CHOCOLATE

I really don't want to write a history of chocolate, although it is rather interesting.  We are very lucky today that all the discoveries concerning chocolate happened quite some time ago and we now are able to buy, and consume massive quantities and permutations of the ever glorious cacao bean.

This is what I am eating now... for inspiration.  I love this line of dark chocolate bars ( and the 'Dagobah system' is spelled with an 'H').  This particular bar has chilies and cocoa nibs.  Very delish.

I love a good cup of hot chocolate!  It really should be served just like in this photo.  It was all the rage for  17th c. nobility to drink hot chocolate in the morning or for a pick me up.  Actually anytime anyone was looking as it was so rare and exclusive that I'm sure one would want to show off.  I know they made special silver service sets especially for hot chocolate.  BTW - last night, while doing research for this post ; ) - I made iced hot chocolate.  So good!  Just make your cup of hot chocolate, let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes to cool a bit, then pour over ice in a tall glass.

  Few things in life go together as beautifully as peanut butter and chocolate.  And nothing says perfection like a perfect macaron... Yes, these are peanut butter and chocolate macarons.  I truly can't imagine a more perfect delicacy.

On a more down home note, these Twix caramel brownies look thoroughly habit forming.  I haven't made them yet, but I have the recipe bookmarked.  (here)

Another bookmark that will definitely be made soon - chocolate caramel crack(ers).  recipe
I love chocolate and crunchiness and saltiness.  Trader Joe's has dark chocolate covered almonds dusted with cacao and sea salt that are impossible not to eat a lot of.  This cracker recipe looks like the same kind of addiction.

There is one other delicious way to enjoy chocolate and that is in beauty/body products.

I love this body scrub.  It's called 'hot chocolate' because it actually feels warm when you rub it on your skin.  And it smells like chocolate !   It's a very satisfying beauty treatment...

I'm so glad that they decided dark chocolate is good for you.  Apparently in it's more unadulterated form, dark chocolate is a mighty antioxidant and reduces the risk of heart disease.  Yay!
So, I am a confirmed chocolate enthusiast,  happy with a chocolate chip cookie or chunky monkey ice cream but even happier with some of the more sophisticated and creative chocolate concoctions floating around these days.  Just one more reason to consider myself a 'prettyluckygirl' !