They Tried to Make me go to Rehab, I Said No No No!

Bonafide Addict

There might be some who think it is impossible for people to actually be addicted to chocolate. Being a self-described chocoholic myself, I completely disagree with them. However is there such a thing? Therefore I wanted to put this dispute to rest and see what the experts have to say about chocolate addiction.

Chocolate is the most frequently craved food in women. There is an instant satisfaction, and there can be withdrawal symptoms when they are deprived.

The reason is because chocolate contains an ingredient called serotonin which is released and makes us happy. A study was conducted by Dr. John Hoebel and he found that when rats that were fed in sugar became anxious when the sugar was removed. They had similar symptoms seen in people withdrawing from drug addiction. He believes that high-fat foods stimulate opioids or "pleasure chemicals" in the brain

Another study also found that self-proclaimed chocolate addicts salivated more in the presence of chocolate and became moody and had high levels of anxiety. Chocolate addicts show similar traits to other addicts, because they crave chocolate, their behaviour changes, and they have abnormal moods when they are deprived of chocolate.

So there you have it! this thing is real. I didn't make it up. I knew there had to be a reason for my mood swings and attitude when chocolate went away :(.

like every addiction, it has to be fixed because too much of everything is not good. How am I going to this?

"The only American invention as perfect as a "Sonnet": Chocolate Martini.

The title of this post is a quote by E.B. White who once described a martini as such. I had quite the weekend. It was one of my best friend's birthday so it called for a celebration. I had the most amazing drink ever. As you have already guessed by now it was a chocolate martini. I had no idea that such greatness existed. The taste was delicious, it tasted just like chocolate. As strange as it sounds I was expecting it to have a hint of chocolate, however it had a splash of chocolate, something that only a chocolate lover could appreciate. It was presented quite well in a pretty martini glass, with chocolate pieces on top of the ice. I loved it so much, it prompted me to find the recipe so everyone could experience this greatness.

It is not going to be the same, but you can make it special by adding your own touch to it.

Here are two easy examples of how to make a chocolate martini:

(Click image below to view video)

For serious chocolate lovers I present: The Chocolate Martini Deluxe

Ingredients

-*30ml (or approx 1 oz) Vodka*-
-*30ml (or approx 1 oz) Brown Creme de Cacao*-
-*30ml (or approx 1 oz) Bailey's Irish Cream*-
-*1 tablespoon chocolate syrup*-
-*6 ice cubes*-
-*extra couple of drops of either the Bailey's or the Creme de Cacao*-
-*half of Hershey milk bar*-

Directions
-*Into a cocktail shaker, pour the Vodka, Brown Creme de Cacao, Bailey's Irish Creme and the chocolate syrup*-
-*Add the ice cubes*-
-*Shake well*-
-*Rub rim of glass with Brown Creme de Cacao then dip into a shallow dish of cocoa
-*Strain and pour contents of cocktail shaker into a martini glass*-
-*Shave chocolate pieces and put on top of ice cubes*-

ENJOY!

Chocolate, Love and Hearts!

Valentine's day is around the corner; exactly a week from today. Therefore it is only right that i dedicate a post to the goodness of chocolate on Valentines day.

Valentine's day is an annual holiday held on the 14th of Feburary to celebrate love. But how did chocolate become so symbolic during Valentine's day? Regardless of why people give gifts on Valentine's day, chocolate is certainly a gift that is often expected. This dates back to the history of chocolate, where the Aztecs used to give chocolate as a gift. A box of chocolate can say many things, "I'm sorry," "get well," "I LOVE YOU," especially on Valentine's day.

Elaine Sherman wrote “Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy … chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.” Expressive of how we all feel on Valentine's day with our loved ones.

Anyone looking for last minute gift ideas can check out these helpful chocolate-eey links below:

Serenata Chocolates:
http://www.serenatachocolates.com/
A UK based where one can have the ultimate chocolate experience. Shoppers can browse through the Valentines Chocolate selection and found the perfect gift! They also offer same day and next day delievery. So even if you forget, it's never too late with Serenata.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
http://www.1800flowers.com
An edible delight of fruits and passion comes in a box of six, twelve, or twenty-four. Ripe strawberries that can be dipped in white, dark or milk chocolate drizzled with "his/her" favourite toppings. A treat that you can both indulge in.

Heart Fondue Set:
http://www.cooking.com/
If you are planning to stay home, why not indulge in some chocolate fondue? You can do it all by yourself. This lovely set from cooking.com comes with everything you need to create a special sensual evening for you and "him/her".

What?! Chocolate is a Vegetable?

I chose to do my blog about chocolate because I love chocolate. My obsession with chocolate caused me to self diagnose myself as a choco-holic. I have not done any tests that back up my claim, but I am quite certain that I have a problem. When I am extremely hungry, chocolate is always the first thing on my mind, which often causes me to eat approximately three chocolate bars in the same instance. I prefer milk chocolate and I surprisingly hate dark chocolate. I don't know what influences my purchasing power when it comes to the different kinds of chocolate I like to buy. There are days when I only want a "Hershey's Cookies n Cream," and there are days when I only want a "Crunchy" bar. I recently discovered the chocolatey goodness of a "Twix" bar. I usually buy the king size one (its huge trust me) and there are usually no leftovers. Mini eggs especially get me in a lot of trouble. I could eat up to 5 bags per day, and always seem to want more. It is a little embarrassing but I try to eat some vegetables to make up for my bad habit.

Take a journey with me as I discover all things chocolate.

5 Fascinating Facts about chocolate

1. Chocolate is a tasty treat from the cacao (kah KOW) tree, and it was discovered 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas.
2.Roughly two-thirds of the entire world's cocoa is produced in Western Africa
3. Chocolate is good for you! Dark chocolate benefits the circulatory system.
4. Cadbury's in England created the world's first chocolate bar in 1842.
5.Chocolate is a VEGETABLE: Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans. We all know a bean is a vegetable - I guess its not so bad after all, just what the doctor recommended.