Fair Trade Chocolate

I have to admit to an addiction - dark chocolate. My spouse shares this "problem" with me. While I don't eat it in large quantities, I do eat it almost every day. We try to buy only fair trade chocolate. While chocolate is my "guilty pleasure," I don't want to feel guilty about abuse of others while I indulge. You can read about the dark side of chocolate here.

80% dark chocolate is our chocolate of choice, but we often begin our evening treat with a couple of squares of flavoured chocolate. We recently tried maple (too subtle - maple deserves to be more dominant) and  cinnamon (not bad at all). Mint is frequently in our repertoire with raspberry and ginger as other favourites. I love to let the chocolate melt in my mouth - slow eating, time to savour.

We never eat chocolate too close to bedtime, not because of the caffeine content, but because we would have to brush our teeth too close to eating the chocolate, thus washing out the last remnants of this ambrosia far too quickly!

Monte's Chocolates

Over the years I have been privileged to have the friendship of Monte. We have played music together for almost 30 years, both in each other's homes and in Flutissimo (a recorder orchestra). Along with music, one of his passions is making chocolates which he does every year and then shares with his friends. He makes a large variety, from chocolate dipped orange rinds to clusters of nuts and dried fruit, chocolate covered biscuits, chocolate-coated almonds and his own variety of turtles. And even chocolate covered halvah.



Several years ago, he came to my place and we made chocolates together. He shared his "secrets". I tried making them once more on my own, but did not have the finesse of Monte. His friendship has been a treasure. The chocolates are just a bonus!

Boggle and Chocolate

We love playing Boggle - but by our rules. We don't use a timer and we play in two languages - English and French. We often try to get creative with language and the dictionaries are there to back us up - or not. My spouse worked in French and reads French newspapers daily; I read a lot of books. As a result we each have a very different store of vocabulary. My French vocabulary has expanded since playing as has my spouse's English vocabulary.

Games are interspersed with squares of dark chocolate - sometimes 80%, sometimes with mint and sometimes with ginger. I can't supply the chocolate - but I can offer you a chance to play.



Now it is your turn to find some words. Only 4 letter words and longer are allowed in "Big Boggle". Have fun!

To Market

Off to the market
To shop But also
To savour the sights
And aromas

Off to the market
To shop where the merchants
Smile and chat
And remember you



Off to the market
To spoil myself
With flowers and cheeses
And fresh baked bread



Off to the market
To smile at seasonal delights
And sit with a bowl of coffee
Enjoying the moment

Off to the market
To fill my bags
And bring them home
To savour the goods from the market

Fair Trade Shelves

Fair Trade Shelves, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Shopping with a conscience - I like to buy fair trade coffee and chocolate. It assuages my guilt at eating these life enhancers that travel such a long distance. At least I know the workers are properly recompensed, and in many cases, the items are also organic. It's hard to walk gently on this earth, both in terms of our environmental footprint and our social footprint. While I live in a country of plenty, so many live from hand to mouth. I stopped in Dix milles villages (Ten Thousand Villages) to look for some espresso coffee. This display of goods was in that store. They also sell a variety of gift items, all made by small co-ops where people are paid a fair wage for what they produce. I have often bought gifts there - a small act to make this world better.

Chocolate Store Window

Chocolate Store Window, originally uploaded by susanvg.

December 30
I passed this store window and thought it was delightful. Several things in the window are made of chocolate. If I had not been in a hurry, I certainly would have been enticed inside by the display. It's an art to create a good display. So many store windows fall short. But then not all stores are selling chocolate!

Jan 29/10: Dark Chocolate

Jan 29/10: Dark Chocolate, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Something sweet - but not too sweet - I love dark chocolate. Its flavour is intense, sensuous and satisfying. I feed my addiction with fair trade chocolate - a luxury for sure, but I know that the growers have been fairly treated.

I have read about child workers who are virtual slaves in cocoa plantations. Save the Children, an organization I respect, has reported finding children working in appalling conditions. Children are trafficked to work on large cocoa farms.

Chocolate is a luxury; I prefer to pay more and indulge with a free conscience.

Day 342: Chocolate

Day 342: Chocolate, originally uploaded by susanvg.

For years I savoured my friend, Monte's chocolates. I finally got the nerve to ask him how he created his incredible morsels. I had the privilege of watching him in action. This chocolate bark - dark chocolate with mixed nuts was just one of the varieties he produces. We (really he) slowly melted chocolate (most of it 70%) over water and then dipped everything from caramel coated pecans (he prepared that ahead of time) to halvah, cookie pieces, a mixture of cranberries and toasted almonds.... He makes many varieties - ginger, apricots, pears each dipped in chocolate, chocolate coated almonds. My mouth is watering.

Melting the Chocolate

Chocolates are prepared, put in the freezer briefly and then packaged and kept in the refrigerator. I have my list of ingredients, I'll be making chocolates soon.