“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
– Charles M. Schulz.
This is going to sound bad on my permanent record as a chocoholic, but I actually had absolutely no idea September 13 is International Chocolate Day. In honour of this day, I thought I could maybe gush a little bit about chocolate and share some pictures! International Chocolate Day cannot go unnoticed!
I’m not going to give any history lesson about the origins of chocolate, rather, I thought some fun facts would be neat. For example, do you know that chocolate has nothing to do with acne or high blood cholesterol? I’m sure at one point in your life someone (my mother, for example) tried to delude you into thinking that chocolate caused pimples to break over your face or was bad to your heart, but that’s just a myth. You can eat as many chocolate as you want and never worry about that… though you do have to watch your fat and sugar intake.
Chocolate has many benefits. It releases endorphins, a chemical known to make us feel happy. In fact it contains 300 minerals useful to your health. It also eases stress and helps increase brain power and function…and that is why we as writers should make sure to always consume this delicious goodness while writing! It might help you get your next big idea. =D
Fun Facts!
Napoleon always carried chocolate with him, which he ate as a pick-me-up whenever he needed an energy boost. It wasn’t for Josephine!
More than twice as many women than men eat and crave chocolate. I guess that’s to be expected, haha.
People spend more than 7 billion dollars a year on chocolate. Welp. At least I know where my money’s going!
This is something I’ve had the pleasure of having before. Steamy chocolate fondant with butterscotch ice-cream and whipped cream, topped with chocolate syrup and nuts. Yum!
I like all kinds of chocolate, and I’m always willing to try new things even if they sound weird. The strangest chocolate I’ve ever tasted has to be Lindt’s Excellence Sea Salt bar. That was absolutely appalling. I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it. Whose bright idea was it to mix chocolate with salt? *shudders*Another strange concoctions are Lindt’s Excellence Chili bar and Lindt’s Creation Cherry and Chili. They sound bad but are actually quite nice, though you can’t eat many squares in a row before you hurry for a gulp of water. But since we’re mentioning Lindt, who can forget their delightful Lindor truffles? I swear I swoon every time I pop one into my mouth.
Today I went and splurged on chocolatey things! Well… okay, I didn’t splurge, but I bought a few things. AND a jar of Nutella. That sounds good right? =D You should go splurge on some things too!
Look at all that! Now what do I start with…
What are you doing today? Will you get some chocolate? What’s your favourite chocolate bar/treat? *hyper*
I'm a writer/procrastinator/chocoholic. I'm also apparently a dork. But you know, that's fine; all these things combined make me cool.
View all posts by Zen A.
My favorite is probably a freshly baked brownie with ice cream, chocolate sauce and peanut butter sauce. I can’t believe I didn’t know it was International Chocolate Day either!!
Reblogged this on crampedwriting and commented:
In honor of International Chocolate Day! I feel horribly inadequate after missing this memorable day! Thank you Zen Scribbles for pointing this out.
You’ve done a great public service by letting us all know it’s International Chocolate Day! If I have to pick a very favorite it would be a Belgian dark chocolate liquor filled truffle. sigh.
I have way too many favourite chocolate bars. And thanks for pointing out it doesn’t affect acne! I do think Lindt chocolates are amazing – especially the truffles and bunnies. Best time in my house is Christmas; my dad splurges on chocolate and we have it here for ages, to the amazement of any of my friends who visit or, for the last three years, my friends at Uni who get a surprise when I present them with a bag full of chocolate and tell them to take their pick.
I wish I’d known this sooner, I would have brought some on my way home from work and celebrated.
I thought it would be a useful piece of information. The chocolate is blameless! And everything by Lindt is amazing (except that awful salt bar). I think I’m the only one who splurges on chocolate in my house. My parents prefer fruits and cakes, and my siblings go for candy instead of chocolate.
You still have time to celebrate! You could make a quick chocolate cake or something.
I’ll have my own day-late International Chocolate Day. I get paid weekly on a Friday anyway. And I work right near Thorntons. You’re lucky – sometimes, my dad will buy chocolate with nuts in just because he knows he’ll have it all to himself. But he usually picks up something for me, too. My mum really isn’t fussed on it, which is good for us as she is a teacher and usually comes home with lots and lots of chocolates at the start of summer.
Good idea! You know, my sister didn’t react at all when I told her it was International Chocolate Day, because apparently to me every day is International Chocolate Day. I couldn’t argue! Ahh, your dad is sneaky! Though it sounds like something I would do too. xD And that’s great that your mum gets you all that chocolate!
Well I know that if it weren’t for this post I would have had no idea. As it turns out, I got paid today, so much of that money will be going right back out of my bank account. Because priorities. Aaaaand I just told you where *I* am going, so I’ll take lots of jealousy-inducing photos for you.
Well the more you know, yush? =D And you know, I will not tell you to hold back, especially not on a special day like this! I look forward to seeing those pics actually! =x
Oh, you should try to find the white Kinder Bueno! It’s delicious. =D I love the Cookies N’ Creme bar, and that truffle sounds amazing. Never seen it around though. D=
Sadly there are no Targets where I live. But I won’t give up hope! I’ll buy them online if I have to.
International Chocolate Day!!! Yeay!!!
Okay, seriously, how can you make distinctions between chocolate and chocolate? Alright, so this one has some nuts in it, that one maybe more cream, and that over there might be a bitter variety, but in the end, it’s all chocolate! Which means, it’s all good.
🙂
And now a more serious note: do you check who produces the chocolate you buy and where and under what circumstances they buy their cacao? Child labour is rife in this industry, so maybe have a look at fair-trade chocolate or producers who can guarantee that they only use cacao that is free of child labour or forced labour? Just to let you know, don’t wanna spoil the fun.
Haha, you’d be surprised! The flavour of the chocolate differs from one brand to another, and it shows!
And actually I never thought of that. Once I see chocolate all other thoughts go out the window. >.> But I looked now and it seems like M n M’s and Mars are two of those who do not offer free-trade chocolate. That’s disappointing. Mars is one of my favourites. =[
I know they taste different, but it’s all good. Except the sea salt one you described, that’s actually a highly disturbing thought.
Yeah, I dithered over whether I should say that about chocolate, but it really is a very important issue… There’s lot of information available on it, also, who produces under fair and clean circumstances and who not.
I think maybe it’s an acquired taste? I mean… I love chocolate but that bar made me gag. Chocolate is a place for sugar, not salt! And it does sound like a serious issue. It’s sad that children have to slave over this while we only get to enjoy it. =[
So glad you brought this to our attention, Zen. I dashed over to hubby’s den and told him to run out and buy us some endorphins! He is partial to peanut butter cups, where I tend to like a dark chocolate bar.
Haha, good! Everyone should indulge in chocolate today. =D And peanut butter cups are nice, though they tend to get overwhelming after the first cup. If you like dark chocolate, I recommend you try the Lindt varieties (if you haven’t already). Their Excellence range has so many nice flavours!
My favorite is Enjoy Life’s brand of mini chocolate chips. But that is simply because it’s dairy and soy free. It’s nearly impossible to find good chocolate for those of us with allergies. These are a life saver!
This is going to sound bad on my permanent record as a chocoholic, but I actually had absolutely no idea September 13 is International Chocolate Day. In honour of this day, I thought I could maybe gush a little bit about chocolate and share some pictures! International Chocolate Day cannot go unnoticed!
has nothing to do with acne or high blood cholesterol? I’m sure at one point in your life someone (my mother, for example) tried to delude you into thinking that chocolate caused pimples to break over your face or was bad to your heart, but that’s just a myth. You can eat as many chocolate as you want and never worry about that… though you do have to watch your fat and sugar intake.
Zen Scribbles 
Symphony bar. Or Cadbury fruit and nut bar. Both of which are waiting patiently for me at home. Mmmmm.
I’ve never had a Symphony bar before! Looks delicious. And Cadbury’s fruit and nut bar is great. =D
My favorite is probably a freshly baked brownie with ice cream, chocolate sauce and peanut butter sauce. I can’t believe I didn’t know it was International Chocolate Day either!!
Ooh. I think I’ve had something like that! It’s heavenly. =D And I only found out today, so you’re not alone!
Also thanks for the reblog. =]
Reblogged this on crampedwriting and commented:
In honor of International Chocolate Day! I feel horribly inadequate after missing this memorable day! Thank you Zen Scribbles for pointing this out.
Chocolate macaroons are my favourite!
Aww… now my chocolate treats feel miserable at the thought of macaroons!
You’ve done a great public service by letting us all know it’s International Chocolate Day! If I have to pick a very favorite it would be a Belgian dark chocolate liquor filled truffle. sigh.
It’s not a day to be forgotten. I almost let it slip by too! And Belgian chocolate and truffles together in the same sentence sound amazing.
I have way too many favourite chocolate bars. And thanks for pointing out it doesn’t affect acne! I do think Lindt chocolates are amazing – especially the truffles and bunnies. Best time in my house is Christmas; my dad splurges on chocolate and we have it here for ages, to the amazement of any of my friends who visit or, for the last three years, my friends at Uni who get a surprise when I present them with a bag full of chocolate and tell them to take their pick.
I wish I’d known this sooner, I would have brought some on my way home from work and celebrated.
I thought it would be a useful piece of information. The chocolate is blameless! And everything by Lindt is amazing (except that awful salt bar). I think I’m the only one who splurges on chocolate in my house. My parents prefer fruits and cakes, and my siblings go for candy instead of chocolate.
You still have time to celebrate! You could make a quick chocolate cake or something.
I’ll have my own day-late International Chocolate Day. I get paid weekly on a Friday anyway. And I work right near Thorntons. You’re lucky – sometimes, my dad will buy chocolate with nuts in just because he knows he’ll have it all to himself. But he usually picks up something for me, too. My mum really isn’t fussed on it, which is good for us as she is a teacher and usually comes home with lots and lots of chocolates at the start of summer.
Good idea! You know, my sister didn’t react at all when I told her it was International Chocolate Day, because apparently to me every day is International Chocolate Day. I couldn’t argue! Ahh, your dad is sneaky! Though it sounds like something I would do too. xD And that’s great that your mum gets you all that chocolate!
Well I know that if it weren’t for this post I would have had no idea. As it turns out, I got paid today, so much of that money will be going right back out of my bank account. Because priorities. Aaaaand I just told you where *I* am going, so I’ll take lots of jealousy-inducing photos for you.
Well the more you know, yush? =D And you know, I will not tell you to hold back, especially not on a special day like this! I look forward to seeing those pics actually! =x
Pft, I would hope you wouldn’t tell me to hold back anyway. And I’ll take lots just for u. It’s only fair.
I wouldn’t! You know me better than that. And oh yes, quite fair.
Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Bueno (I’ve never had the white before), Hershey’s Cookies N’ Creme and Lindt peanut butter truffles.
Oh, you should try to find the white Kinder Bueno! It’s delicious. =D I love the Cookies N’ Creme bar, and that truffle sounds amazing. Never seen it around though. D=
That’s so sad! I used to get a bunch of different ones at the cash register of Borders Bookstore.
Well here’s hoping I manage to find them around here! =[
Try a target. We find them there now. They come in a bag.
Sadly there are no Targets where I live. But I won’t give up hope! I’ll buy them online if I have to.
International Chocolate Day!!! Yeay!!!
Okay, seriously, how can you make distinctions between chocolate and chocolate? Alright, so this one has some nuts in it, that one maybe more cream, and that over there might be a bitter variety, but in the end, it’s all chocolate! Which means, it’s all good.
🙂
And now a more serious note: do you check who produces the chocolate you buy and where and under what circumstances they buy their cacao? Child labour is rife in this industry, so maybe have a look at fair-trade chocolate or producers who can guarantee that they only use cacao that is free of child labour or forced labour? Just to let you know, don’t wanna spoil the fun.
Haha, you’d be surprised! The flavour of the chocolate differs from one brand to another, and it shows!
And actually I never thought of that. Once I see chocolate all other thoughts go out the window. >.> But I looked now and it seems like M n M’s and Mars are two of those who do not offer free-trade chocolate. That’s disappointing. Mars is one of my favourites. =[
I know they taste different, but it’s all good. Except the sea salt one you described, that’s actually a highly disturbing thought.
Yeah, I dithered over whether I should say that about chocolate, but it really is a very important issue… There’s lot of information available on it, also, who produces under fair and clean circumstances and who not.
I think maybe it’s an acquired taste? I mean… I love chocolate but that bar made me gag. Chocolate is a place for sugar, not salt! And it does sound like a serious issue. It’s sad that children have to slave over this while we only get to enjoy it. =[
So glad you brought this to our attention, Zen. I dashed over to hubby’s den and told him to run out and buy us some endorphins! He is partial to peanut butter cups, where I tend to like a dark chocolate bar.
Haha, good! Everyone should indulge in chocolate today. =D And peanut butter cups are nice, though they tend to get overwhelming after the first cup. If you like dark chocolate, I recommend you try the Lindt varieties (if you haven’t already). Their Excellence range has so many nice flavours!
If only I could reach through the screen and take a nibble.
I think that’s what we all wish when we see chocolate on the screen. Kinda makes me wish they’d go ahead and implement Willy Wonka’s idea already. =[
Woo hoo – my favourite day of the year!
I’m loving coconut M&Ms at the moment 😀
Coconut M&M’s? Those exist? I’ve never seen them before!
They’re the best!
My favorite is Enjoy Life’s brand of mini chocolate chips. But that is simply because it’s dairy and soy free. It’s nearly impossible to find good chocolate for those of us with allergies. These are a life saver!
Allergies suck. I can’t imagine what I’d do if I was lactose intolerant! =[
I didn’t even know there was an International Chocolate Day. This rocks! Thanks for letting me know!!!
That makes two of us! You’re welcome. xD