Next weekend is the Smooth Festival of Chocolate.
Last year Danita and I attended this event and I had to admit I’d reached my limit with chocolate.
Not wanting to suffer the same fate this year, I’ve gone into training in preparation.
This involves an exhaustive regime with regular exercising.
Each evening we have a hot chocolate consisting of milk (soy, rice or dairy depending on circumstances), cacao, vanilla and cinnamon.
Cointreau has also be used on occasion for an additional touch.
A piece of dark chocolate is our regular desert option.
As it’s now the final week I’ve ramped up my training regime.
Yesterday was the Emerge Spring Fair held at Chatswood.
As we’re a few minutes walk from the heart of Chatswood we went along to enjoy the parade and local event.
While wandering around we came across Royce’ – a shop selling Japanese chocolate (and yes the ‘ is part of the name).
They were offering tasting and so we tried a range of intriguing chocolates finally buying a champagne flavoured one.
One of the fascinating products they have is chocolate coated potato chips – sounds weird but tastes great.
Each evening we have a piece of champagne chocolate – all part of my training of course.
Some time ago there was an article about the Top 10 Hot Chocolates in Sydney and I decided that a sensible weekend activity would be to make sure we visited each one – a bit like a chocolate bucket list.
Today, we visited the Sadhana Kitchen in Enmore a raw food, organic, vegan cafe.
The place was packed (always a good sign) and we had to put our names on a waiting list to get in – not a long wait though.
We had a Mexican Hot Chocolate and a Chocolate-Hug-In-A-Mug, together with a Tim Tam (their version of one – bearing a remarkably close resemblance) and Caramel Slice.
Considering everything was raw, dairy free, gluten free, organic and the drinks are not heated past 40 degrees it was quite amazing.
(One thing I have noticed in all my research – it’s really hard to get a good hot chocolate anywhere, that isn’t sickly sweet.)
Now, we’re home, it’s dinner time and I’m due for another training run.
Just as well chocolate is good for your health – both mental and physical.
Certainly beats getting hot and sweaty at the gym.