Chocolate anyone?

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe here for a super-scrumptious chocolate cake.( It was a lovely surprise for my launch party last November from cake-artiste-extraordinaire Nicole Lachapelle.)   I’ve had some great e-mails from several of you who took the time to make the cake. It was so much fun to hear you enjoyed it as much as we did … and yes, I agree, the icing bowl hardly needs to be washed when you are through with it!

I may have confessed before, but I’ll repeat it again: I am a lover of all things chocolate and rarely a day goes by that I don’t have a taste of it one way or the other.

My friend Barbara Conelli is the author of  Chique Secrets Of La Dolce Vita. It’s a great read at any time but if you are planning a trip to Italy it is a MUST READ. No question about it. A few weeks ago she had a most delicious post on her blog. I could almost taste the chocolate! I’m sharing it with you today so you can at least indulge yourself in a virtual way. Buon appetito!

A Chocolate Kiss From Tuscany

I bought my very first box of Amadei chocolates a couple of years ago at Rinascente, the most famous department store in Milan. Rinascente means “newborn”, and on that day, I was truly newborn, in a very chocolate way. The motto of Amadei is: “Amadei is a dream which takes the shape of chocolate,” and these words reflect the nature of this heavenly creation perfectly. Cecilia and Alessio Tessieri founded the company in 1990 in Tuscany, turning their love for chocolate into a magical masterpiece. These master chocolatiers know their chocolate, and they know how to ingeniously play with subtle flavors. Cecilia says: “When a maitre chocolatier succeeds in making people smile by eating chocolate, he or she has reached the goal. Tasting means being carried away by sensations“. Each Amadei chocolate is the result of a fascinating and skilled game which combines creativity and fantasy, tastes and flavors, to give you the real pleasure of chocolate. When you taste this Tuscan delight, you know for sure that Amadei chocolate is created with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a great passion and love for chocolate. This is what the Tessieri’s say about indulging in the taste of chocolate, and let me borrow their words here, because no one could say it better than them: “Tasting chocolate is a global experience, a pleasure that involves all senses. Sweet like a caress, as soft as a hug in which the embraced one remains. A shiver that is born, then little by little becomes a waterfall, then carries you away without any possibilities of escape. The chocolate slowly melts between the lips, exhaling the aromas that stimulate memories…”  I’m a passionate chocoholic and although I love all Amadei creations, these are my favorites:Desiderio (Desire) with pistachios and marzipan, Delizioso (Delicious) with hazelnut cream, Passione(Passion) with rum, and Solare (Solar) that tastes like zabaione, a famous Italian dessert. Yes, every piece of Amadei chocolate has a name that evokes its unique taste and flavor. A friend of mine says that chocolate is a food group, and I agree with all my Chique heart. Let a piece of chocolate melt in your mouth right now, even if it’s not Amadei. Enjoy its smell, its texture and its flavor. Allow yourself to indulge in this heavenly treat with all your senses. And when you go to Tuscany, don’t forget to stop in Pontedera to discover the sweet secrets of Amadei. Have a very dolce weekend 🙂 Take some time to enjoy the rest of Barbara’s always entertaining website. When it comes to the joys of Italy and la dolce vita, Barbara is definitely your go-to Bella Italiana! Click here to go to her website. Are you a lover of chocolate or does a different sweet or savoury indulgence call to you? Leave a comment below and share it with us. Thanks!