Maple vs. Chocolate

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My favorite candy is real maple sugar candy. My last trip to Canada, I bought a little piece of maple candy every night after dinner. And a small bottle of overpriced real maple syrup at the airport. (My Canadian friend Lindsey has a huge bottle of the same brand in her fridge. This is the difference between Americans and Canadians. I only need a small bottle.) I don't make pancakes or waffles, but I love adding a teaspoon or so to a cup of plain (not vanilla) yogurt, along with some wheat germ. (This is also good with honey instead of maple, but I think the maple is better.)

I also brought home a small supply of maple sugar candy from Canada and I love sucking on it until it dissolves on my tongue. I only have two pieces left, and I'm rationing them. Who knows when I will get back to Canada? I love the sweet yet tangy aftertaste of maple. It's a complex flavor. I'd rather eat maple candy than chocolate, except for doughnuts. Maple doughnuts are nasty. And people talk about chocolate syrup for fun? No, no: maple is where it's at. Try it.

I do have a good memory of chocolate, though. My friend Jeff P. and I were sharing a Hershey bar late one night and it was a little cold. He broke off a couple of pieces, took my hand, pulled up my sleeve and set them on the inside of my wrist. I looked at him like he was crazy but he said, "Trust me, just wait a few minutes." True enough, did you know the warmth of your skin softens milk chocolate to the perfect texture to melt in your mouth? It does. It leaves little chocolate outlines on your wrist, but if you have a friend like Jeff who really likes chocolate, he'll take care of that for you with his tongue. Sometimes chocolate wins after all.

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