A few weeks ago, I was given eleven chocolate bars as a thank you gift from friends. Not just two or three, no, eleven large chocolate bars. The friends had a good laugh, knowing well my oft’ unchecked penchant for chocolate. In an effort to show some restraint, I gave the flavoured ones away, goodbye orange, so long raspberry almond and milky chocolate. I only kept the dark high cocoa content ones, which I don’t really care for much, but are supposed to be better for me. I figured I would eat that chocolate more slowly, a square or two at a time. No need to feel guilty about that little indulgence then. 
But there was another reason to indulge guilt-free, this was not only organic, but also fair trade chocolate, so no child had slaved away making it just so I could have a pre-Easter treat. And what a selection of fair trade brands: Equal Exchange, Theo, Rapunzel, and my new fave, Stone Ground Chiapan by Tazan. The friends bought the bars at PCC Natural Markets in Seattle, Washington, a community owned and operated natural foods store. They tucked in a newsletter with an article on fair trade chocolate. Did you know that fair trade chocolate is now sold boxed too? They were selling some at Whole Foods before Easter and my nephew gave me a box of Belgian fair trade chocolates by Deavas for Christmas last year, he got them at Costco!
The eleven bars didn’t quite last me until Easter, you’ll notice the basket is mostly full of empty wrappers. I seem to be acquiring a taste for this bitter dark chocolate. But with the burden of guilt lifted, I’m hoping the calories will be lighter as well.