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I woke up to the smell of bacon. The scent coming from the kitchen made a strong trail seeping through the crack at the bottom of my bedroom door and finally making its way into my little nostrils. I was 7-years old and it was Christmas morning. Looking back, I'm surprised I ever fell asleep at all because i used to get so excited on Christmas Eve that I couldn't sleep a wink. I was so anxious to open presents and more importantly, sneak a peak at Santa. I used to try and tip toe around my house thinking I couldn't be seen, just waiting for that big jolly man to squeeze his way through the chimney. Of course my parents always found me because as it turns out my tip toeing wasn't so silent after all. My mom would put me to bed and I would promise to stay in bed. She would say "the quicker you get to sleep, the quicker you can open your gifts and it will be morning." To an anxious seven year old, those words don't mean much.As the smell of bacon quickly brought me back to life, I crawled out of bed in my holiday pajamas which my mother always gave me the night before Christmas. I remember knowing this particular Christmas was going to be different. The first thing I did was run over to my chocolate filled calendar with yummy treats I had been working on devouring all month. To this day, I buy those silly calenders and look forward to the milk chocolate surprises. Being older now and having to deal with the day to day stresses, I tend to turn to chocolate as a guilty pleasure. I usually buy Sees milk chocolate because I can find it easily in malls around my house.After eating the mini chocolate snowman sitting in the December 31st square of the calender, I ate the best breakfast and then I ran to the couch and sat with my legs crossed and my heart pounding. Dad always separated my brothers gifts from my own. We each had our own pile with presents of all sizes just waiting to revealed. Time flew by as we ripped open all of the beautiful wrapping paper, careless to such details. I got Malibu Beach Barbie and I remember not wanting to tell my parents I was to old for such a gift. Other than that, my brother and i got amazing gifts and like most kids who are selfish at Christmas, we wanted MORE. We knew there was something else but we had opened everything under the tree. In my family, growing up there were few Christmas mornings that occurred without a "big" gift that couldn't be found under the tree. My brother whispered "maybe there isn't anything else." I knew better.We dove into our stuffed stockings which I loved because I always got chocolate Santa's. They were huge, milk chocolate ones too similar to the chocolate bunnies kids get around Easter time. FINALLY, my dad pretended like he wanted my brother and I to get something out of the trunk of his car. We found two brand new bikes wrapped in a huge red silk ribbon. Mine was purple and sparkled in the sun. It was the best bike I ever owned. Christmas didn't end there though. Dad had built us a tree house!

Is there a difference between the chocolate used for block and calets/pistoles?

http://calorey.blogspot.com/2009/11/contest-your-fave-gourmet-chocolate.html

Please join me tonight at Westerly Natural Foods for a raw sweets tasting including our new gourmet raw cacao chocolate bar and multi award winning raw agave gelato! 5-8p, 54th St. & 8th Ave.

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During my childhood, I always can we think best for ourselves. I always heard from the growing up saying that life is tough and working hard is a must for them in order to maintain current life style. Is that really true, and by working hard, playing less we can get what we want? When I grow up, I am in the same situation as well as people around me. Then I have another question in mind, when the time we get what we think we want, is that really what we want?

After a deep thought in all these questions, I finally realize that I working hard for nothing. Why do I say that? When you ask why, which means that you started to have questons like I do. We always believe things that elder people told us, study hard, work hard, play less and you will get what you want later in life. The fact that what they said what we want in life usually is what our parent want and the fact that what our parent want is actually what our grand parent want and the fact that what our grand parent want is what our great grand parent want. So what I'm trying to say is, what most people want when they work hard, is to get a "better" house, "better" life, and "better" car. As you can see, why do I put double quote for the word better ?I put double quote for the word better

It is true that most of the people nowadays work so hard and some become workaholic just to make their life a little bit "better". Don't you think that this is somehow unwise? And because we want to become "better", it always lead us to work for money, and when we work for money, problem arise. You will hear people say that we have no time for our children, we have no time for our family, I have to work like a slave in order not to get fired.

Maybe you'll ask, do we have a choice? We just have to work hard to maintain what we have now and to get "better", we just have to work harder. My friend, we all have our choices, we can choose what we want and how we want to be. In order to make a good choice for yourself, you just have to spend some time to figure out what you really want in life, what is your ultimate goal? Without knowing what you really want in life, there is no way of going anywhere. So my friend, stop working so hard for a while, think hard for what you really want.

We must achieve a balnce in our life, so work hard and play hard.

-- David --
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So here are the spoils of my Italy trip. Chocolatiers visited: Luca Mannori (the pastries, my god, the pastries!), Roberto Catinari (so....much to choose from), Paul de Bondt (why we were you out of honey chocolates???), and Vestri (could not have been ruder and hotter store). Chocolatiers visited who were closed Catinari & Salza (fie! fie on you both!). And of course, Eurochocolate.

I actually came in under budget. I think. Still haven't totaled the receipts yet, but I ran out of room in my chocolate case. Now my husband and I are eating our way through all the pralines & chocolate bars with nut & fruit additives. Its quite a lovely way to get through the work day.

Of all the things I expected to learn on my trip, learning where to get the best coffee and gelato in Rome never entered my plans. But there I was in Rome with an expert local guide (Vanessa Barg of Gnosis Chocolate) and that is exactly what I discovered. The New York Times recently also bestowed the best coffee on this place - saying that it might just be the most expensive in the world - when you add in the cost of the flight - and it would be worth it.Near the Pantheon on the Piazza Sant'Eustachio is il Caffe Sant'Eustachio. There you will find what many believe to be the best coffee (espresso) in all of Rome. What makes it so? First - you are in Rome. Second is the presentation. Third is the price (only 1 Euro - about $1.50). Finally there is the coffee itself - deep, rich, and fragrant without being bitter with a crema that has to be experienced to be believed. Light and airy and a lot of it. They "regular" way of serving is with sugar and that is how I recommend you take yours first. Later you may try without sugar, but first try it the way they recommend you drink it.The other important thing to know about ordering coffee at Sant'Eustachio (and, in fact, ordering just about any food or beverage in any location other than a sit-down restaurant) is that you queue up to pay first, and then present your receipt at the counter where they will make up your order.

The entrance signs for Sant'Eustachio lighted at night

The presentation of the coffee at Sant'Eustachio

Now because I was with a local guide whose family frequented the place regularly, I was invited to have one of those wonderful experiences that make any trip extra special. We were invited into the back to see the roaster - a wood-fired roaster. No roasting was going on that day but we got to see the roaster and some of the beans up close.

Two shots of the wood-fired roaster at Sant'Eustachio  View Google Map for location of Sant'Eustachio

This is the obligatory tourist shot of me in front of the Pantheon

It turns out that the best gelato in Rome is also not far from the Pantheon. Now, while I can tell you how to get from the Pantheon to il caffe Sant Eustachio, I can't tell you how to get to Giolitti. It is very close to the Pantheon and if we were to meet out front I would be able to guide you there. (Anyone who is interested in having me personally escort them in Rome for this culinary adventure - contact me privately.)What makes Giolitti so special? Everything, actually. Not just the gelatao - which is phenomenal. The shop itself is inviting and warm, the selection of flavors tremendous, the price is affordable, and did I mention the creme chantilly? Wow. You can select from several sizes of cones and cups and to eat in or take out. All but the smallest cone allows you to select two or more different flavors. This is the hardest part of going to Giolitti - selecting flavors. The best approach seems to be themed - there are several different nut flavors (including gianduja/hazelnut, noccio/walnut), several different chocolates, at least two different coffees, and dozens of fruits. I chose gianduja, dark chocolate fondente, and espresso. This was topped with a dense yet ethereally light cloud of whipped cream unlike any other I have ever tasted. The only disappointment was the cone itself. I had the medium size (three flavors) and the cone was pedestrian and covered in a chocolate-like substance that was almost certainly a compound coating. Don't eat the medium cone dipped in "chocolate." The small cone was very good, however.

The gelato selection at Giolitti - do not order the chocolate-covered cones: it's compound.

From a dining perspective I can also recommend the restaurant Giogetto in the old Jewish quarter of Rome, just next to the Tiber river. One of the specialties of Giogetto is artichokes, and our dinner included stuffed squash blossoms (with fresh mozzarella and anchovy), a whole artichoke deep fried, and pasta with - you guessed it, artichokes in an olive oil and garlic sauce. A little salad and a bottle of the house red. Heaven.

My dinner setting at Giogetto - artichoke, squash blossom, plate, and wine glass

Going on a family trip to europe in January and february 2010 from Australia any must do's and see's of the chocolate world , going on a behind the scenes look of the Callebaut Factory. Going to the UK, Belguim, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Hong Kong on the way home. Any information would be greatWallace

The biggest celebration of Dia de Los Meurtos or Day of the Dead in America is at Hollywood Forever cemetery in Los Angeles. Part art walk, part street festival, all souls are welcome. The tradition is rooted in the ancient civilzations of Mesoamerica (Maya, Aztec and more) and are the same ones that developed chocolate from their native cacao trees. People decorate alters with memorabilia, marigolds, candles, bread and sugar skulls to attract the souls of their beloved departed. In Mexico, where the tradition continues, a cup of hot chocolate entices with its fragrance, and then promises to fuel the travelling spirit as it continues its journey through the afterlife. Mexico has been serving a Halloween special of death and chocolate for a long time. Spooky!