Two for Chocolate
chocolate a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans
A box of chocolate is a welcome gift, even more so if it has two layers. Some chocolate lovers have been known to eat the entire lower level at one sitting, leaving the top layer intact (temporarily) for appearance's sake. The reaction to this from others who finish the top layer and look forward to more treats below, only to find empty wrappers, is predictable. The perpetrator of this gluttonous outrage will never hear the end of it - but will have no regret.
What has chocolate to do with the Arts? It has to do with both cinema and literature. A few years ago moviegoers were treated to a romantic film, Chocolat, which explained as a plot device the origin of chocolate as a confection and as an antidepressant - as well as delivering a charming love story or two. It began as a modest little movie and soon disappeared from theatres. But something unique happened: chocolate lovers told others, and word-of-mouth brought back the film for a long run in multiplexes everywhere. In some theatres, going along with the theme, ushers handed departing patrons foil-wrapped chocolate kisses.
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has made its transition from book to cinema. The subject matter appeals to both children and adults, just as does chocolate candy. Even J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter gives a nod to the matter, also. Now and then some of her characters who end up in the infirmary are given chunks of chocolate to eat in order to facilitate healing.
Do you have a family story about chocolate? A favorite chocolate dessert? What happens when the candy melts in your hand?
Shakespeare said
A box of chocolate is a welcome gift, even more so if it has two layers. Some chocolate lovers have been known to eat the entire lower level at one sitting, leaving the top layer intact (temporarily) for appearance's sake. The reaction to this from others who finish the top layer and look forward to more treats below, only to find empty wrappers, is predictable. The perpetrator of this gluttonous outrage will never hear the end of it - but will have no regret.
What has chocolate to do with the Arts? It has to do with both cinema and literature. A few years ago moviegoers were treated to a romantic film, Chocolat, which explained as a plot device the origin of chocolate as a confection and as an antidepressant - as well as delivering a charming love story or two. It began as a modest little movie and soon disappeared from theatres. But something unique happened: chocolate lovers told others, and word-of-mouth brought back the film for a long run in multiplexes everywhere. In some theatres, going along with the theme, ushers handed departing patrons foil-wrapped chocolate kisses.
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has made its transition from book to cinema. The subject matter appeals to both children and adults, just as does chocolate candy. Even J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter gives a nod to the matter, also. Now and then some of her characters who end up in the infirmary are given chunks of chocolate to eat in order to facilitate healing.
Do you have a family story about chocolate? A favorite chocolate dessert? What happens when the candy melts in your hand?
Shakespeare said
Sweets to the sweet; farewell!
posted by marguerite louise at
4:06 PM
5 Comments:
Oooh...chocolate! My favorite of the basic food groups!
The only family chocolate story is that we were all hopelessly addicted and we all had our methods of determining the contents of a bon bon: My mother pushed the bottoms in, looking for creams. My father thought this was a disgusting practice and ate only the nuts. My grandmother cut each candy in half to find the creams. My aunt ate only caramels and they're easy to spot. My grandfather ate the rejects and this was considered a selfless act of pure altruism. The whole family ate Russell Stover's candies. I'm the rebel--- Whitman's Samplers (they're labeled). My DH eats the rejects (what a guy!)No chocolate spends enough time in my house (let alone my hand) to melt.
I love the movie, "Chocolat"!
By
Anonymous, at 7/22/2005 7:21 PM
My dear, chocolate is probably my favorite thing in the world! I have found a particularly yummy blend, made by Dagoba, which includes chiles and cinnamon, and harks back to the Aztecs, called "Xocolatl". It comes in bars and powder form, and makes a great secret baking ingredient for any cookie recipe (adding a tablespoon or two) or in a smoothie with berries and soymilk or whey powder.
We would have loved to have you with our party last night, as we watched MacBeth on the shore of Lake Tahoe... you would have had great insights to contribute.
RE: "Chocolat" - I actually thought that the book was better than the movie.
A delightful post, as usual from you.
By
Birdsong, at 7/22/2005 11:43 PM
Hmmmmmmmmmm, a family story about chocolate? With so many family stories, how can it be that I can't think of one about chocolate?
Family, can you help me out?
By
Anonymous, at 7/23/2005 6:40 AM
Thanks for your comments. Birdsong's chocolate recommendation is now on an index card in my purse along with my shopping list - hope I can find it somewhere in Kalamazoo. Also, on her latest posting there is a photo of a knit jacket which appeals to me as an alternative to the usual blazers. And, I am fond of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" due to the fact that during my grade school days I was chosen to read the part of one of the witches!
Carrie,I was the member of the family who discovered, at an early age, that two-layer chocolate boxes had a top layer that could be removed intact in order to get at the chocolate layer below. And my parents never let me forget it.
By
marguerite louise, at 7/24/2005 10:55 AM
Now I MUST see this movie :)
By
Anonymous, at 7/29/2005 8:26 PM
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