2011 Halloween Winner & Wrap Up

This year we had only four challengers for our annual Halloween Treat Challenge and none in the same category of treat so I can't declare a winner for each category, only an over all winner.  Let's review the challengers.

In the category of Gorumet, Cocoa Dolce sent their Cranky Jack-O-Lanterns.



In the category of Mass Produced, Praim sent their R.I.P and Bone-Appetit Bars.


In the category

Cover Your Body with Chocolate

With only four challengers for this year's Halloween Treat Challenge we have a free Saturday before the big scary holiday.  Let's move away from food and candies, we'll be getting a lot of that in a few days, yes, and look at other uses for chocolate.  If you'll recall we talked about a chocolate lip gloss over the summer so today I want to share with you this chocolate soap I received a sample

How Do You Celebrate National Chocolate Day?

Ah another fun food holiday involving chocolate, in fact this one, Sisters and Brothers is all about chocolate.  No limitations this time, no added ingredients for you to find, no restrictions on the form your chocolate can take.

Today you can be as creative or as mundane as you wish to be because today is "National Chocolate Day!"

If you'll recall, one of our Challengers for this Halloween

Food Recalls October 24, 2011

Another set of recalls that relate to chocolate.  I try to get these to share with you all, Sisters and Brothers, to help us all stay safe and healthier.

October 12, 2011 - The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) said today it is recalling select containers of Private Selection Extreme Moose Tracks Ice Cream sold in 10 states because it may contain peanuts not listed on the label.
Customers should return

Spooky Creations for Halloween 2011

You have so many choices for Halloween, Sisters and Brothers.  While food blogs every where are full of creative baking ideas what do you do if you don't have that time or skill of your own?  Where can you turn if you want something more personal and completely chocolate for your party or a friend's birthday if they happen to be born near Halloween or simply love the creepy things in life?  You

Watching "Top Chef: Just Desserts" 2.9

The count down to the final is here with only four chefs remaining: Sally, Matthew, Chris and Orlando.  Who was sent home this week and did he/she deserve to go?  Do any of these chefs deserve the title when it comes to desserts?  Let's review what happened this week before you all leave comments and let me know what you thought.

We got more into the back stories of all four chefs and now with

Loving Your Body & Chocolate

Today is National "Love Your Body Day" which is sponsored by the National Organization for Women, a group I've been a member of on and off over the past two decades.

They offer several events you can participate in such as sharing your own struggles with body image as part of the "Let's Talk About It" program or a slide show presentation about how women's body's are over-discussed in terms of

National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Today is "National Chocolate Cupcake Day" so I thought it was a good time to do a product review.  Last week, about 8 days ago really, a friend of mine had a birthday party but he didn't have time to make a cake.  Cake isn't his favorite so I asked if I could make cupcakes for his party.  I figured that was a good way to have single serving sizes.  I let him chose between two types of Fun

Ghirardelli Intense Dark Pairings

Beyond the Annual Halloween Treat Challenge we've been asked to promote and host three other October events.  It has been difficult and so far I've been disappointed that very, very few of you wanted either the chocolate banana smoothie gift pack or the breast cancer gift pack giveaway we've hosted the past two Mondays.  So here is something different for this Monday: No Giveaway!

Instead we

Bulk Chocolate for Halloween 2011

Buying candy for Halloween generally means heading to a grocery store or a discount shop in your hometown for most of us.  What if you do not live very close to such a shop or what if you are so busy you never find the time?  You know what happens when you don't have your lights on and the candy ready to hand out come Monday, October 31, 2011?  That's right.  Here in the USA and other places it

Watching "Top Chef: Just Desserts" 2.8

5 chefs left in the running and their Quickfire and Elimination Challenges were a bit more related than has often been the case. Francois Payard of Payard Patisserie & Bistro was one of the guest judges and he first tasked our group to make the best pie they could.  There was twist because they had to do it with one hand behind their back and in an oven mitt.

My first thought was that this was

Chocolate Walk 2011 Shout Out

This will be the third year that I and a group of folks who read, follow, and volunteer their time to The Chocolate Cult will attend the Chocolate Walk in Brown County to help support their Humane Society.  This is a great charity because they have a great success rate and they use chocolate in two of their major events.

Who has tickets?

Who is going to carpool with us?

Below are all the

Win Pink Together 2011 Gift Pack

BlogSpark has us doing a second neat giveaway for this month.  With Halloween approaching fast you might think we'd be giving away candy, right?  With the Annual Halloween Treat Challenge that would be unfair so I'm glad to have these other opportunities for you all.

As you may know, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also October with National Wear Pink Day on the 28th.  Pink Together is

Cranky Jacks

For our first challenger in the "Best Gourmet Halloween Treat" category for 2011, Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates sent us a box of their Cranky Jack o'Lanterns.  These came packed with just the right amount of materials in the standard Cocoa Dolce box which we've seen before here on The Chocolate Cult.  I wasn't sure what a Cranky Jack was until I unpacked it all and turned the box over where the

Watching "Top Chef: Just Desserts" 2.7

Ah, episode seven of "Top Chefs: Just Desserts" marked a turning point in the show on several levels.

First, the Quickfire Challenge gave a prize, $10,000, but no immunity.  In fact, one chef was sent home immediately after that challenge.  The Quickfire was judged by Mark Isarel, the owner of Doughnut Planet and each chef had to make a donut to go with a cup of coffee.  Only Katzie followed the

Movie Review: Better than Chocolate

This will be our first movie review here on The Chocolate Cult. It is something I've been wanting to do for some time but with everything else I do, it has been pushed to the back.  Well, on Netflix a movie on my list was going to go away so I had to watch it.

This is the 1999 movie "Better Than Chocolate" starring Karyn Dwyer and Christina Cox who play Maggie and Kim, two young lesbians in

Win Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie Prize Pack

Today we are introducing a new type of post here on The Chocolate Cult.  We are part of several foodie, review, blog and communities groups on the Internet.  Recently some of these groups have started doing giveaways and promotions.  When I think a product is related or for a good cause, we'll mention it here so that all of you can hear about it.  The first attempt with an online community of

Scary Big Chocolate Bars

Our first Challenger in our 3rd Annual Halloween Treat Challenge falls into the "Mass Produced" category but their offering is well beyond the bags of candy bars you'll find in most shops this season.  Praim Group retails and makes a lot of different brands but these bars are their own brand.  They have two Halloween designed boxes for their 3.5oz milk and dark chocolate bars: "Bone Appetit" and