Chocolate Smiles

I didn't think it was humanly (or womanly) possible to love chocolate anymore until I had a piece of Chocolate Smiles handmade Milk Chocolate Non-Pareils.

Three words: Pure. Chocolate. Bliss.

Chocolate Smiles

With no preservatives or additives, the richness of the chocolate, and the sweetness in every morsel wasn't too overwhelming. During a vendor festival yesterday at my job, a couple hundred vendors set up shop offering samples and selling their various meat, cheese, fruit, and candy products and produce. Chocolate Smiles was my second vendor table after the cheese straws (FYI: cheese and chocolate are one of my favorite pairings.) I was originally intending to just settle for a sample, but immediately retraced my path and purchased a bag of Milk Chocolate Non-Pareils. 

Located in the heart of downtown Cary, Chocolate Smiles has been bring smiles to chocolate lovers since 1984 and, from what I can tell, has only gotten better with time. Diabetic? Try sugar-free chocolate. Nut allergy? Try some nut free candies. With a selection that includes chocolates, truffles, fudge, wedding favors, and specialty products, you are sure to find something to your liking for an array of occasions that will tantalize your sweet tooth and leave you craving more! Gift baskets, custom orders, and deliveries are also available upon request. Check out the amazing Chocolate Smiles gallery on their website with some of their delicious and fabulous creations!

So, have you had your chocolate fix for the day?

Sexual Chocolate

No, I'm not referring to the band from "Coming to America" or wrestler Mark Henry's very uncomfortably chosen stage name.

I recently read a fact on Twitter posted by @OMGFactsSex stating that "The same chemical that produces the highs of love and sexual attraction is found also in chocolate." I have heard this before, but I decided to do a little research. Researcher Michael R. Liebowitz first documented, in 1983, that chocolate contains the amine, Phenethylamine, which creates an aphrodisiac-like feeling. According to this research, it's no wonder that chocolate is used as a prelude to many acts of intimacy. Or consider women and men who turn to various forms of chocolate treats (e.g. ice cream, fudge, candy bars, etc.) post break-up. Typically seen as a comforting treat during a nasty bout with sadness, perhaps the comfort also comes into play as an attempt to hold onto the of love that feels as if it has been lost at the end of a relationship. 

According to Lewis' Dictionary of Toxicology, Phenethylamine is also a toxic substance in mistletoe. I find this very interesting and ironic considering the fact that a widely popular Christmas custom is for two people to share a kiss when meeting beneath a hanging piece of mistletoe. Poison and love? Funny, I can't seem to get Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" out of my head.