Q: What do you call a seagull when it flies over the bay? A: A bagel.

I love me a good Jewish bagel. You can find me on most Sunday mornings scowering the Forest Hill area for the best bagel in Toronto. So when someone told me there is a bagel shop in Ottawa (off all places) selling the best bagels in the WORLD you better believe I had to check it out.

Now if having the best bagels in Ottawa (or the planet, as coined by the ‘Robb Report’ isn’t enough, the bagel shop also has the biggest selection of dark chocolate in Ottawa. Yes, this is where it all comes together. I suddenly became a lady on a mission- chocolate and bagels- the absolute best things to eat, sign me up!

Entering Ottawa’s Bagelshop feels a little like coming home after a long vacation. The delicious smell of a wood-burning oven fills the air and although I have no direct relation to owner Vince Piazza, his warm heart, gentle smile and jolly laugh makes it feel like he is a long lost relative. And with perfectly golden, pleasantly chewy, slightly smoky, and never bready bagels Vince had me singing, ‘Honey I’m home’ in no time flat!

In 1984, Vince brought the first wood burning oven bagel to Ottawa. In between his day job as a teacher Vince would wake up at 4am to stoke the fire. He would work at the Bagel Shop until 8am and then go teach a full day of classes. And if that wasn’t enough, he’d come back to the shop after 4pm and work until close. But all his hard work paid off. “The store was a success since day one. There used to be line ups around the block on Saturday and Sunday mornings full of people waiting for bagels,” explains Vince. The stores small 800 square foot radius quickly outgrew its humble beginnings and required Vince’s fulltime attention. “Our first expansion was to 1,400 square feet and then quickly to 3,000 and today we are 8,000 square feet!” Although, the bagels are absolutely fantastic, it’s Vince’s award winning personality that keep customers coming back for more, year after year. And with each expansion the products grew as well. Here is where we at Choco-locate come in.

Vince has the largest selection of dark chocolate in all of Ottawa. An entire walkway, the size of a large grocery aisle is devoted to the darkest and sinful of chocolaty delights. It’s clear that this shop is more than just authentic, hand rolled Montreal-style bagels. “I had always been a lover of chocolates, especially world renown chocolates,” say Vince. Over the years he has developed a refined taste for dark chocolate. “I was one of the first to introduce Amadeus which I consider to be one of the worlds best chocolates.” It’s also has the big O’s seal of approval, ranked quite high on Oprah’s favourite things list. When I mention this Vince merely laughs and replies, "I've learned how to look for a good chocolate."

O. Town is lucky to have a chocolate connoisseur like Vince on their side. We found intense and exceptional chocolate from the likes of Valrhona, Degas, Vosges lining the shelves and also local chocolate from Olivia Chocolat and Roger’s Chocolate. “I like to distinguish between a chocolate and a candy bar. I love dark chocolate, when you crack it and you smell the aroma and the crispiness,” says Vince. A man after my own heart. And with a selection of close to 300 varieties of Cheese, the perfect pairing is just around the corner. Maintaining that Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli is so much more than just bagels. Visit today: http://www.bagelshop.ca/

Tasty Tours

Put your walking shoes on and dig your heels into the hustle and bustle of Kensington Market. This unmistakable and unique neighbourhood is home to graffiti covered walls, eccentric artists, one of a kind shops and GREAT eats! So, it makes perfect sense to give Toronto foodies and tourist exactly what they want out of this neighbourhood- a sweets tour! These shoes are made for walking and this belly needs to be full! Foodies unite! (Insert three long strides, jump, high five!)

Audrey Ooi is the girl genius behind Tasty Tours and believe me she has done her homework. Did you know that at the end of the ’Seven Years' War’, France decided to trade French Canada (including Quebec) for sugar-producing islands, such as St Lucia? (Yes, we could have lost our precious, ever humble and reserved Quebecois.) Audrey is full of these tasty facts, as I met the tour group on a rainy Friday at a Chinese bakery on Dundas and Spadina. The tour begins here at the Butterfly Bakery over a plate of flaky egg tarts to assemble and get down to eating. What’s an egg tart you ask? Picture a buttery and crumbling pastry shell fill with an egg custard. Think quiche meets mini apple pie. After finishing our egg tarts (and me taking a mental note to come back for a steal of a deal, what resembles a massive chocolate Swiss roll affordably priced at only $3.99, unheard of!) we are on the move. Audrey doesn’t miss a beat and we are off to the heart of Kensington Market.

Standing beside Audrey is like walking with a human pastry and chocolate encyclopaedia. She is a wealth of knowledge and it’s easy to tell this is her passion. The tour is busy, thanks to a recent Groupon venture.

And Audrey is all smiles, despite the rain and juggling this tour gig with her full time job. "Did you know cupcakes also used to refer to a method of baking a cake using cup measurements, not just the dessert treat we call a cupcake? " says Audrey.

We have conveniently stopped in front of Cora’s Kitchen. The group piles into the cozy shop and sure enough there is Cora and the most decadent cupcakes. Colourful frosting and rich, moist cupcake base- yum! If you haven’t checked out Cora’s pastry delights you are in for a treat. Arisanal perfection, the freshest of ingredients, and a little love to our Vegan friends. If Cora wasn’t such a hottie I would say it’s like entering your Grandmothers kitchen. Then we are handed the most perfect cupcake and the group is all smiles! Audrey lets us in on some more educational facts and suddenly we all forget about this miserable, rainy day.

The tour is off to our next stop to the Chocolate Addict and I get my chocolate fill! If you haven’t been to the Chocolate Addict before, check out our featured article here http://choco-locate.com/shops/chocolate-addict/and be sure to try the green tea truffle. Now by this point I am getting pretty stuffed and we are only half way. My biggest advice, come on an empty stomach. You have been warned!

Hit the pavement and eat your way through the glory that is Kensington Market. I don’t want to give away all of Audrey’s secrets so I will leave out some of the other stops on the tour. But let me tell you, they are pretty sweet. And did you know that marshmallows used to come from the sap of a marshmallow plant? Yah, me either. Sign up for a tour today at http://tastytourstoronto.com/

Attention all Witches and Ghouls!

Halloween is sincerely my favourite time of year. Hear are some spooky treats to try this year!

Of course, they are CHOCOLATE! Geezzz, why would you even have to ask?

Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème? I think so!

Tombstone Cookies

www.myrecipes.com

These cookies are designed as accessories for our Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème, but they also make a nice Halloween snack. Follow our simple design or cut the gravestones into more elaborate shapes topped with crosses or lunettes. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour, plus 1 hour to chill. Not...

Oh Martha, how your Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes make me smile-http://www.marthastewart.com/274565/halloween-cupcake-recipes/@center/276965/halloween#187052

Halloween Cupcake Recipes - Martha Stewart Home & Garden

www.marthastewart.com

View Martha Stewart's Halloween Cupcake Recipes collection. Get do-it-yourself closet, kitchen, cabinet organization ideas, plus home decorating and gardening tips.

Here is a special Recipe from our friends at Tasty Tours.

WITCH FINGERS!

Butter, 1 cup (225g) softened
Egg, 1
Vanilla extract, 1.5tsp
Sugar, 1 cup
Flour, 2 2/3 cup
Baking powder, 1 tsp
Salt, 1/2 tsp
Blanched almonds
Red icing

Preheat oven to 160C / 325F
1. Mix sugar, butter, vanilla extract and egg
2. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt
3. Chill for 1/2 hr
4. Mould into finger shape, squeeze edges to create knuckle, use a knife/blanched almond to create the indentations of a finger, dip a blanched almond in red icing/jam and press it into the edge of the 'finger'
5. Bake for 12-15min until slightly brown
Serves: 40 cookies

Toronto Chocolate Festival

As an avid chocoholic and budding aficionado of all things chocolate covered, I clicked my heels at the thought of a chocolate show. When I heard about the Chocolate Luxury Show, I almost fainted. Grabbing my trusty camera I headed straight to Roy Thompson Hall to get my chocolate fix, pronto!

Entering the hall I was greeted by a stunning brunette in a red gown at the end of a long and luxury red carpet. She presented me with a casino chip to vote

on my favourite chocolate chef and I was off! Back for it’s 6th year the Toronto Chocolate Festival is the biggest chocolate event in the city. Your ticket gets you samples of savoury chocolate infused food and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!

This is the event where CHOCOLATE is featured in all its magnificent and tasty form. Although, I was sad to see that some of my favourite Toronto chocolatiers were missing, there was vendors galore showcasing what they do best! The best truffle, goes hands down to Odile Chocolat.

But we have been in love with her for a long time now. (She is a short walk from our office headquarters.)

Find out why we love her here:http://choco-locate.com/shops/odile-chocoat/ Best chocolate bar goes to Brix Chocolate because who doesn’t want to pair chocolate with fine wine? And best outfit goes to this lady, for sporting a lollipop dress!

But the afternoon wasn’t just about eating chocolate, it featured chocolate events as well. There was the chocolate chef challenge, the chocolate making roundtable, chocolate henna and the 9-1-1 Chocolate Relay. (See below for the relay winners from last years race.) But despite all this my favourite was the chocolate spa party. When you combine relaxation, diva nails and chocolate together- I am in bliss!

For more info about ongoing events this month at the 2011 Toronto Chocolate Festival visit: http://www.torontochocolatefestival.com/

Chocolate Celeb Gawking

I enrolled in an outdoor boot camp class to counter balance my chocolate addiction. To my surprise the instructor is an exact replica of Brad Pitt. No Joke. Perhaps slightly taller and more muscular. (I know, right?) Needless to say, I have been an eager and enthusiastic participant since. I’ve done more push-ups and lunges than the rest of the sluggish ladies, but sadly my Brad look-a-like hasn’t noticed. I guess challenging my inner Laura Croft hasn’t quite done the trick. Well, who needs boot camp trainer doppelganger anyways when I can have a chance at spotting the real thing? Thank you TIFF.

The upcoming Toronto Film Festival and its extensive array of celeb gawking opportunities (*HI BRAD*) got me thinking…if I was new to the city and looking for a sweet treat to give to my uber famous director- how would I know where to go? Besides if I am a celeb I am probably on some crazy diet and can only eat vegan chocolate or if I am Angelina (hey, I girl can dream OK) I will only purchase fair trade. Don’t worry Angie, Choco-locate has got you covered. Download the Choco-locate app and volà, an entire listing of artisan, vegan and fair trade chocolate in Toronto. Sorry for the shameless plug but listen here…

We all know that celebs love the scene in Yorkville, right? They practically live there during TIFF. With our handy Choco-locate app you just might be able to track them down indulging at one of the many chocolate stores in the area. My bet is on a celeb sighting in MoRoCo. I would put money on Brad getting a sweet treat there to bring back for his ever expanding family (*sigh*) and then head to the toy store ‘Kidding Awound’ to pick up some more gifts for the fam. If fact, I would get your chocolate to go and mingle around this toy store that is a celeb hot spot. The shop is so popular among Hollywood stars that it keeps extended hours during the Toronto Film Festival.

So here is my ultimate list of the most notable stars in town and what chocolate shops you will find them at. (You can thank me later )

Our own born and bred Canadian cutie Ryan Gosling (goodbye Breaker High nerdy teen, hello Blue Valentine hottie) is in town for the crime thriller, Drive. It got big buzz at Cannes and landing tickets to this one might mean some major jumping through hoops. Fear not if you can’t snag a pair of tickets during TIFF though, it has wide release to the rest of the world Sept. 16. Butspotting Ryan is a necessity. He knows Toronto so my bet is an appearance at Ambience Chocolat in Queen East to satisfy his chocolate craving. Why? Because it is the prefect place to escape the crowds and is located right beside a pet shop. Star gawker professionals know that Ryan doesn’t go anywhere without his beloved pooch, George. [Insert girl hand on forehead fainting]. And now you love him more…

Ryan is also starring in another film with George Clooney, The Ides of March. It’s a political drama co-written and directed by Clooney. George (Clooney, not Ryan’s dog) is also leading man in The Descendants, a heart-wrenching family drama. Gorgeous George will probably stick to the Yorkville scene and a Diablotin chocolate from Simone Marie Belgian Chocolate is sure to suit his fancy. Dark chocolate, slightly flavored with brandy and a touch of caramel bliss. Wooing women is George’s fancy (both George’s in this case) so let’s just hope Simone Marie’s husband is around for this special visit. George back off we’d like to keep her in Toronto.

Canadian Director Deppa Medda is at it again, asking questions of her audience and starting the conversation about world issues at this years TIFF. This time she’s presenting a film adaptation of the award winning book, Midnight’s Children. If she’s hunting around Toronto for a chocolate indulgence chances are you will find her at SOMA- where fair trade and organic are a staple. My bet is she is dishing out the issues over a Mayan Hot Chocolate, Short Intense Shot. An intoxicating elixir made of thick dark Venezuelan chocolate and spiced with cinnamon, ginger, orange peel and chili peppers, all in an intense shot. The newly opened King Street location is much closer to the TIFF box office, but if she’s smart she will hide away at their store in the Distillery District undisturbed by the chaotic downtown.

I’m really excited about Elizabeth Olsen coming to town! She’s the younger sister of the fashionable twin celebrities Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Whom I heart equally! I would keep my eyes glued to this lovely lady. Her starring role in Sundance earlier this year has been turning heads, not only for her raw talent but stunning and natural looks.

With sisters in the spotlight since birth, you know she wouldn’t have even dared to venture into acting if it wasn’t for a strong love of the craft. Elizabeth Olsen stars in Martha Marcy May Marlene, a story about a young woman attempting to adjust to society as she deals with escaping a religious cult. My bet is she will be exploring Toronto somewhat under the radar and able to walk freely into most chocolate stores. I picture her checking out the AGO and walking across the street into Art Square Gallery and Café for a Black Pepper and Rosemary Truffle.

Last but not least of my top celebs to watch out for around town is Woody Harrelson. He will be in TO promoting his film, Rampart. He plays a dirty cop in this crime drama. Woody might not be the hip and hot new star this year but I love that Woody has been caught doing sun salutations in a group yoga class at U of T from time to time.

This longtime environmentalist is sure to be found cycling Toronto’s bike lanes. Maybe even protesting the removal of the Jarvis bikes lines with fellow Torontonians. Hang out at the Carrot Common on the Danforth and you will catch him stocking up on his adored ‘More Than a Feeling’ chocolate bars from Living Libations. Woody has been an advocate of the raw chocolate bars sold by Living Libations and is even quoted on their site saying so.

All in all, once armed with the Choco-locate app you’re bound to run into a celeb or two. And if you’re hosting a TIFF party be sure to give the chocolate martini recipe below a shot.

TIFF Chocolate Martini

1 part vodka

1 part triple sec

3 parts mango juice

Serve in edible chocolate cups

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from Sept. 8-18. For information, visit tiff.net.

Chocolate and Beer Pairing

When most folks think about the perfect pairing to chocolate, the plain Jane’s or traditionalists head straight to the fridge for a tall glass of milk. Boring! And then we have our connoisseurs, who start thinking red- wine that is. But what about beer? That’s right, its not just salted peanuts that go nicely with beer anymore but chocolate too! I headed down to a local pub, Highway 61 to learn the science of ‘Beerology’ at a chocolate and beer tasting workshop.

To my surprise, it’s wasn’t just men sporting beer bellies at this bar but I found myself at a classy women’s only event. Yes, women drink beer too. On each table was a plate of mouth watering truffles, yet all eyes were on Mirella- the groups leading lady into chocolate and beer 101. Mirella regularly conducts fun and informative beer tasting sessions through her company, Beerology and has joined ranks with the sweet and sassy ‘Barley’s Angels’ beer enthusiasts. Barley’s Angels is not just a social, beer-drinking club for women but local gals that have a respect for beer and a thirst for education. They have gathered here together to debunk the myth that chocolate only goes well with wine. Besides what lady doesn’t love chocolate?

Mirella’s the first to admit that beer and chocolate isn’t exactly mainstream, but when you start exploring the flavour profiles there are so many similarities. It’s almost absurd that someone didn’t think of this sooner! You see both chocolate and beer are very complex foods. Yet, they often have flavours that mirror each other. Beers have nutty flavours, chocolate, coffee notes or sweetness to them. Mirella explains, “With beer you get a sweetness and a bitterness. The malted beers will give you a nice sweetness that will pair up nicely with chocolate. And then the bitterness and the carbonation will come in at the end and cleanse the pallet.” Beer goes well with chocolate because of its carbonation. These tiny bubbles not only lift the oils off the palate but it also rinses away any rich food left behind. Essentially, it freshens the palate between every bite.

There are a few simple rules to follow (in case you want to try this at home):

1. The beverage should be sweet or as sweet as your pairing.
2. Use complimenting flavours
3. It’s all about a contrast of textures
4. Wipe the slate clean and cleanse baby cleanse

O.K. so hurry along will ya! What chocolate goes well with what beer? With milk chocolate, you want to find something that will cut through the richness. Mirella paired it with a pale ale, the Hoptical Illusion by Flying Monkey’s brewed in Barrie, ON. This beer is described as a deep caramel with a toffee aroma and some nice piney notes. Already you can see with a description like ‘toffee aroma’ we already have a winner. Yup, it was a perfect match to a milky and creamy chocolate ganache.

The Maple Porter by Nickel Brook came around next. A dark, ruby porter, brewed in Burlington, ON. Infused with pure, dark maple syrup and with a smooth creamy finish made it a beer we were proud to call Canadian. With this coupling it was almost like a new buttery chocolate essence appeared. Some people said the milk chocolate actually highlighted the citrus flavour in the beer. For others, the beer started tasting like hazelnuts with the milk chocolate ganache. As you can tell the crowd was really warming up to this new pairing experiment. Little sip of a beer here, little nibble of a chocolate there.

And then we entered the dark side. Out came the dark chocolate. I was most excited to see a dark chocolate with a beer and I wasn’t alone. Dark chocolate is also Mirella’s favourite. “I love my dark chocolate. And with dark chocolate you need a higher alcohol beer. Dark chocolate is more dry and direct, so I like to contrast that with the voluptuous and fullness of a higher alcohol beer,” says Mirella. I also heard a rumour that if you take a fruit beer with dark chocolate, you get a black forest cake effect. Count me in. Mirella choose an Imperial Stout from Wellington Brewery in Guelph. A stout is along the lines of a Guinness. Think beer milkshake. And paired with chocolate, it’s a match made in heaven. Someone in the room felt that a sip of the wellington mixed with a bite of the dark chocolate tasted like smoked meat or bacon and another tasted salt and whiskey. There are worse fates in life.

Mirella also brought out a sample of the ominous ‘Pan-Ontario’ beer. This special little beer is the result of a little provincial experiment. Mix four Ontario beers together, pour it in an aged bourbon barrel and what do you get? A concoction of Ontario goodies and a whole lot of flavours to go around. It’s a party in your mouth and chocolates invited. This special treat was just released for Ontario Craft Beer Week and for beer connoisseurs was quite a surprise! The beer itself was full of flavour- dates, vanilla, kinda fruity, almost like a black cherry note, all the while remaining a surprisingly light beer. With a little bit of chocolate on your tongue there was suddenly a mango taste and even a hint of coconut. I think this is where the black forest cake flavour Mirella was talking about took full effect. After a show of hands most ladies preferred the Wellington with the dark chocolate and about a third of gals went for the Pan-Ontario.

Last but not least came the white chocolate. Now, I am of the crowd who believes white chocolate is not real chocolate. It contains no cacao beans, so sorry it’s not chocolate. Mirella sort of agrees, but it is sugary and delicious. So it’s on the menu. Mirella recommends white chocolate with beers with a nutty character or a caramel sweet note. She chose the Cameron, King Vienna Lager. Put the two together and what do you get? Almost like a butterscotch sundae or a caramel macchiato. White chocolate, you might have just won we over. With the help of beer, of course.

Mirella wants people to get excited about beers and adventurous about exploring new brands and flavour combinations. And with chocolate as her aid, let’s just say it was a smashing success.

Chocolate Cheese? Yes, Please!

The Renaissance, a cultural movement of literature, science, art, religion, politics and cheese? That’s right you heard me, cheese. At least that’s the term being thrown around by Ruth Klahsen of Monforte Dairy. This is her year and so she declared a cheese renaissance.

Ruth is paving the way for a new generation of cheese producers and artisan cheese lovers in Canada. You could say she’s the BIG cheese. Her focus is on horizontal trade and sustainable agriculture. “I think the shorter the chain of distribution and buying is, the better the world is. The more you can have a relationship with producers, the better the planet will be,” says Ruth. She is a woman in pursuit of the bigger picture and what she is doing is pretty admirable.

But I must admit that isn’t why we love her. We heart this famer in the dell because she is charting new terrain and venturing into new flavor profiles. Expanding palates with pairing cheese and you guessed it, chocolate! Ruth explains just how fresh the concept is. “It’s brand new. I don’t think people historically ever ate chocolate and cheese. You would have never even thought about it five years ago. That’s what is so interesting about it.”

Ruth is the type of entrepreneur who loves to experiment. Give her a challenge and she is ready and ripe for the picking. “The world has become so sophisticated, so small and diverse that the flavors are endless that we get to play with. So, why not?” So how does she do it, you ask? It’s not just about grabbing any old stinky cheese off the shelf and opening up your chocolate stash. There is a science to it. “I think you want creamy textures with chocolate,” says Ruth. Monforte uses a quality cream cheese flavored with fresh lemon and ChocoSol chocolate. “We find the acid in the cheese with the richness of the chocolate really, really works.” Ruth’s experiments have led her to swear by pairing a crunchy chocolate (that melts in your mouth), partnered with a cheese that’s soft. Not the other way around- a hard cheese and a soft chocolate. And if you want to take all the guesswork out of it, she also sells a chocolate cheese. It’s called, ‘Formidable’, a chevre with chocolate and cayenne. I am not going to even try to describe it. But let me just say it will blow your mind.

It may sound cheesy, but for Ruth her cheese is a labor of love. She even has three ripening rooms to accommodate the different types of cheeses coming out of her dairy. Some experimental and others producing impeccable quality cheeses. But there really is ‘more going on here than just cheese.’ Monforte is developing and nurturing a community based on the model of sustainable farming and the local food movement. Ruth says it best, “Life is about relationships, my relationship with people is through cheese.”

You can find Ruth’s cheese at Farmer’s Markets across Toronto including: Evergreen Brickworks, St Lawrence Market and Scadding Court Marketplace- just to name a few. And if you are in the Stratford area drop by the Monforte Dairy. When you bump into Ruth just say cheese, please.

From bean to bar

As a bit of a chocolate rookie, I am learning the tricks of the trade of how chocolate is made. It seems a bit Alien how this vibrant green, thick, oval pods contain seeds that eventually become the perfect and smooth chocolate bars that we eventually consume. How does it all happen?

Let’s not get to ahead of ourselves. It all starts with the cacao tree, a small flowering tree originally from South and Central America. The trees fruit is the cacao pod with a fibrous and thick husk. It looks like the child from an estranged relationship with a mango and a coconut. Each thick pod protects about 40 beans inside that sits in a soft bed made up of a sticky white pulp. This pulp is actually edible, although for some reason it never quite made its way to our plates in North America. It’s a secret kept by most farmers, as they bite into the soft flesh and feast on the pulps sweet flavor from a ripe cacao pod. They must laugh at us for throwing away the best part. Think of peeling an orange, throwing out all the fruit and keeping the seeds. Seems crazy right? Well that’s what we do! The beans that we do keep are called a cacao bean. Fun fact: the layman’s term ‘cocoa’ was actually brought about by a spelling mistake by early English traders. It was just never corrected. Back to the beans.

The cacao beans are dried in the hot sun and can be eaten at this stage. Think of an espresso bean. These beans are then broken into ‘nibs’- think shavings. These nibs are then ground and heated to create a chocolate liquor paste. Now, don’t go and get your shot glasses out yet. Despite it’s name there is nothing alcoholic about this mixture. Chocolate liquor is the base from which all chocolate products are made and way to bitter to eat. Sugar and cocoa butter is added depending on the degree needed for the particular product being created. At this stage there is nothing smooth about this bar and the molten mixture must be refined. Think heavy rollers, machinery and five-roll mills. Now, the chocolate must be tempered. This is where the real chocolate gods are made. The French and the Belgians swear by it as a game changer. Separating the men from the boys, woman from giggling schoolgirls or the mass producers from the chocolatiers. Alas, after all this chocolate as we know it is born.

Can I graduate from rookie to intermediate chocoholic now?

Follow the Chocolate Trail

Follow the chocolate trail, follow the chocolate trail. Toto we're not in Kansas anymore.

In fact, were in Stratford, Ontario where this trail leads you to chocolatey goodness. It is well known, "Come for the chocolate and stay for the plays". Or is it the other way around?

Regardless of your favored order, savour Stratford and take a bite out of the chocolate trail. $20 gets you an all access pass to your choice of scrumptious tastings at 8 stores out of a self guided map of 21. This golden ticket will not only satisfy your sweet tooth but give chocoholics a chance to speak directly with each chocolatier and ask them the age old question- does working with chocolate really take the sweetness out of it?

Choco-locate visited the charming Victorian city to do some hard journalistic research, crunching of numbers and yes, O.K. eat chocolate. We met up with Danielle Brodhagen from the Stratford Tourism Alliance who told us all about the European inspiration behind the Stratford Chocolate Trail. “I was in Italy and stumbled upon the ‘ChocoPass’. After the trip the excursion was something that stayed with me. We knew trails were a new thing in culinary tourism and we wanted to be the first to bring it to Ontario. We were looking at our assets and what we really have to celebrate, which any community should do when they are exploring culinary tourism. And then from there we built the chocolate trail.”

This self-guided tour has a little something on the menu to satisfy just about any sweet tooth. From Chocolate Mocha Sauce, creamy ganache truffles, an Organic Dark Chocolate 70% bar with a touch of Fleur de Sel to a pot of chocolate Mint tea and chocolate and wine pairings. “We really turned it into an opportunity, we highlighted the assets of each store on the map,” explains Danielle. Just do yourself and others a favour- use the full three days on the Chocolate Trail pass to redeem all of your delights. Save the tummy ache, you can thank me later.

The chocolate excursion is not only your ticket to endless seductions of chocolate, but a taste of culinary tourism at its best. Robyn, our faithful chocolate guide for the day and Marketing Assistant for the Stratford Tourism Alliance, explains the enthusiastic response from the community to the Chocolate Trail. “The concept was really easy to adopt. We are about fostering authentic relationships, so the products were already here. We just found a way to connect it using a trail that is more cohesive.”

For more information about the stores involved visit the Choco-locate iPhone app under locations ‘Stratford’ and on the web at http://choco-locate.com/shops/?city=4&keywords=

Or purchase your Chocolate Trail Pass in person at the Stratford Tourism Alliance office.

Fierce Fudge Fact

There is a fudge war brewing in Niagara falls. On a recent trip to explore just what the Niagara region has to offer- chocolate wise, I ran into Reg. Reg has been a fudge maker for 44 years and let the secret right out of the bag. You see there is a fierce fudge competition among Niagara's fudge makers. So serious that it split two brothers up. As young bucks, these guys used to all make fudge together as a part time job, just for kicks. They all spent their teenage years learning from the same fudge master and having fun as boys do. But as they grew older and all opened up fudge stores of their own, I guess the competition got to the best of them. Reg told me the two brothers with opposing fudge stores don't even talk to each other anymore. But hey, you didn't hear that from me. One thing's for sure, Reg has the best personality hands down. And that sways my vote. Take the trip to Niagara for yourself and visit Reg's Candy Kitchen, Maple Leaf Fudge and Swiss Fudge. Vote for your favourite fudge store in Niagara!

The Drink of the Gods

If there was a chocolate god, he would have hung out at SOMA. I don’t know if he would have gotten a seat though, the place is packed with chocolate worshipers, young and old. SOMA has struck a cord in chocolate lovers hearts and yes, it lives up to its hype. These guys make fair trade, organic look sexy.

Taking a step into SOMA you are hit with an intense chocolate aroma. Just take a deep breath of the chocolaty air and soak it all in. At the core of SOMA is a husband and wife duo, that are chocolate genius’ and aren’t afraid to be completely exposed. The clear glass chocolate laboratory along the back of the entire store doesn’t hid a thing from the process of bean to bar. It allows customers to sip on their intoxicating drinking chocolate and watch it all being made in front of them. The open concept, sky high ceilings and raw, exposed brick space was designed to take away some of the mystery of the chocolate process. Personally I think there might need to be some intense diagrams if they really want to let people in on 'how it's made'. But the space definitely encourages curiosity and is the perfect blend of a retail, chocolate factory and science center of sorts.

The duo are purists at heart and wouldn’t have their chocolate business any other way. You are only going to find fair trade, flavour grade, organic and artisan chocolate makers here. They even go as far as to sort each bean by hand. At the heart of SOMA is all about getting back to the roots of chocolate and right down to the science of it.

But when it’s all said and done it’s about the chocolate. So, how does it taste? Let’s start with the Mayan Hot Chocolate the short intense shot. Don’t let your eyes fool you, this small espresso size shot is packed with an intoxicating rich flavour. With the first sip, this thick and dark Venezuelan chocolate coats the entire pallet and will make even the leading chatterbox (yes, me) momentarily speechless. After swallowing the spices of cinnamon, ginger, orange peel and chili peppers appear and simply put this hot chocolate in a class of its own. Then I tried the 'Bicerin,' an intense small glass of melted dark chocolate, espresso and light whip cream- omg. I actually had to spot my interview with the owner- take a moment. OK. Can we start again? Yes, I lost track of our conversation but when I uttered, "Wow" and did a nod to the drink, she got it.

Let’s not forget the bars. The chuao (pronounced chew-wow) is legendary. A pure and delicate criollo from Venezuela with 70% cocoa content. This dark chocolate is in no way bitter with the perfect hint of flavour, a well executed balancing act. Get back to the roots of chocolate and try the 'old school' bar. Rough cut chocolate, so you can taste the origin and essence of the bean. Ground cocoa nibs and organic cane sugar. Raw with no further processing and refining. Simple and pure.

So are you going? Great! Can I come with? Oh, PS- they just opened a new location on King. Your welcome.