More Chocolate, Heels and Handbags

Yes, I would like to keep every bit of chocolate that I get just for myself, but consider sharing the wealth a little, because there are some very nice things you can do with chocolate. I for one would LOVE a huge gift basket jammed full of chocolate...forget the fruit and all the other amenities, just give me the chocolate. But there are times in everyone's life where gifts are a must and anytime you have an occasion and you don't know what to give, give chocolate. Who would ever turn it down?! And it doesn't have to be just a plain old box of chocolates (Forest), it can be special and meaningful, personalized for the receiver. Here are some gift ideas.

There are hundreds of companies that I have come across that have superb ideas for promotional gift giving, for special occasions and for every day gifts. There are simple gifts and extravagant gifts and some are over the top, so enjoy!

zChocolat.com

zChocolat.com has been rated Forbes’s favorite online chocolatier by Forbes Inc since March 2005. They deliver the World's premier chocolates worldwide by DHL. Their chocolates are hand-made by 4 award-winning French chocolatiers including Pascal Caffet, world champion. (Yes, this is a French Cholate company. Shipping is about $19.00 regardless of the amount you purchase.)
$895.99 USD

The gift:
Minis assure each guest has a lasting memory of your event or promotion (e.g. dinners, weddings, corporate promotions, kick-off events, trade shows, etc.). These adorable, elegant mahogany boxes house a perfect assortment of 5 scrumptious chocolates hand-made by four French master chocolatiers including Pascal Caffet, world champion.

The Box:
The wooden box is entirely made by hand and has become a treasured keepsake in its own right - prized almost as much as the morsels initially housed. Each signature wooden box is made of Sapelli (a member of the mahogany family) and is assembled with finger joint construction, a robust yet elegant assembly.

The Chocolates:
Each of the 250 delectable gourmet chocolates within this collection is a hand-made creation from our four award-winning chocolatiers. Savor an amazing variety of pralinés and Caramel truffles; discover sublimely flavored chocolates hinting of orange essence, ripe raspberries, wild blackberry, Bourbon vanilla, star anise, ginger-bread and even lavender-honey; all cloaked in rich dark chocolate or thickly dusted with pure pungent cocoa or encased in creamy milk chocolate.




Dan's Chocolates


Dan's Chocolates makes fresh chocolates using a combination of European and American ingredients. Their hand-made gourmet truffles feature fresh cream, fruits, and nuts for the most discerning chocolate connoisseur. Each petite truffle has a thin, delicate shell surrounding an interior of creamy chocolate or ganache. They offer premium quality chocolates in over 200 different gift boxes for every occasion, lifestyle or event from Happy Birthday to Gardening. This adds a personal touch to the gift giving experience. Another fresh idea is we donate a portion of every sale to one of our charitable partners, and have done so since our founding day.

They also have a service that sends flowers AND chocolates!




RICHART Chocolates

RICHART is dedicated to producing fine chocolates for chocolate lovers around the world. This devotion to creating fine chocolate and the art of the chocolatier is unmatched by other chocolate companies. RICHART gourmet French chocolate collections combine the finest chocolate and best ingredients the world has to offer in beautifully presented specialty gift chocolate boxes (ballotins). An unforgettable chocolate experience, RICHART’s luxurious French chocolates are as beautiful as they are delicious and please any palette. You get French chocolates right here in the USA!

MyWeddingFavors.com

One out of every 64 Americans will tie the knot this year, spending an average of $22,000.

As the #1 ranked wedding favor site on the Internet My Wedding Favors negotiates the lowest pricing with all of the manufacturers and vendors we carry. Our story has been profiled in national publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur magazine. Affiliates in our network benefit by association from the great media coverage we receive.

Wedding Chocolate Puzzle Box






These Wedding Chocolate Puzzle Boxes are a favor that's always appreciated by any guest. Featuring exotically delectable Spanish chocolate molded into clever little puzzle shapes that depict four different bride and groom scenes, these favors are sure to please. Arriving in a sophisticated, 4" x 4" custom box tied with a sheer organza ribbon with each individual chocolate measuring 1 1/4" square.
(and they're only $3.00 each!)

I will be having more on chocolate weddings in another post.

Hotel Chocolat

Now this web site itself is VERY sexy, just check out the home page!

Hotel Chocolat began 14 years ago in the UK, when co-founders Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris embarked on a journey to reset the stakes of the chocolate market in terms of quality, variety and
inspiration. A mail-order catalog preceded their award-winning Web site and retail stores across the UK. The unbeatable combination of authentic premium ingredients with imagination and flair has translated into success in the UK and beyond.

Liquid Chocolat Gift Box from Hotel Chocolat

Made with 72% dark chocolate and brimming
with deeply authentic flavors of cocoa. For those
who like their drinking chocolate not too sweet
and packed with a full-on chocolaty taste.
$16.00

Chocolate, Heels and Handbags

I'm not going to write this blog and tell you all about different kinds of chocolate, the health benefits of chocolate or give you recipes containing chocolate. This blog is for all those women, (sorry guys, you'll have to do your own blog), who adore chocolate in any shape, size, color or form. Who love chocolate so much that any mishap in your day can easily be forgotten and any catastrophe can at least be smoothed a little. Now, add a great pair of heels, (or 2 or 4 or 6) and you're getting closer to the edge. Now if you have a great shopping day and can also add a handbag that you've been watching for a few weeks that finally went on sale, well...we're getting pretty damned close to the best substitute for ANY man ANY day.

Chocolate Myths

Myth: Chocolate and other sweets are a major cause of tooth decay.

Truth: Tooth decay is primarily the result of poor oral hygiene. Cavities are caused by any foods containing fermentable carbohydrates that are left on the teeth for too long. In fact, there are ingredients found in chocolate products that may retard the tooth decaying process.

Myth: Chocolate is high in caffeine.

Truth: The amount of caffeine in a piece of chocolate candy is significantly lower than that in coffee, tea or cola drinks. For instance, a 5 oz cup of instant coffee has between 40 and 108 mg of caffeine, while a 1 oz milk chocolate bar contains only 6 mg and many confectionery items have no caffeine at all.

Myth: Chocolate has a high fat content and will lead to weight gain.

Truth: Candy, in moderation, can be part of low-fat eating. In fact, an occasional sweet treat helps you stick to a healthy eating plan. (ANYthing in moderation, right?)

Myth: Chocolate causes acne.

Over the past two decades, clinical studies have exonerated chocolate as a cause or exacerbating factor in the development or persistence of acne. In fact, many dermatologists doubt that diet plays any significant role in acne. (But let me drink a can of soda and BAM! -zit.)

Myth: I'm allergic to chocolate.

It is possible for a person to be allergic to any food, including chocolate. But recent evidence suggests that allergy to chocolate may be relatively rare. The actual incidence of allergic sensitivity to chocolate is far less common than positive reactions to skin scratch tests would seem to indicate. In at least one double-blind study to determine the correlation positive skin tests for chocolate allergy and the manifestation of clinically observable symptoms, researchers could find only one patient out of a possible 500 who showed both a positive response to the skin test and an objective clinical reaction after eating chocolate.

And that's all the facts you'll see here. Just a little info to get started, just in case you've been afraid to eat it, have stayed away from it because of your diet or won't let your kids eat it (but I wouldn't do that, because there won't be enough for you!), or didn't want a zit for that special date...Just Do It!


Here are a few more facts and FYI's.

Did you know that you would have to eat more then a dozen chocolate bars to get the same amount of caffeine from a cup of coffee? There are about 5 - 10 mg's of caffeine in one ounce of bitter chocolate, 5 mgs in milk chocolate, and 10mgs in a six-ounce cup of cocoa.

Chocolate is actually a valuable energy source. A single chocolate chip can provide enough energy for an adult human to walk 150 ft.

Chocolate has great health benefits. It helps with depression, high blood pressure, Tumors and PMS.

One ounce of baking chocolate or cocoa contains 10% of the daily recommended intake of iron.

Chocolate can be deadly for dogs. Chocolate contains an ingredient called "Theobromine" which can be toxic to a dogs central nervous system and cardiac muscles. (I truly think this is a myth, because I have 3 dogs, 12, 5 and 2 and they eat chocolate, always have and they are fine)

People spend more than $7 billion dollars a year on chocolate.

The per capita consumption of chocolate indicates that each person consumes 12 pounds of chocolate each year. (I think it's more!)

Milk Chocolate is the most preferred type of chocolate, however dark chocolate is especially popular among men.
In Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Psycho" chocolate syrup was used to indicate blood in the famous shower scene.

Click Here to Send a Gourmet Birthday Cake to Your Soldier Overseas.