vosges: naga bar

sweet indian curry and coconut flakes transport your senses to the glassy pools of the taj mahal. like the gift of the great indian palace from the king to his wife, vosges has bestowed this bar unto us.

lindt: poir intense noir

this bar is the audrey hepburn of chocolates. classy, elegant, and charming...

cote d'or: lait amandes caramelisees avec une poite de sel

beg your french friends or beg your travelling to france friends to find this exquisite bar for you. better yet, jump on that private jet to the city of lights and stock up in this sweet gem. the gentle crack of caramel then the sudden reveal of almonds is sweet elysium. do not fear that this is manufactured by kraft - yes the ones who provide us toxic comfort in little blue boxes.

harry london: the london mint

super yummy and warm minty sweet taste. gentle and velvety menthol. not a dignified bar but it is definitely a fun bar.

noka: grand cru, the vintages collection

i was so thrilled to find this box at neimans for 100 dollars. i could not wait to savor this much heard of collection. intense? aromatic? provocative? lively? absolutely not.

vosges: black pearl bar

kidnapped by a samurai and being made his geisha... the lingering wasabi warms the tongue and the sesames pop like fireworks.

cowgirl chocolate: spicy lime tequila

there is no way i could have taken a larger bite of this atrocity to give it a proper review. what a sad case of machinery that produced this putrid bite of yuck.

vosges: red fire bar

ouch. it hurts and i like it. this sexy bar from the vosges family gives a nice spike to chocolate with a hint of burning peppers.

vere: cocoa nib wafers

maple outdoorsy ruggedness. tastes as if i were in my grandparents' backyard drinking the maple syrup right from the tree. one can taste the lifetime of that tree.

michel cluizel: carre mangaro noir

i was expecting a savory treat but found it hard and waxy with a pungent nut flavor.

average price given on a 3.5 oz bar

new tree: vigor

a bitter dark chocolate that does not talk back to me. rich, sweet, and burnt coffee are the aromas that linger. i feel as if i had a quick shot of espresso followed by a brick of chocolate.

scharffen berger: mocha

if champagne were chocolate and coffee combined, this is it.

vosges: barcelona bar

i feel as if i had been captured by pirates and then given a salty hidden treasure... left deserted, i then discovered smokey nuts and cacao.

zotter: pfefferschrot und minzeol

dusty mint fields that have been covered in post war ashes. one single approach to the tongue and you will realize the sensation of licking an ash tray filled with menthol cigarettes. i do applaud the manufacturer for its novel and wacky flavours. do try them and try not to be shy.

mariebelle, new york: chocolate assortment

pretty, pretty, pretty.... i could not wait for the ribbon to unravel. these are exquisite masterpieces that should never be eaten. the waxy taste of the encassing does not compare to the artistry of the chocolate. i do recommend the caramel variety.

amedei: cioccolato fondente extra 66%

a gentle kiss by a south american indian then blessed by a warm caress. this bar is pure chocolate with hidden tastes of berries and nuts that create magic.

chocolate connoisseur

one of the most quintessential books is the chocolate connoisseur. it is a phenomenal read and tackles the history of chocolate, cocoa plantations, and the "chocolate philosophy." you will soon learn how to differentiate between what is good chocolate and what is bad chocolate.

OFFICIAL RULES FOR DOVE® BRAND BLOGGER GIVEAWAY

OFFICIAL RULES FOR DOVE® BRAND BLOGGER GIVEAWAY

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE FIFTY UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO ARE AGE 21 OR OLDER AND HAVE INTERNET ACCESS. GIVEAWAY begins at 12:00:00 pM (ET) on SEPTEMBER 29, 2008 AND ends at 11:59:59 aM (ET) on OCTOBER 6, 2008 (“ENTRY PERIOD”).

1. HOW TO ENTER: To enter the Giveaway, send an e-mail, including your first name and last name, e-mail address and date of birth, with “Dove Pure Chocolate” typed in the subject line, to: rachelrifat@yahoo.com Limit: one (1) entry per person. Multiple entries submitted by a single person are void and will not be accepted. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED DURING THE ENTRY PERIOD. No illegible, incomplete, forged or altered entries will be accepted. All entries become the exclusive property of Sponsor and will not be returned.

2. WINNERS: The first twenty (20) eligible entrants whose e-mail messages are received at as determined by a representative of Chocolate Snob (www.chocolate-snob.com) whose decisions are final on all matters relating to this Giveaway, will win a Prize as described in Rule 3 below. Winners will be notified by e-mail using the e-mail address provided in the entry e-mail described in Rule 1.

3. PRIZES AND ODDS: Twenty (20) Prizes: A DOVE®-branded satin pouch containing an assortment of DOVE® Brand chocolates. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of each Prize: $40. Total ARV of all Prizes: $800. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. All Prizes will be awarded (assuming sufficient number of eligible entries). Limit: one Prize per person. Sponsor reserves right to substitute Prizes of equal or greater value. No other substitution or transfer of Prizes permitted. Sponsor responsible only for Prize delivery; not responsible for Prize utility, quality or otherwise. Taxes and fees, if any, are the sole responsibility of winners.

4. ELIGIBILITY: Giveaway open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia, age 21 or older as of September 29, 2008, except employees (and their immediate families and members of the same household) of Mars Snackfood US, LLC, Chocolate Snob (www.chocolate-snob.com) and their respective affiliates, agents and advertising and promotion agencies.

5. VERIFICATION OF WINNERS AND DELIVERY OF PRIZES: Prize may be awarded to alternate winner if Prize notification e-mail or Prize is undeliverable. Winners agree to use of name, address, likeness and/or Prize information for promotional purposes in any medium without additional compensation to the extent permitted by law.

6. GENERAL: This Giveaway is void outside the United States and where prohibited or restricted by law and subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. This Giveaway will be governed by the internal laws of the State of Delaware. Any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with this Giveaway must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction within the United States of America. Sponsor not responsible for late, lost, stolen, damaged, garbled, incomplete, misaddressed, postage due or misdirected entries, mail or communications, for errors, omissions, interruptions, deletions, defects or delays in operations or transmission of information, in each case whether arising by way of technical or other failures or malfunctions of computer hardware, software, communications devices or transmission lines or data corruption, theft, destruction, unauthorized access to or alteration of entry materials, loss or otherwise. Further, Sponsor not responsible for electronic communications that are undeliverable as a result of any form of active or passive filtering of any kind, or insufficient space in entrant's e-mail account to receive e-mail messages. The use of automated software or computer programs to register or to enter the Giveaway is prohibited and any individual who uses or attempts to use such methods to register or to enter will be disqualified. Sponsor disclaims any liability for damage to any computer system resulting from participation in, or accessing or downloading information in connection with, this Giveaway, and reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, cancel, terminate or suspend this Giveaway should any virus, bug, technical failures, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Giveaway. In the event of any such cancellation, termination or suspension, a notice will be posted and a random drawing will be held from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to such time. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any entrant (and all of his/her entries) from this Giveaway or any other promotion conducted now or in the future by Sponsor or any of its affiliates if he/she tampers with the entry process or if his/her fraud or misconduct affects the integrity of the Giveaway. Sponsors reserve the right to correct clerical or typographical errors in promotional materials. By participating in this Giveaway, each entrant accepts the conditions stated in these Official Rules, agrees to be bound by the decisions of Sponsor and warrants that he/she is eligible to participate in this Giveaway. By accepting Prize, winner agrees to release Sponsor and its directors, employees, officers, and agents, including without limitation, its advertising and promotion agencies, from any and all liability, loss or damages arising from or in connection with the awarding, receipt, and/or use or misuse of Prize or participation in any Prize-related activity.

7. WINNERS LIST: A list of winners will be posted at Chocolate Snob (www.chocolate-snob.com) after October 7, 2008.

8. SPONSOR: Mars Snackfood US, LLC, 800 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840

© Mars, Incorporated 2008
All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

copyright notice

I, Rachel Rifat, retain all copyrights to photos, original artwork, and material posted on all my blogs and my websites. If you would like to use any of the information posted, please ask permission in an email for approval... I am pretty nice about it.

valentines quiz answers

1. what company was the first to offer a valentine's day chocolate box?
a (cadbury)

2. like water for chocolate was a 1992 film that told of early 20th century life in what country?
d (mexico)

3. what floppy-eared dog puppet used to tell tv audiences that "nestle makes the very best chawk-lit"?
b (farfel)

4. who wrote the classic young adult novel titled the chocolate war?
c (robert cormier)

5. what song, originally a british hit for the group hot chocolate, became the only #1 american single for the band known as stories?
c (brother louie)


i hope you scored 100%

love and kisses!