Chocolate Bar

Well, for those of you who know me, I usually swim somewhere between 3,000 and 4,500 yards at least three nights a week. That's a lot of time in the pool, and spending so much time swimming makes me generally ravenous.

Don't worry, faithful readers, I won't eat just anything as a result of my intense hunger and need to fuel the body. I only eat good food, and this is the story of the discovery a new good, and essential, food:

Tonight, after finishing off the leftover chili from Sunday, I was overcome by an intense craving for chocolate. Unlike some people I know, I do not horde chocolate for such occasions, so there was no chocolate in the house. I was forced to walk down the street to Bi-Rite to find some chocolate to satisfy the craving. Well, I found some chocolate made by a local chocolatier: Charles Chocolates of San Francisco . I had heard of Charles, but I had never before tasted any of their chocolates. After looking over the selection, I bought the bar with mocha java pieces in bittersweet chocolate. In the interest of full disclosure, there was little debate in my head about what flavor to choose--I am a fanatic about the combination of coffee and chocolate. Actually, almost any combination of those two flavors would qualify as dream dessert for me (for example, I am obsessed with the profiteroles with espresso gelato, chocolate sauce and candied almonds at Delfina (next to Bi-rite)). Anyway, this chocolate bar jumped out at me:



It was good--dark, bitter chocolate with the chopped coffee beans blended into the bar. The chocolate and coffee combination was well balanced, and I liked the crunch of the coffee bean.



All in all, Charles was a good find, and I can assure you that I'll buy another one some time soon. Try one yourself--you'll like it.