Falling off the Wagon

I didn't swear off candy or anything for Lent (after our 'hell-i-day' over Christmas and New Year are you kidding me??), but I've been 'good' in the sense I haven't eaten too much candy, chocolate or sweets otherwise lately. So I guess it was inevitable the pendulum would swing the other way, or maybe its just the gorgeous spring weather, or the chocolate bunny on the Easter table, or the mind-set that wants to further sabotage my thighs for the summer, but I've been a bit sweet-obsessed this past week.

My #1 favorite candies are Jordan almonds. It's sooooo hard to find really good JA's, though. Sigh. Like Pecou from France. (Not wanting to be too high-maintenance or anything). I went on their web site and was dismayed they didn't have JAs on there -- maybe I didn't navigate it that well. I've tried five other brands, and they've all been too sweet, too stale, too tasteless...Unfortunate because they are all expensive. Mom claims she found Pecou at the Kroger we both frequent, but I've never seen 'em, and I keep scoping it out. I rationed them out to one or two a day -- they came in a small package -- but they've gone now and I can't find any more.

#2 is a great, natural chocolate from Z Chocolat from France (see a pattern?). Excy stumbled upon their web site years ago searching for a way to buy a brand he bought for Valentines Day when we were in England one year. When he couldn't buy Charbonnel et Walker (the Queen's chocolate, they advertise), he decided to try Z out. You must eat Z Chocolat within 7 days because the chocolates are natural. Each piece is hand made, with a particularly high cocoa content and relatively low fat and sugar, and with organic ingredients. No preservatives mean they don't last long before getting stale (so they warn; that's never been tested at our house). Hey, no problem. Just following the 'rules.' Though I do find it exceedingly hard to share. But, we (sob) had to give up on Z C after several years because they only ship DHL and DHL, at least where we live, provides shitty service. At least four times they haven't delivered the chocolate in a timely fashion, and they've also come all melted (my birthday falling in August -- unfortunately for a chocolate delivery). But taste some of these and you'll never glance towards a Godiva counter again.

#3 is a maple sugar candy mom gives us each Christmas from Vermont. (Thanks, mom). She also keeps us stocked in real maple syrup (which I just read was good for your health - but I knew that). If you don't eat them within a few months, they'll crystallize, though believe me, this is also no problemo.

Finally, on the (much, much) lower end of the scale, are items like Snickers and Raisonets and Hershey's with almonds. (Did I just hear you sigh in relief?) Those all do in a pinch. Hum.....getting hungry now....