A Sweet and Chocolatey Start

Do you believe in the saying that you can’t have too many of the good things? (or however one says it) They also says that when it rains, it pours. Just before my birthday and ever since the Cocoa Farm review, I’ve been flooded with chocolates and nothing but chocolates which will probably last me for the next six months or so. Not that I’m complaining. It’s almost heaven, knowing that I can have a few pieces of sweet indulgence whenever I want.

The best friend sent me a box of handcrafted chocolate from Definitely Chocolate, containing about 30 sensational pieces to feast upon. The first 15 pieces of chocolate have different flavours each while the remaining 15 consist of a variety of truffles. The design of each chocolate is so beautiful that I can pick up a piece, stare at it for a whole day before finally eating it. I’ve also instructed the boy not to ever touch my very special box of chocolate or he will suffer my wrath. That’s how much I love this gift.

A few days later on Christmas eve just as I pulled out of the driveway to do some last minute shopping, the postman brought me another lovely box of chocolate sent from Cocoa Farm. A few days earlier, the lovely team at Cocoa Farm told me that they’ll be sending over a thank you gift for participating in the contest. I was looking forward to it, anticipating it to be a few bars that I will definitely appreciate over the Christmas and New Year. Well, it was a few bars but not just a few. It was a lot kind of few; approximately 25 bars/boxes in different shapes and sizes.

Since it’s Christmas, I shared with some family and friends while making doubly sure that I don’t give away those with only one flavour. I’m happy to report that everyone, from the oldest at 60 to the youngest at 18 approved of the Cocoa Farm’s chocolate they’ve tried. My cousin even had an entire bar for breakfast when I wasn’t looking! To note, during a brief correspondence with Louise from Cocoa Farm, I was informed that Cocoa Farm chocolate are available from Darrell Lea stores. I popped by at our local Darrell Lea and found a selected range on display. I’m not certain if it’s just because it’s Canberra since everyone know how well-populated this place is. However, it’s definitely the kind of chocolate I like to see more of at my local stores. Thank you and happy new year to everyone at Cocoa Farm!

Of couse that’s not all. I gave the boy a marzipan coated chocolate. We received a box of Lindt chocolate, a box of Jack Daniels chocolate and a box of Baileys chocolate. If that’s not enough to help jumpstart and sweeten the new year, I don’t know what will.

4th January 2009 | diary

Music: Seal Soul

This is the story of a girl and Seal’s Soul.

Girl went to CD store.
Girl heard some soulful songs over the PA system.
Girl wanted to find out who the singer was.
Girl couldn’t find anyone around to ask.
Girl continued browsing around the store.
Girl came upon Seal’s Soul.
Girl thought the CD looked good.
Girl picked up the CD.
Girl came upon another girl in the store.
Girl asked the other girl about the singer over the PA system.
The other girl showed girl Seal’s Soul.
Omen, coincidence or serendipity. Whatever you call it, girl is happy.

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The only song of Seal that I’m familiar with is Kiss from a Rose. It was truly a case of coincidence when I was browsing from aisle to aisle, looking for CDs to buy, courtesy of the gift vouchers I received for birthday and Christmas. It was a gamble when I picked up this CD (based solely on Kiss from a Rose) and it turns out to be a rather good return. It’s just as the CD title said; it’s Seal Soul. Most of the songs are quite a classic, including Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come, Ann Pebbles’ I Can’t Stand The Rain, Simply Red’s If You Don’t Know Me By Now and Al Green’s I’m Still In Love With You. If you are not in a hurry and need a little bit of soul in your life, I think it an album worth checking out.

1st January 2009 | music

Merry Christmas & Happy 2009

Also a few things to note: (updated on 29 Dec 2008)

  • Hello. I’ve removed the commenting system as this is the easier way to fight spam comments. I thank each and everyone one of you who’ve contributed by writing some lovely and relevant comments over the last few years that meant a lot to me. This doesn’t mean that you can’t comment on my future entries. A new email address will be made available from 2009 so you can send me your lovely messages. Just a note on that. This is my personal website and you will be sending email to my personal email address. If you cannot offer anything constructive, I have the right to ignore your message and blacklist your email address.

25th December 2008 | diary

Thank You

A big hearty thank you to everyone for the lovely wishes, greetings & gifts.
Thanks for having dinner with me tonight.
Thanks for the messages you’ve sent to me.
I can never thank enough to those who care enough about me to send their love & wishes.

But a very very special holler goes out to Sayang. She is sweet, kind and generous enough to send me a handmade scrapbook-like card, a beautiful bowl from Turkey, a bookmark and postcard from Prague, Duffy’s CD, a bunch of chocolate and a Moët et Chandon champagne. She is MY best friend and you CAN’T have her. Move along now.

15th December 2008 | diary

Review: Shiraz Chocolate Barrels

Shiraz Chocolate Barrels

If you believe my mother, I’m what you would loosely refer to as a hedonist. “You only know how to eat and sleep, eat and sleep,” she frequently rants over our weekly phone call. When feeling generous, she’ll include “eat, sleep and play”. I blame my zodiac sign. While I’m happy to dispute my sleeping pattern that will give any sleep doctor its money worth of R.E.M, I have to admit that I have a weakness for good food and great wine. The friends that I’ve dined with know my love for sweet desserts.

So, imagine my delightfulness and slight amusement when I was invited by an Australian chocolate company to participate in an editorial contest along a selection of 30 bloggers in Australia. Cocoa Farm, a small Melbourne-based chocolate company making indulging chocolate recently launched a new range of chocolate, the Shiraz Chocolate Barrels, promptly sent a sample box my way to be reviewed. Despite being appreciative of chocolate and wine, I’m admittedly not a chocolate or a wine connoisseur.

Frankly, I’ve never tried any chocolate by Cocoa Farm or any wine chocolate, as a matter of fact. From the information brochure, I gather that this wine-infused raisin with milk and dark chocolate is the world’s first combination by Cocoa Farm. So, when they arrived, I didn’t know what to expect and how to approach the review. Also, will it be intoxicatingly sweet and taste distinctively Shiraz? Attempting some refinement, I gave the first morsel a good sniff. It’s true. Don’t laugh. You don’t say, eh? It smells of overwhelming sweetness and I was slightly concerned. Though I have a sweet tooth, I’m not fond of overly sweet stuff that makes you swear off a candy store permanently. Fortunately, there was a slight miscommunication between the nose and the brain which was straightened out by my tastebud. The chocolate was sweet but not too sweet. Rich in antioxidant, the raisins infused with peppery Australian Shiraz is very subtle in taste but otherwise delectable with the chocolate. Being a fan of raisin/sultana-coated chocolate, my only complaint is that I can’t get enough of the raisins. Containing not more than 0.35% alcohol volume per weight, you’ll need a serious amount of this chocolate should you decide to intoxicate yourself. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying it as I did.

Cocoa Farm was established in 2003 but has only really started growing 3 years ago. In recent months, I’ve started realizing the importance of supporting our local produce and products. So, I am quite glad to know that Cocoa Farm is owned by Australians and based in Australia. Moreover, the entire production from the research, development, manufacture and some ingredients used are in and from Australia. Cocoa Farm’s chocolate has also won some international and local awards, including two from Harrogate Fine Foods Show and the Royal Melbourne Show in 2007.

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N.B.: Please consume in moderation as over-consumption around this time of the year will lead to serious side effects, including the hallucination of a certain jolly mate in red suit attempting to climb the chimney or a sudden break into festive melodies. Merry Christmas. Consider yourself warned. Now go and get some.

Please note that as a part of this contest and review, I received a sample box of Shiraz Chocolate Barrels (8×10g) from Cocoa Farm.

9th December 2008 | food

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