Searching . . . .

Anybody have a copy of Meg Swanson's A Gathering of Lace? My local library doesn't have it, nor does my mother's local library. I do see that the Amazon price is pretty reasonable though. And I have a gift-giving occasion coming up.

Is the opposite of ennui off-wee?

I'm wanting to broaden my chocolate horizons. As an American, I've grown up on Hershey's, which I happen to love. I few years ago I heard this book reviewed on NPR. I remember something about Milton Hershey developing a chocolate recipe that was definitely American, different from anything that was being produced in Europe. And he succeeded, because Hershey's chocolate is unique. But I want to know more.

In my quest so far, I've tried Sam's Choice Belgian Chocolate with chopped almonds. 7 oz/200 g bar, for under $1.50. Great price, but the almonds are indeed chopped, and chopped very small. I like large almond pieces. I didn't like the chocolate at all either. Too smooth, no bite to it. One of the reasons I love Hershey's is that it has a bite to it, and it lets me know when I've had enough. It's hard to explain, but I know what I'm talking about!

I've also acquired Cadbury's Roasted Almond. 4 oz/113 g, about the same price as the other. Much better flavour though. The almonds are bigger, the score lines on the large bar are smaller, and it is smooth, but still has bite.

So what else shall I try? Obviously I like almonds, but I also like hazelnuts. I'm not opposed to shopping at the dollar store, because I have found some very intersting confections there on occasion. I'm not so big on dark chocolate, I prefer milk chocolate. When I lived overseas, our chocolate was imported from Australia. It was quite different, but not bad. They had a bar called Club, made by Hershey's, that was much darker than the Special Dark that we get here. I brought some back for my dad because he likes Special Dark, but he said the Club was too dark for him.

I'm not necessarily a chocolate snob, I just want to experience as much chocolate as I can!