The Ultimate Indulgence

THE Ultimate INDUL GENCE

by INA PINKNEY

“Chocolate symbolizes, as does no other food, luxury, comfort, sensuality, gratification, and love.”

KARL PETZKE

Chocolate.

Nothing else soothes and satisfies with so available a combination of tastiness and taboo. For it FEELS forbidden.

For us, chocolate is more than a flavor or a treat or a dessert. It is spiritual nourishment, a ritual communion, an almost sexual submission to the powers of the subconscious.

brownies with caramel | Derek Poirier, Valrhona USA Pastry Chef

View recipe on page 77 »

“Your hand and your mouth agreed many years ago that, as far as chocolate is concerned, there is no need to involve your brain.”

DAVE BARRY

The short-term reward is unparalleled. It can be a balm for the blues, a healer of heartaches, a morale booster for the melancholy baby.

For patting ourselves on the back, for doing ourselves a favor, for giving ourselves a break, chocolate has no equal.

The perils and punishment of chocolate indulgence are well known. But to us, the chocolate lovers, the pleasure in ounces consumed is well worth the price in ounces gained.

valrhona dulcey mousse

Leigh Omilinsky, Executive Pastry Chef, Sofitel Chicago

View recipe on page 78 »

valrhona chocolate ice cream with cacao nibs and caramel sauce

Sarah Mispagel, Pastry Chef, Nightwood

View recipe on page 79 »

“Don’t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty. Chocolate isn’t like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good.”

LORA BRODY

tanori parfait with pickled cherries, “bread pudding” and pistachios

Rebecca Mason, Pastry Chef, Fluff Bake Bar

View recipe on page 80 »

“Every now and then, I’ll run into someone who claims not to like chocolate, and while we live in a country where everyone has the right to eat what they want, I want to say for the record that I don’t trust these people, that I think something is wrong with them, and that they’re probably - and this must be said - total duds in bed.”

―STEVE ALMOND

CANDYFREAK: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE CHOCOLATE UNDERBELLY OF AMERICA

choco macchiato

By Meg Galus,

Executive Pastry Chef, NoMI Kitchen

View recipe on page 82 »

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.”

LINDA GRAYSON

It is chewable passion, edible infatuation, a love affair that we can devour.

Whatever there is between us and chocolate may be sinful, but when we give in, it is such sweet surrender.