Hi! My name is Stephanie Zonis, and welcome to the February 2003 edition of “For Chocolate Lovers Only”. Each month, you’ll find recipes, tips, and recommendations on great chocolate specialties. Happy Valentine’s Day to all my readers! If your sweetheart has a sweet tooth, you’re in luck; this month’s recipes range from put-together-in-ten-minutes easy to birthday-party extravagant. Let’s get into the kitchen!

Chocolate Recommendation of the Month: Skip the flowers and give the cologne a miss this year; Cupid’s got a brand-new arrow in his Valentine’s Day quiver. This month’s Chocolate Recommendation is Enric Rovira’s Chocolate a la Taza, currently setting my little heart a-flutter whenever I think about it. This is drinking chocolate for hardcore cocoa-heads: hot, thick, and very bittersweet. It’s like Love; it will rock your world and leave you dazed and confused. Chocolate a la Taza emerges from its package looking suspiciously dessicated, but you need only inhale its glorious aroma to know you are on the right track. A few short minutes of stovetop preparation, with perhaps the addition of a bit of sugar, and your tastebuds will be dancing a suave sarabande.

Enric Rovira, the Brains Behind the Bittersweet, hails from Barcelona, where he also makes Bombolas (caramelized, then chocolate-covered edibles in several varieties—try the almonds!), Rajoles (miniature chocolate “tiles”), and other delights, including a beautiful “Planetarium” assortment. Where to find these products? I have found three sources, but there may be others. Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor (www.zingermans.com) has the drinking chocolate only. Chefshop (www.chefshop.com) has both the drinking chocolate and the “Planetarium” (click on “Chocolates”, then on “Drinking Chocolate” or “Boxes and Bags”, respectively). Supposedly, The Spanish Table (http://thespanishtable.hypermart.net) carries a number of Rovira products; call if you cannot find them on the site. Finally, if you have trouble finding any of these chocolates, contact Power-Selles Imports, the exclusive importer (www.psimports.net or (206) 783-5823). Prices vary widely, so shop around. Sip a mug of Chocolate a la Taza for breakfast, brunch, or an evening-by-the-fire snuggle. Senor Rovira, muchas gracias!

Do you have a comment, question, or suggestion? You can reach me at: sdziadwm@nac.net. Because I receive too much junk mail, please specify in the subject line that you’re writing about something chocolate. Thank you!