their chocolate wrapped in a piece of foil. When you unwrap the chocolate, you can read the message that’s there on the foil. The message is usually something sweet, like “Sing to the elevator music” or “Dance in the rain.” (Click the picture on the right to see those messages in full size.)

You can also personalize the message for your loved ones, if you wanted to.

The dark chocolate is perfect, too. It has just the right blend of sweetness and bitterness. It’s also silky smooth. I would eat three of the Promises chocolate pieces at one time. Not the healthiest, but still…

I’d want my boyfriend/husband to get me chocolate. It’s a very romantic gesture. Maybe the Glamour people were right about one thing. Chocolate is romantic. Coming home to your husband who has put chocolate on the pillow as a surprise is a wonderful thing.

The O List and Pretzels

Oprah’s editors of the O magazine like a lot of things. As a result, they have devoted an entire section in the magazine to things that they love, called the O List.

These things are varied. However one thing is true.

They happen to like a lot of unusual, expensive things.

On occasion, I’ve flipped through the pages and seen funny things like happy faced spatulas, special pet clothing that wicks away sweat (or something), 75 dollar candles that give out the freshest scent, 7 dollar pencils with Swarovski crystals, and expensive perfume that comes in such tiny jars.

The June 2009 issue had chocolate covered pretzels.

Highly decorated chocolate covered pretzels.

These are the pretzels in question:

The magazine article says,

Do the twist. The humble pretzel, mainstay of the local bar and the rec-room party, can now ascend to fancy-shmancier surroundings, thanks to these delicious chocolate-painted goodies.

I personally think that these pretzels are rather gaudy. Maybe fancy-shmancier was a good word to describe them, because simple they are not. However, I bet they taste good. I hope. It appears that the ones in the picture are dipped in milk and white chocolate and then dipped in some kind of hard sprinkles.

The rainbow pretzels

You can get them online at Pretzables.com, where you can find the “perfect gift of ultimate chocolate indulgence.” At the site, you’ll see gaudier pretzels, and some rather simple ones like these.

Presented in our elegant gift box are 12 assorted gourmet pretzels. Each hand-made masterpiece is a jewel – a true work of edible art. All are hand-dipped in scrumptious chocolate, then hand drizzled with our signature design. One bite and you will know how much love goes into these creations. The perfect balance of crunchy, chocolate, salty and sweet…yum. Over the TOP – We are going for WOW here – are you there yet? This gift makes a lasting impression.

Those particular pretzels are 35 dollars per dozen. Quite expensive for a fancy pretzel dipped in chocolate. And those are the fairly simple ones.

You can get rainbow sprinkles if you wanted, with frosting and colored sugar. If you wanted, you could also get custom orders. Pretzables tells you that if you can think of a really cool pretzel chocolate idea, they will bring “your dream to life.” The possibilities are endless. If you wanted a certain taste of chocolate, along with the salty crunch of pretzels, this is it. In fact, Pretzables writes that they were thrown into the national spotlight with the creation of a special boat. A chocolate boat with candy creatures. It looks really cute. I admit that I’d love to eat it.

Another example is a hand painted chocolate boot (above, left) that the founder of the company made for an international shoe designer.

The sky’s the limit, here.

I wouldn’t go for the gaudier pretzels, but I’d certainly love to try the simpler ones. And the prospect of having a chocolate dream put to life? I’d love to have a chocolate Chewbacca. Is that possible?

At this time, the price is too high for me. But if I had the means, I would definitely go for it.

The company tells us,

Each hand-made masterpiece is a jewel – a true work of edible art. Our decadent chocolate treats are made from the finest ingredients and hand-crafted in the spirit of gourmet tradition. These over-the-top creations are elegantly wrapped and presented with love from us to you.

With a promise like that, who can go wrong?

Chocolate and Comfort

The summer 2009 issue of Choices, which is distributed regularly for free by Blue Cross Blue Shield, spoke of chocolate as the ultimate comfort food.

Picture from National Geographic

According to the writer, chocolate is the number one craved food, especially for us ladies. Why? It might have addictive properties, like phenylethylamine that make you feel good and make you happy.

They said that some other people simply believe that it’s because chocolate melts in your mouth. The feel is soothing. The taste is decadent. All of those factors blend together to make you want more. And more. And more.

Or maybe it’s both. Who knows?

I do know lots of people who say that they are chocolate addicts. I’m one of those. Some days I feel a great urge to indulge in chocolate. It’s an urge that sometimes feels unstoppable.

Sometimes I just end up hunting all over the house for a piece of dark chocolate. That or begging my family members to just “let me have a piece, only one piece. I need it!”

The magazine then says that you should have chocolate in moderation. It may have been the thing that kept Katharine Hepburn living long, but we don’t know for sure. They advise those who are addicts to go for a walk, brush their teeth, or just eat a tiny piece of DARK (not milk, not white) chocolate. Dark chocolate is healthier than the rest.

I wonder if they have Chocolate Anonymous meetings?

Chocolate pie chart

I have to admit that this is my favorite chart from graphjam. It’s so creative. I wonder how long it took to make?

I’m not altogether sure what this pie chart is about. I suspect it’s about what kind of chocolate is preferred among the masses. White chocolate is the smallest sliver. The majority of people in the USA (I read somewhere) still love their milk chocolate. Though in recent years that number has been decreasing to be replaced by dark chocolate. People are starting to realize that dark chocolate is excellent for their hearts, thanks to Oprah and women’s magazines, and as a result they’re acquiring a taste for it.

It’s funny, but a few years ago I wouldn’t have seen that much dark chocolate, at least compared to the white and milk. During that time I would have asked any random friend what kind of chocolate they liked best. I would have received an answer like, “Milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is gross.” Nowadays, I often hear, “I love dark chocolate! Dark chocolate is awesome!”

And it is.

Interesting change in attitude over the years. Right now the majority of my friends tell me that they love dark chocolate the best. Some of them bring their dark chocolate to church and eat it during Sunday School while the teacher is talking. That’s not too much different from the women of yore who brought their dark chocolate drink to Sunday mass and sipped it while the priest was expounding on matters of faith.

According to a book I read (The Book of Chocolate), this priest felt that this chocolate was too much of a distraction for the ladies. So he issued a ban on hot chocolate drinks.

The ladies were so enraged. One of them in particular had connections to one of the servants in the priest’s household. So she bribed the servant to bring the priest some hot chocolate (the priest really did love chocolate. He just didn’t want people to drink it during service) that she had poisoned. So the priest died. Chocolate was his downfall. First for ever issuing a ban on it, and second for drinking a cup of poisoned chocolate.

Of course, I’ve tasted some truly delectable milk chocolate. Really smooth and melting, rather than sugary. I like my milk chocolate with my rice crispies. I really love my Crunch bars. It’s not too sugary, and the rice balances out the sweet taste and adds a delectable crunchiness to the ordinary milk chocolate. Plus Crunch bars are fairly inexpensive.

I also like milk chocolate if in little amounts. Too much makes me bounce off the walls. Must be the sugar content. However, white chocolate technically isn’t chocolate. It’s all cocoa butter without any cacao at all.

I wish I could eat that pie chart, though.

NOM NOM NOM

Time to more be chocolate

Found this picture on the Engrish blog:

I’m assuming the place is some kind of chocolate cafe thing. Can’t make out what the Chinese really says.

According to the blog, this was sighted in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

I recently read in a Time article that “chocolate is more than a candy treat — it’s’ real food for the soul.” The writer stated that even though we’re in a recession right now, chocolate is still selling quite well. Why? According to research, even going back to Sigmund Freud, people turn to chocolate when they need a boost. Nowadays, a lot of people aren’t very happy, what with money worries and job worries and all. So they eat chocolate.

It helps that chocolate is relatively inexpensive. Chocolate is viewed a small pleasure that people are still willing to splurge on. It makes people feel happy, and it makes life a bit easier. Especially hard times.

Chocolate. Food for the soul.

I am not surprised.

Chocolate and Yogurt

Just today, I saw a post on a Glamour blog about chocolate yogurt.

Apparently, there’s a yogurt brand, called Wallaby Organics. They’ve released a new “Down Under” line, with chocolate on the bottom. Remember fruit on the bottom? Replace that with chocolate, and what do you get?

The blogger said that it’s good, and that she fell in love with this chocolate at first bite.

Now, organic stuff is pretty expensive. As good as it may be for you, it’s not very nice to your wallet. Or credit card. However, this looks pretty good. Even better, it’s my favorite: dark chocolate!

Go check your local Whole Foods for Wallaby Organics yogurt.

Speaking of chocolate yogurt, you should try the white chocolate strawberry flavor that Yoplait recently released. The taste is quite delicate, not very strong. At the same time, you can still taste the unmistakable taste of white chocolate with strawberry. The flavors, surprising to me, did not clash. They blended together nicely in a way that wasn’t too strong or too weak.

Health magazines like Prevention or Real Simple have been praising yogurt as an extremely healthy food. It gives you calcium, is satisfying, and tastes really good. Prevention says that “this smooth, creamy treat can de bloat your belly, boost your immunity, and more!” It doesn’t have that much sugar, has protein, and has no more than 200 calories! It’s a dream come true.

Even Oprah’s been singing the praises of yogurt. One of the doctors on her show names yogurt as one of the 10 main superfoods, a certain food that has been instrumental to the survival of our species. This food contains “probiotics” which can ameliorate vaginal, urinal tract, and bladder infections. They also reduce the rate of childhood respiratory infections and prevent tooth decay, among others.

Chocolate, on the other hand, is one of Oprah’s five surprisingly healthy foods. Dark chocolate, especially. It contains healthful flavonoids that help your heart. These flavonoids can improve blood vessel flow, and help reduce the risk of diabetes along the way. A spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association stated that “chocolate is a satisfying treat that can be an alternative to sugary snacks that provide calories with little nutritional value.”

More facts about chocolate here. It may have a lot of fat, but a lot of the fats are actually quite healthy. This site has five tips on how to eat chocolate that you may find helpful.

Yogurt and chocolate. Two very healthy foods. Now available together in one neat package.

What could be better?

Katharine Hepburn, Chocoholic

The only time I saw Katharine Hepburn in a movie was in On Golden Pond, where she starred alongside Henry Fonda. At that time, she was no longer young, being more than 70 years of age. Yet I noticed that this iconic actress, playing a retired woman, still appeared spry and energetic.

Katharine Hepburn on the set of Golden Pond

Many wondered what Hepburn’s secret was. How did she keep so fit and slim even at such an advanced age? The masses wondered. One day, to a Good Housekeeping magazine writer, this iconic actress’s secret was revealed. “Do you watch your diet carefully?” asked the writer.

The answer? “What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate . . . a pound a day often.” This actress loved chocolate. Often she could be seen haunting chocolate shops in New York, searching for new delicacies. Hepburn added that she did not have to watch her figure because she didn’t have much of one to watch. She did love exercising, and used that to keep “in shape.”

A younger Katharine Hepburn

Perhaps not surprisingly, Hepburn’s brownies are celebrated by many. Made by her own hands, she herself brags that they are “sensational.” And no wonder, because many agree that they are.

You can find an approximation of the recipe here at Saveur. This recipe calls for the smallest amount of flour. “It produces incredibly chewy bars with a full but mellow chocolate flavor.” This recipe produces 9 brownies.

Katharine Hepburn died at the ripe old age of 96. Did chocolate help her live that long? We wonder.

Perhaps chocolate did. Or perhaps it blended with all the other factors like health and exercise and genes to enable her to live a long and filled life.

In any case, enjoy her brownies and remember an unforgettable woman who was just as devoted to her chocolate as any of us.