For the Love of Chocolate

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Yes, I know Valentine's Day isn't until tomorrow.  But I'm still going to tell you about my plans because my sweetie already knows and because of his work schedule we won't be celebrating until Friday night anyway.  So I figure this will spread the celebration of a made-up so we can spend money we don't really have Hallmark holiday out for 3 days instead of the requisite 1.  I sound more like a Puritan than a hopeless romantic don't I?

But I assure you, romance ranks high on my list of things necessary for a good life!  I just think we ought to show our love for each other every day so that the spectacle of this single mid-February day designated for gawdy displays of gushy sentiment and red and pink hearts and chocolate and half-dead flowers is something we do for fun and not as a spending spree obligation to make our loved ones feel loved.

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So to further both romance and a spread of chocolate delight we are celebrating Friday with a late night chocolate fondue.  For dipping we'll have strawberries, pound cake, marshmallows, brownie bites, bits of eggless cookie dough (so you can safely eat it raw - not than an egg has ever stopped ME!), Oreos and maybe another item or two if something impresses me when I'm perusing the grocery store isles tomorrow.

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And I'm going to slightly modify a fondue recipe from FOLK Magazine to become this:

Chocolate Fondue

1 quart heavy whipping cream
16 oz of your favorite chocolate (milk, dark, chips, bar, baking, etc.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbl cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, maybe a bit more if needed to sweeten/thicken

In my electric fondue pot (or you can do it stovetop with a double boiler) I'll heat the cream on medium high just to boiling then add the chocolate and stir until it's all melted.  Next add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Turn the pot to its very lowest setting and let the dipping, smiling and happy times begin.

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I love that we do things like this, not just to mark holidays and special occasions, but just because it's fun to celebrate a random Tuesday now and then!

Life can get so busy with all its little details that it becomes easy to push romance to the background.  I don't want to ever allow that to happen so I'm seeking out the silly and thoughtful little gestures in each and every day not just Valentine's.

But if you really want to send me some heart shaped chocolates... I won't say no!


UPDATE:
Here's how our belated Valentine's chocolate fondue spread turned out.  Finally decided on brownie bites, pound cake bites, Oreo Mega Stuff Cookies, Strawberries, Bananas, Krispy Kreme Donut Holes, and a mix of heart shaped pink and white marshmallows with heart sprinkles and graham cracker crumbs for after-dip toppers.

Chocolate induced coma complete!