Sugar Savvy

Sometimes “the press” seems to be a little slow on the uptake. Or maybe, in this case, simply stating the obvious: Newsflash! People dig chocolate. Especially women. Just in case you didn’t know. And just in case you haven’t seen and heard enough about it recently, here’s yet another nod to the good stuff on this, the last day of chocolate’s unofficial month.

According to Trend-watching firm Datamonitor, chocolate is “the new coffee” and lists it among the top 10 trends for the coming year. If sitting in nice chairs and eating more chocolate equals “trendy”, I certainly don’t feel compelled to express my individuality. Although, let’s be honest, the herd is really following me…and likely anyone else who spends their time reading a blog called Sugar Savvy.

The latest materialization of this “phenomenon” is, apparently, the “chocolate lounge”. An AP article further projects these chocolate lounges as a “rising trend” for 2006, providing a “sweet and cozy alternative to coffee shops and bars.” Chicago is highlighted as the locale of a handful of such public forums for enjoying what many of us have perhaps been mostly coveting and relishing in private since we’ve had teeth. Scratch that… since we’ve had mouths.

Featured in the article is the Chicago-based (and Mars, Inc.-owned) chain of Ethel’s Chocolate Lounges.

In addition to Ethel’s, this welcome trend can be experienced at Chicago-based Vosges Chocolate Lounge with additional shops in New York and Las Vegas. New York’s Chocolate Bar has also been a favorite in recent years, where loungers can enjoy not only high-end chocolates and pastries, but also a good old New York style egg cream soda.

Fortunately, those of us who adore coffee AND chocolate won’t have to trade one for the other. As Vosges tempts with one of their menu items: “Plunge an exotic truffle into a swirling cappuccino.” Okay. Don’t mind if I do.

The main distinction between the “lounge” and the more traditional chocolate shop/counter such as See’s, Godiva, etc. is that the lounge provides comfortable chairs and couches, music, even wireless internet, encouraging the customer to linger and enjoy the goods. Options at the various lounges include peppermint and spicy hot chocolates (see previous Sugar Savvy posts) chocolates and cocoa for two, chocolates and tea for two, fondue for two, etc. As Ethel’s waxes on their website:

you hold a special place in your heart for chocolate.
now there’s a special place for you to enjoy it.

ethel’s® is for passionate chocolate lovers. it is a place to explore, experience, and enjoy one of life’s greatest pleasures every day.

Similarly, Vosges invites us to “Socialize or daydream in our 1950’s lounge”.

Chicago and New York, of course, are not the only cities to witness these dens of sweet indulgence. Portland’s Pix Patisserie and Sahagun Handmade Chocolates are two outposts in my own city that are championing this “take time to stop and smell (eat) the chocolate” approach to living. Pix hosts free movies every Monday as well as “Concoct Yo Own Dessert” night and “Dim Sum Yum Yum Extravaganza.”

I’ve always felt that eating chocolate on the run, as if an afterthought, was somewhat of a shame. When I eat chocolate, I want to “be” with it, cuddle it, relish it, and absorb it slowly and calmly. Eating chocolate while walking down the street, for example, seems to dishonor the experience. So you might imagine the validation I feel when reading Ethel’s mission statement (above) as well as the hope/suggestion of Elizabeth Montes, the lady behind the magic at Sahagun:

“that chocolate will compel us to stop for a moment and will show us that an already blissful experience can be made even lovelier when we pay attention to this little mystery we all love putting into our mouths.”

Sitting quietly and attentively with one of these little drops from heaven, my arm needs no twisting.