Say it with chocolate!

Kim Kovach

Some people have a knack for buying the perfect gifts for holidays and birthdays.

They know exactly what will surprise and delight the recipient. My friend, Pat, is that perfect gift-giver. Over the years, Pat has surprised me with thoughtful presents, including a beautiful, colorful wool scarf, a baseball cap with an embroidered hummingbird on it, and a collection of plays written by Hungarian author and playwright, Ferenc Molnar!

Pat also knows that chocolate is one of my major food groups. She has often scouted out delectable French chocolate pastries and cookies as special birthday treats, as well as various chocolate confections. This year, Pat sent me a fantastic selection of chocolate confections from Neuchatel Chocolates in Oxford, Pa. These special treats arrived in a gorgeous purple box with a gold ribbon. Lifting the lid to peek inside, I was excited to see 24 edible works of art. Each chocolate confection looked enticing and tasted delicious!

I know my chocolate. I like to alternate by selecting a milk chocolate truffle and savoring its flavor, followed by a dark chocolate. When tasting good chocolate, you don’t just scarf these candies down as if they are Milk Duds at the movie theater. You have to savor each bite and enjoy the tastes of hazelnut or ganache, cherry or ginger, coffee and pecans. Wow!

Pat is not the only friend who knows how much I like chocolate. This holiday season I received several packages in the mail containing chocolates of every description from Claire, Margie and my favorite high school teacher, Mr. Goodman! I know what you may be thinking – that’s a lot of chocolate for one person. Yes, but I know how to pace myself! Each afternoon, I would enjoy three or four chocolate candies and take a veritable taste trip around the world all from the comfort of home while relaxing in sweatpants and slippers!

Over the last two years, my friend, Claire, has sent me gift boxes of chocolate confections from Chicago chocolate company, Voseges Haut-Chocolat. These handmade truffles contained exotic flavor combinations including dark chocolate with chili powder, curry powder or wasabi. The chocolate with paprika was like a taste of Hungary wrapped up in a smooth chocolate truffle!

This year, Claire sent a selection of chocolates from Recchiuti, a chocolatier in San Francisco. The chocolate truffles arrived in a black box containing a unique selection of 32 dark chocolate and milk chocolate confections. Flavor pairings included chocolate with candied orange peel, morello cherry, cappuccino, maple-pecan, lavender vanilla and banana caramel! I read through the descriptive booklet before deciding which new treat to sample next!

In the last few years, my friend, Margie, has sent me super-delicious dark chocolates from her trips to Belgium and Iceland! Margie and I are fans of the Chocolove brand of gourmet chocolate bars made in Colorado. This year, Margie sent me dark chocolate bars including one with peppermint for those of us who enjoy the taste combination of chocolate and mint!

Mr. Goodman knows that a gift of chocolate is perfect for me. In years past, he has searched the internet to send me boxes of Hungarian chocolate bars and dark chocolate covered gingerbread cookies made in Germany. This year, Mr. Goodman sent me packages of dark chocolates made by Ghirardelli and Godiva. I will be nibbling away until spring!

A limited edition 1.76 ounce chocolate bar from To’ak Chocolate made from heirloom cacao from Ecuador costs $450! Hint, hint!

Kim Kovach believes enjoying chocolate every day increases health and happiness! Please share your favorite chocolate recommendations with Kim at www.kimkovachwrites.com.