A Tribute to my Love for Chocolate & La Femme Chocolat... Olivia Ruiz

Taille-moi les hanches à la hache.

J'ai trop mangé de chocolat. 

Croque moi la peau, s'il-te-plaît. 

Croque moi les os, s'il le faut...

{La Femme Chocolat, Olivia Ruiz}

.......................................

“Life was like a box of chocolates, 
you never know what you’re going to get.” 
(Forest Gump, 1994)

“Life is like chocolates in a box; 
no matter how simple, fanciful, 
or luxurious the box is. 
You never know, until you open up that box 
and allow yourself to taste them.”  
–Anne 

“Chocolate is like love, you never get enough.” 
– Anonymous

…and suicide by chocolate?

Jacob, with pistol in his hand, exclaims,

‘Susannah, dear, without your love I’ll kill myself?’

Susannah quakes in fear.

He lays the pistol to his head,

Susannah pleads, ‘Wait, wait!’

‘Don’t fret!’ says Jacob, ‘for this gun is only chocolate!’

--Swiss poem, 1840

Did you know that July 7^th is Chocolate Day?

 Chocolate was widely introduced into Europe in 1550. 

The drink was a high-status beverage of the high-society Frenchmen 

and there were as many competitively booming chocolate salons as tea or coffee salons in England, addressed in Charles Dickens's, “A Tale of Two Cities”, 

with the fact that the cocoa seeds were a very expensive import. 

But today, we can all indulge in our favourite food! ;-)

The ancient Aztec people had known this secret for many years, before a Spanish Conquistador, Fernando Cortés, (more reference; http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cortes_hernan.shtml), returned to Central America for the fourth time in 1522, encountering the Emperor ‘Montezuma’ of Aztec Empire’s favourite beverage, called “xocoatl”. He was persuaded to have a sip, while admittedly enjoying its pleasantly delicious taste. Later, he asked for the origin of the drink. It was imparted to him that the Aztec people prepared and used the drink as a part of religious offerings for the Gods & Goddesses. Xocoatl was exclusively reserved for priests and high level soldiers because the cocoa seeds used to make the drink, were hyper-expensive: 100 cocoa seeds were equivalent to the price of 1 slave, at that time! Upon his departure, the Spanish Conquistador brought along with him cocoa seeds as well as cocoa plants to be honorably offered to King Charles V of Spain,accordingly.

The scientific name Theobroma from Greek θεοβρῶμα means "food of the gods". The word cacao itself derives from the Nahuatl (Aztec language) word cacahuatl, learned at the time of the conquest when it was first encountered by the Spanish. Similar words for the plant and its by-products are attested in a number of other indigenous Mesoamerican languages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacao

Love Adds A Little Chocolate, 
by Medard Laz

     A house is a house until love comes through the door, that is.

     And love intuitively goes around sprinkling that special kind of

     angel dust that transforms a house into a very

     special home for very special people: your family.

     Money of course, can build a charming house,

     but only love can furnish it with a feeling of home.

     Duty can pack an adequate sack lunch, but love may decide to

     enclose a little love note inside.

     Money can provide a television set, but love controls it and cares

     enough to say "no" and take the guff that comes with it.

     Obligation sends the children to bed on time, but love tucks the

     covers in around their necks and passes out kisses and hugs

     (even to teenagers!).

     Obligation can cook a meal, but love embellishes the

     table with a potted ivy trailing around slender candles.

     Duty writes many letters, but love adds a joke or a

     picture or a fresh stick of gum inside.

     Compulsion keeps a sparkling house, but love and

     prayer stand a better chance of producing a happy family.

     Duty keeps offended quickly if it isn't appreciated,

     but love learns to laugh a lot and to work for the

     sheer joy of doing it.

     Obligation can pour a glass of milk, but quite often,

     love adds a little chocolate.  

                         --Linda Andersen

Chocolat (film, 2000)

Starring Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp and Judy Dench

When Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her six years old daughter move to the traditional French Village and open a chocolate shop, they are met with some skepticism, but as soon as they coax the townspeople into enjoying their delicious products that almost magically inspire villagers to abandon themselves to temptation and happiness. CHOCOLAT nominated for 5 Acadamy Award including Best Picture, 

Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

What I love most about the film: It’s all about MAGIC! And Love is magical!

Juliette Binoche is truly the magnet of the film!  To me, she displays a truly renaissance woman with passion, warmth, generosity, sensitivity, sensuality yet with confidence and strength, through her chocolate know-how, in the film. 

It’s amazing to see how chocolate plays such an important role as relationship glue, as well as a kind of aphrodisiac food, associated with love, pleasure and libido. I cannot explain why it reminds me of Psyche & Cupid’s divine love. I wondered whether Cupid’s arrow had been soaked with chocolate elixir before he aimed his love-shot, straight to Psyche’s heart!!! Hmmmm just wondering! ;) p.s someone might object that Cupid had the wrong-aiming as his arrow was supposed to be shot right in the emotionally sensitive Limbic brain plus glandular hormone is why Cupid loves Psyche!!!!...you may say...Oh no! not that romantic at all, ...so let's forget the science geek for a sec., alright? ;)   

Note: I understand that we all heard of Psyche & Cupid’s, but please allow me to share with you my lengthy yet passionate bla bla once again about their everlasting love.

Psyche & Cupid, Louvre Museum, Paris
-Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others and the delight in the recognition.-

Psyche was a gracious, gorgeous, innocent, curious feminine mortal, renowned for being the most beautiful woman on Earth, whereas Cupid was a thoughtful, easy-going, mischievous, sensational and charming God, the son of Aphrodite, a plus! No matter how many times Psyche unknowingly and foolishly committed serious mistakes, Cupid was always by her side (except when he was captured by his mother as punishment), forgiving, guiding and teaching her life-lessons and still loving her. Finally, Psyche was graciously granted by Zeus, with loving support of her beloved husband, Cupid, to be a Goddess in order that they could be officially and divinely consummated as husband and wife. I really admire and love their productive love!

Reading Greek Mythology, not only encourages me to enlarge my view about life, but also allows me to understand an important message: Gods (super Ego) and Humans (Id & Ego) are inseparable, regardless of religion or belief we hold dearly to our heart.  When we let go of our Ego and establish conscious contact with our inner self with joy, we are connected to Gods and Goddesses. 

The original. 
Its ultra-velvety dark taste is sublime, 
its balance not overly sweet. 
The magnificence of the most 
decadent chocolate 
you can imagine, 
made divine as a sumptuous liqueur. 
The Godiva Chocolate Martini 
is a must, 
combining irresistible 
Godiva Liqueur 
with Smirnoff Vodka, 
creating your most unique martini 
experience.
{credit: Godiva} 
All of us are walking around with some kind
of birthday card we would like to give--
some personal expression of joy,
creativity or aliveness that we are hiding
under our shirt.-- Dead Poets Society

Referring to D. Piomelli, Neuro-Science Institute, Santiago, USA, “Anandamide” substance, found in Chocolate, activates as joy and pleasure’s stimulus to our brain, the same as marijuana’s, but chocolate’s is milder and harmless to our health. The research stated that people who smoke marijuana are also chocoholics. No wonder, Chocolate was considered as “Food of the Gods” according to its Greek name, “Theobroma”.  Interesting!!!