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I have to make a couple disclaimers here:
First, if you don’t like chocolate, I’ll see you in a
couple days. Best to stop reading now.
Second, this research was done as a service to you, the readers. I
didn’t conduct it as an excuse to eat a lot of chocolate.
Ok, that second one may not be entirely true. But moving to the
point of this article –
I’m an admitted chocoholic. Worse than that, I’m a
snobby one – I love those expensive, dark chocolates with
fancy names and ridiculously high cocoa contents. When I was
pregnant with Madeleine, I remember being shocked and dismayed that
I spent my whole first trimester NOT WANTING CHOCOLATE. Honestly, I
thought it’d be the worst part of the pregnancy; how could I
be robbed of one of my biggest joys? But no matter how I tried, the
thought of chocolate didn’t get me excited.
Fortunately for me, the phase passed and I
hit four months of pregnancy with a chocolate vengeance. It got me
thinking, though – pregnant women have weird cravings for
specific things, and chocolate’s no exception.
Then Maddie was born, and I discovered a deep craving for a
specific chocolate cookie I make. I’d made a batch before she
was born and frozen them for one of my vague food
“emergencies”; the “emergency” ended up
being a lactating mommy with her head in the freezer at 2 a.m.
These cookies hit the spot so well that I’ve come to call
them the “New Mommy Cookies” and have made them for
several post-partum friends, always to great success.
At this point, I realized that there was a hole out there in the
world. No one had ever looked at chocolate specifically from the
point of view of a pregnant or post-partum woman. Never one to
shirk from a job that would help a fellow mommy, I undertook a
great research adventure several months ago. I’ve scoured
small chocolate stores across the country for quirky, unique, or
just plain good chocolates that seem to satisfy some sort of
maternal itch. At several of the stores, I spoke to the owners and
got feedback on what they’ve noticed pregnant women buying.
As for my criteria, I had very few:
First, the chocolate has to be available online. Only fair to you
guys.
Second, the chocolate has to be good quality, reasonably priced
(though not as cheap as, say, a Hershey Bar).
Third, I was looking for flavors/texture combinations that I
thought would appeal to pregnant women and new moms. You know what
I’m talking about: that indefinable itch your mouth has that
nothing else will satisfy. Salty, creamy, crunchy, sweet, whatever
– there’s something for everyone here. Several
girlfriends bravely offered to help out with the sampling and gave
their opinions.
Fourth, I wanted reasonably small stores. With the exception of my
hero, Jacques Torres, you won’t find a nationally well-known
name like Godiva here.
Fifth, I had to like it. I’ve sampled every single item I
recommend here. I know, I know, the sacrifice. I tasted before my
current pregnancy as well as during, so I know there’s
something for everyone here. And by the way, when I told my husband
the house was about to start filling up with chocolates from all
across the country, but not to worry it was in the name of
research, his comment was sarcastic and unprintable. But he let me
do it anyway.
So I’ve compiled a final list. That’s the good news.
The bad news? I’ve already taken up my daily allotted space
telling you about it, so you’ll have to wait until tomorrow
to see the actual list. I promise, it’s worth the wait.
Ladies, see you tomorrow – and bring your pens and
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