Appropriately scheduled right before Halloween is one of my most favorite days, National Chocolate Day! I do believe there really is a special day for everyone. National Chocolate Day isn't a day just for chocolate lovers but a day for everyone to indulge and enjoy chocolate. So, mark your calendars - National Chocolate Day is October 28th.

How Do You Like Your Chocolate?

There are so many varieties and variations of chocolate. Creamy milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate with a touch of caramel, peanut butter or nuts, fruits dipped in chocolates, chocolate cakes and pies, chocolate mousse. I could go on and on. What will be yours be?

I'm not advocating sitting on your couch all day eating pieces of chocolate...just to enjoy and celebrate a tasty, soul satisfying chocolate. There is a reason why the stuff releases endorphins and makes you happy....it can be euphoric.

Fall is officially here, and so is the schedule of wine festivals! What a great time of year to be outside and enjoying so many wines all in one place!

I attended the 4th Annual Vineyards by the Fountain Wine Festival at City Center Oyster Point on Saturday, September 19, 2009. A host of wines featuring a world tour were provided by Farm Fresh. All wines were priced at $20 or less, with the majority I found being around the $10 price range, even though there were quite a few private label wines featured! My personal rule of thumb in purchasing wine is that you don't need to spend more than $10 per bottle.

Let's take a tour of Europe through my wine tastebuds....

France: I could just hear Julia Child loudly saying "Bon Appetit" as I tasted some of these wines and thought about what they might be paired with. The first wine was French House Pinot Noir. It is said to have dark plum with licorice and dark chocolate flavors. I actually could taste all of these flavors! I also tried the Chave Cote-du-Rhone and though it was said to have a bit of cedar and barnyard on the nose (who wants to smell barnyard??), I could taste the cherry, vanilla and dark chocolate finish. (as you can see from the two I tasted, I was drawn to those that had a chocolate theme!)

Have a sweet tooth? Then check out Virginia's Finest Chocolates by Mary. Since 1993, Virginia Finest Chocolates by Mary has been creating hand made chocolates with loving detail added to each piece. Mary's chocolates are sure to please!

What are your chocolate desires? Do you enjoy creamy milk chocolate, deep dark chocolate or rich white chocolate?

Wine a little...for your health.

Does unfermented grape juice from red grapes contain the same beneficial compounds, such as resveratrol, as red wine?

R. Curtis Ellison, doctor and professor of medicine and public health at Boston University Medical School, says "Grapes, especially Concord red grapes, have many of the polyphenols present in red wine. Some studies have shown that large amounts of red grape juice decrease the stickiness of platelets in the blood, which would lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. The effects of grape juice, however, are much less than those of red wine, as fermentation increases the beneficial effects. Further, much of the protection against heart disease from moderate drinking come from the alcohol itself. So, grape juice is good for you, but wine is better." HOORAY!

Now for your temperature...

Article excerpt Chicago Tribune by W. Daley