Apr 3, 2008

An Awful Chocolate Experience : (

I have been postponing satisfying my chocolate fix for 4 days now. It was not an easy feat as people around me had to suffer and witness my rarely seen b***hy side. So I decided to end everyone's suffering (including mine!) by walking to nearby Serendra to buy some yummy Mary Grace brownies.

I don't know what came over me to make me turn my back on the Mary Grace cafe and entered Cacao instead. Since it opened, I have been inside the Cacao store (same owner as Candy Corner) for 5 times (excluding today's visit) and have never been enticed to buy any of their stuff, especially upon finding out that the store just buys the chocolates from the US and repacks them here.

Today, I decided to give them a chance.

Upon entering the store, I was greeted with the smell of manufactured chocolate that are not expired, but no longer taste the way they should taste like (Years of experience of buying chocolates in the supermarket have honed my sense of smell on this.). I chided myself for being a snob and promised myself that I will buy from them today, no matter what.

I take a look at the wide selection which did not excite me at all. I should've taken that as an omen, but I wanted to keep my promise. So, I just asked the overeager salesladies for their recommendations and their bestsellers. With much trepidation, I listened to them and got a piece of:
  • Milk Chocolate Truffle
  • Dark Chocolate Cherry
  • Milk Chocolate Cashew Pattie
  • Milk Chocolate Caramel
I paid Php200++ and walked back to the office to eat my chocolates.

I took a bite of the Dark Chocolate Cherry. I was saddened.
I took a bite of the Milk Chocolate Truffle. I was shocked.
I took a bite of the Milk Chocolate Pattie. I felt like how I felt when I receive bad news --- sick in the stomach.
I took a bite of the Milk Chocolate Caramel.

I broke down and cried. : (

I'm not kidding. You have to understand that I take my chocolates seriously. I'm not a snob who only wants dark chocolate or gourmet chocolates. I am equally happy eating the fresh Lindt truffles in Geneva as well as eating a newly delivered box of Curly Tops.

But the chocolates in Cacao were just AWFUL.

And I had to take these awful products after 4 days of suppressing my chocolate cravings.

I was in no mood to go back under the heat to return the chocolate I bought from Cacao today. I just threw them in the trash can and made a new promise to myself --- to listen to my senses, especially when there are strong signals NOT to eat chocolates.

Now I understand why the French, Spaniards, and Italians fought the chocolate battle in the European Union for years, defending what is worthy to be called chocolate. It is just too upsetting to give business to people who claim to sell chocolate, but actually sell garbage, and they just get away with it.

Sadness. : (

Cacao
Serendra, Fort Bonifacio
(You wouldn't really want to go there. Believe me. : ( )