A Blog Post for Dave Finley

So, a few people have asked me to keep my blog going, but I think my biggest fan (according to my Dad) is Dave Finley! So this one's for you, Dave.

I know I promised to finish postings about Australia when I got home. Well, I haven't exactly broken that promise, as I'm still home and my trip is over. But I will admit that I've been taking my own sweet time. Sorry! The holidays were a bit hectic, and the Seattle Public Library is completely reorganizing, which has impacted me directly in an extreme way. But I hereby promise to TRY to post once a week. We'll see how it goes!

In post-Australia news, both boxes of stuff that I sent home to myself via seamail arrived relatively intact! I had wondered how that would go. So I've been sending out everyone's Christmas presents this month, which has been really fun. Also, the children's books I received as gifts, and also some that I bought, arrived in the packages, so I've done two Australia story times. The kids loved them! Many children's librarians in Australia that I met recommended a series called "Aussie Gems". I figured if Aussies were recommending them, then they had to be true to the spirit of Australia. They were such hits at story time, that I've ordered the entire rest of the series from my friend, Nella, who works at Fuller's Bookshop in Launceston, Tasmania (http://www.fullersbookshop.com.au/launceston.html). I also had photographs of Aussie animals and Aussie money for the kids to see, and I used the song that Nancy Stewart wrote specifically for our trip to Oz (http://www.nancymusic.com/SOM/2009/walkin-in-the-outback.htm). The whole thing was a blast, and I've packaged it up as a kit for other SPL children's librarians to use.

In other news, a friend and I went on the Tour de Chocolat, a chocolate tour of Seattle (http://www.sschocolatebox.com/center/event.php?event_id=45). Oh, my heavens to Betsy. It was so fun, and so delicious, and I am just awash in chocolate!

I'm currently sitting in Barnes & Noble, and it is filled with people reading, shopping, doing homework, and working on laptops. Pretty much the same thing they do at the library, so why is it so much quieter? Seriously, except for the music, it's like a tomb in here, even though it's full. How does that happen?

Whip

So last night I tried a Cadbury Whip candy bar. It was okay. The wrapper says, "Lightly whipped Nougat with creamy caramel covered in Cadbury dairy milk chocolate." Sadly, the nougat tasted weird to me. The caramel and chocolate were delicious, but the nougat left a strange aftertaste.

Result? I won't be having another one.

Lindt Cafe

Okay, this is a chocolate review that has nothing to do with Australia chocolate, but which must be included. While we were in Melbourne, we found out there was a Lindt Cafe, and I decided that I HAD to go. You see, I had been a bit teased by Alex in Sydney. During a lunch break during our presentation in Sydney we walked by one, but didn't have time to go in. Alex tried to make it easier on me by telling me that service was horrible, the food wasn't that great, and the chocolate was only okay. Sadly, Alex's plan was thwarted by the rest of humanity. As soon as everyone found out I love chocolate, they would immediately ask if I'd been to the Lindt Cafe, contradicting everything poor Alex tried to do. Alas, we had to leave Sydney immediately afterward.

So as you can see, once I found out there was a Lindt Cafe in Melbourne, visiting became a priority. I dragged Nancy along, which was very nice of her, because we went for breakfast, and Nancy usually eats nice, healthy breakfasts. We both ordered croissants with chocolate dipping sauce. I would just like to say that it was on the breakfast menu, so I felt perfectly legit ordering it. Unsurprisingly, it was pure heaven. The croissants were just out of the over and all buttery, and the chocolate dipping sauce was perfect: not quite milk, not quite dark, just in between, and perfectly smooth. It felt like velvet on my tongue. My croissant didn't use all of the dipping sauce, so I asked for a spoon and ate all of the rest of it like soup. It was unbelieveable.

Result? Two thumbs up for the Lindt Cafe in Melbourne. And I'd give it more if I had more thumbs.

Jaffas

Sorry I've been lax on my chocolate reviews. Even though I've not been blogging, trust me, I have been eating.

Today's topic is Jaffas. Some of you may recall from an earlier post that I was eating a Jaffa muffin on the Central Coast while men in budgie smugglers walked by. That muffin is based on a candy called Jaffas. They are candy-covered orange chocolate, but the pieces are big, not small like M&Ms. Each Jaffa is just smaller than a gum ball. They are very delicious, but you can't eat a bag of them. I love orange chocolate, but for me at least, it's a type of chocolate I can only eat in small doses.

Result? I love them, but eating only a few at a time.