Setback in my experiment

There are two chocolate shops in town. One is supposed to be *the* shop. *The* best chocolates ever. Near as I can tell, from whisperings and the bits of town history I've picked up, the other is actually run by either the guy who used to run *the one*, or the former partner of the guy who runs *the one*. So, most people I talk to think that *the one* is *the* one. But then, if you listen closely, you will hear some detractors who believe that the other is actually *the* one.

I've decided to decide for myself. So, occasionally, I conduct random taste samples. To be fair about the process, I generally stick to buying chocolates that both stores sell. So mint smoothies and milk chocolate rum creams or butter creams. Sometimes I throw in a couple extra pieces just to try a new flavour. Like lemon creams, or rose buds, or maple creams. Or caramels. Or peanut butter.

The theoretical scientific approach never quite works out. The stores are on two different streets. So I've generally finished the chocolates from the one store by the time I arrive at the other. Two flaws in my scientific method therefore arise:

1) My palette has been tainted, and my appetite for chocolate sated, by the time I hit the second store, which, I think, greatly affects my ability to make an objective decision.

2) When I hit the second store, I usually end up deciding to try something different instead of eating the same flavour again, because why limit yourself in this life? :p So I'm never actually comparing two rum butter creams, because, well, the maple cream just *sounds* so good and I already had a rum butter cream today!

So, I haven't been able to make a final decision (though I am leaning one way on the mint smoothies - I just have to test one more time to verify).

And then I hit a major setback. Something I, a milk-chocolate lover, never expected.

I've developed an addiction to the dark raspberry truffle!

Every time I walk into the one store, I am immediately drawn to the dark raspberry truffle. Even worse, I don't even make it to *the* store, because they don't have the dark raspberry truffle. And why would I have a chocolate and NOT get the dark raspberry truffle?!

So, my experiment has come to a complete standstill. And I've had THREE dark raspberry truffles in THREE weeks!

Today, things got worse. Right next to the raspberry truffles were hazelnut liquer truffles. I hadn't tried these yet. I should've just ignored them. Instead I bought one (as well as the dark raspberry truffle).

It was, hands down, the second most nearly-orgasm-inducing sweet I've ever had in my life.

(First goes to a heavenly chocolate raspberry truffle cake (anyone noticing a theme here? :p) that defies description, at Sotto Sotto. Seriously, whether it was the three glasses of wonderful full-bodied red wine, the pulsing music in the background, or the silky smoothness of the chocolate cake with raspberry flavouring and raspberry sauce, I don't know - all I know is that even just the memory of that dessert is enough to almost send me over the edge, but I digress).

The hazelnut liqueur truffle. Heaven dipped in chocolate! I hesitate to make such a bold statement, but I do believe it may be better than the dark raspberry truffle. :o

So, now, I'm addicted to two different truffles. Which, of course, are more expensive than the basic chocolates originally planned as test subjects. So now, I'll be broke *and* fat. Wonderful.

Plus, my experiment is completely off-track. How will I ever make recommendations to visitors?! Perhaps I'll just have to use them as additional test subjects.

The Ultimate Rejection

Thursday night, as I was tidying the kitchen, I had this sudden revelation. Tomorrow is garbage day! My first garbage day at my new house! So I collect all my garbage and put it in shiny new black plastic bags. I grab my 3 bags and wander down to the end of my driveway*, decide upon a "garbage bag location" (being such a creature of habit, I knew once I selected a spot, that would be it) and neatly plact by 3 bags in a little triangle-type shape. There. I put my garbage out for the first time at my new house.

Friday I come home from work. And there is my garbage. I stop in the middle of the road (one bag had moved to the middle of my driveway). I look around. Did they not come? But no, my neighbour's can is empty and the house down the street that had bags out no longer has bags. So they must have come. My garbage was rejected?! I doubt there is any worse feeling than having your garbage rejected. Here they are - people who are supposed to take the crappiest stuff on the planet, and they're rejecting my stuff!

I pull over to the side of the road so I can remove the bag from my driveway. My kind (and ever watchful) neighbour from across the street comes out and asks if I had stickers on them. Stickers? Yes, stickers. I apparently live in one of those towns where I have to decorate my bags so they'll be taken away. The garbage men must be kindergarteners. So now I must find stickers. So that my garbage will be accepted and taken away.

Rejection of my garbage - talk about lowest of the low. Next week my garbage will be #1!