Cheerful Chocolate Spirit

06/02/2026

Today is National Rocky Road Day! WooHoo!! Rocky road ice cream is a delicious dessert with an interesting culinary history. In 1929, after the stock market crash, a man named William Dreyer (the founder of Dreyer Ice Cream) calmed his Black Thursday nerves by creating the original rocky road. He mixed chunky almonds, mini marshmallows, and delicious milk chocolate ice cream to create a new ice cream flavor that would make people smile despite the tough economic times. It instantly became an American favorite and soon became popular all over the world.

Did you know that in Australia, people add jam to their rocky road ice cream? And in the United Kingdom, they add cherries and raisins! Celebrate National Rocky Road Day with a delicious rocky road ice cream sundae. Yum!

05/20/2026

05/19/2026

"Chocolate is happiness you can eat."— Ursula Kohaupt

05/03/2026

What a wonderful day for a chocolate walk!

05/03/2026

The start of a great chocolate day!

05/01/2026

I can totally relate, how about you?

05/01/2026

Do you know what today is??? Well its National Chocolate Parfait Day of course!!!

Enjoying a delicious chocolate parfait on today, May 1, would be the perfect way to complete your day, or start it (no judgement here). I will leave that up to you to decide. I'm simply providing you with an opportunity to indulge on this scrumptious food holiday. You can add fresh fruit and make it a bit healthier. Be creative and enjoy!

04/29/2026

FYI - So, today is National Stop Food Waste Day. Food waste worldwide is an alarming issue. That is why on the last Wednesday in April, Stop Food Waste Day raises awareness of the growing concern of food waste.

My public safety announcement is to remind everyone that CHOCOLATE rarely goes bad in terms of safety, but it does lose quality over time. It can LAST FOR YEARS PAST ITS "BEST BEFORE" DATE, though it may develop a whitish coating (bloom) or lose some flavor. Dark chocolate lasts longest, while milk/white chocolate can spoil faster due to dairy content - still good though....

I am here to help. So enjoy it while it is fresh and tasty. I encourage you to discover new recipes that allow you to makeover leftovers of any excess chocolate. Place melted chocolate in the freezer to firm it up and resolve any chocolatey mess. Donate and share chocolate if you have too much (I've never had this problem, but I suppose it is possible). I hope that this helps. Go forward and have a fabulous day!!

-Cheerful Chocolate Spirit

04/22/2026

Hello Chocolate Lovers! Today I am thinking about a healthy, blended dark chocolate snack. I heard that combining ashwagandha, saffron, and dark chocolate can effectively manage high cortisol, a primary stress hormone (I swear that my cortisol must be off the charts). Ashwagandha acts as a potent adaptogen reducing cortisol, while saffron improves mood and emotional balance. Dark chocolate provides antioxidants that help lower cortisol and reduce stress-related symptoms. This sounds like a wonderful mix! I'll definitely keep you know how this turns out.

Key Ingredients for Cortisol Management:
Ashwagandha (300mg-600mg daily): A powerful adaptogenic herb that lowers serum cortisol levels and helps manage stress. It has been shown to improve sleep quality and reduce stress-related fatigue. It can be taken safely for 4-8 weeks to see maximum benefit.
Saffron (approx. 30mg daily): Helps improve mental wellbeing, mood regulation, and lowers perceived anxiety. It has been shown to modulate the stress response, helping to lower stress hormones and improve emotional resilience.
Dark Chocolate: Contains polyphenols and antioxidants that directly reduce cortisol and help relax blood vessels. It is suggested that consistent, moderate consumption is effective for stress management.

04/21/2026

Secret to my motivation management…