When Chocolate is a Passion

Yesterday I went back to grocery-shop at Epicure Imports, the gourmet-French-food warehouse. Located in the heart of gritty North Hollywood, Epicure opens its doors to the public a couple times a year. This time Lovely Daughter #1 came with me. She's a very good cook and experienced foodie, so I knew she'd love the place.

The pattern is now becoming familiar: Declare to your partner that there's really nothing much you need, "let's just go up and down the aisles and look at the wonderful packaging," and then feign surprise when suddenly your shopping cart is full-to-heaping with cheeses, butters, duck "prosciutto," flavored grainy mustards, dried fruits, shelled hazelnuts, and bars of chocolates.

Oh, those chocolates! I passed these beauties up the first time I visited, several months back. (How could I have done that?) I've been dreaming of them ever since. Just look at the gorgeous packaging:

These bars are so beautiful, I don't know whether to eat them or wallpaper a powder room with them. And such glorious flavors. Praline:

 ...and raspberry. This one is for Lovely Daughter #2, who adores chocolate-raspberry pairings. (And who just happens to have gotten in to Harvard for grad school.)

Sorry; I can't help but boast a little bit, we are all so proud of her! She deserves a chocolate bar for that, dontcha think? Anyhow, hazelnut:

...and my personal favorite, salted caramel, round out the haul:

The little town square on the label intrigues me so. I want to live here! I want to sit in that plaza and drink teensy cups of espresso. I want my little flat to be just across the way from that building with the Gothic windows on the right side. Is it a church? I miss European church bells....

The back side of the chocolate bars all have this saying: "When chocolate is a Passion!"

That's every day, around here.