Confessions of a Godiva Chocolate Lover

I love chocolate.

*Yawn* Okay, so lots of people love chocolate. And lots of people really, really love chocolate. Some people are even obsessed with chocolate. (That's fair, although I myself wouldn't go that far.)

I was born and raised in NYC, and in fact still live here, so I get to enjoy a plethora of fine chocolates made by the finest chocolatiers in the world who have set up shop in some form or another in Manhattan. Once few and far between, there now are many chocolate shops scattered around the city: La Maison, Neuhaus, Godiva, Jacques, Richart... just to name a few. Even in gourmet food stores and delis, Hershey and Nestle bars have been replaced with "finer" chocolate made by Lindt or Ghirardelli or Green & Black Organic. With all this variety and increased exposure to fine and artisanal chocolate nowadays, many a chocolate snob have been spawned.

Having tasted everything from the very best (during a trip to Belgium and France) to the very worst (sorry, Hershey), I still remain a loyal and committed Godiva Chocolate Lover. Now, I have a number of friends who I would call chocolate snobs (hereafter referred to as CBs) who turn their nose at the mention of Godiva (saying things like "I don't know what all the fuss is about" and "I've had better chocolate"), but funny, whenever I've given them a gift of Godiva chocolate (my old standby for most occasions), I sit there and watch them savor each piece!!

So why all the chocolate snobbery? Not sure. Maybe it's because Godiva's been around for a while, and they're commercial. They've got boutiques not just in the city, but also in malls across the country, including the Midwest. Is that a crime? Does fine chocolate have to be exclusive to be delicious?

I am on a quest to explore the roots of this chocolate snobbery, but also to share my experiences with my favorite Godiva products (part of why I like them so much is because of their array of offerings; there's often new collections or products to discover and enjoy). I'd also like to learn more about chocolate in general; I realized that I know so little about one of my favorite things in the world! I doubt it will change my love for Godiva, since I've loved them since I was little and continue to do so through my adult years, but I think it will probably enhance my appreciation. We'll see how it goes.