Chocolate lovers everywhere appreciate quality. Good ingredients make good chocolate and Belgian chocolate has a reputation for being the best. This may have been the boast of the Swiss at one time, before the Belgians raced ahead. There is a long tradition of chocolate making in Belgium, which only needed a good marketing campaign to bring it to the attention of the rest of us. There are even chocolate museums there!

In 1912, the filled chocolate recipe known as the praline was invented in Belgium. The residents there have always been fond of exchanging chocolates as presents and they are very proud of the worldwide popularity of their export. The key to the high standard of Belgian chocolate lies in the selection of the best cocoa seeds and other ingredients. It’s apparent when inferior cocoa is used in any chocolate as it leaves an unpleasant after taste. Good chocolate always gives a rich, full flavor, which lingers in the mouth. The Belgian manufacturing process is done mainly by hand, including the final decoration.

The range of products is wide, with different center fillings in plain, milk and white chocolate. The attention to quality applies to the packaging too, and Belgian chocolate makes the ideal gift, all tied up in a ribbon. Fillings include liqueurs, fruit, caramel, buttercream, ganache and mocha. There is also nougat, whipped cream, ginger, almonds, coffee, cinnamon spice and rum. If you feel like experimenting with unusual flavors, there is coriander, lime or jasmine tea.

Chocolate can be taken in many forms and is gorgeous in chocolate mousse, cake and truffles. Belgian chocolate that is used in cooking will make everything taste better than normal. It’s also a good idea for chocolate fountains. This marvelous invention is all the rage for parties and receptions. They are the answer to a chocoholic’s prayer, with rivers of warm, liquid chocolate. The idea is to dip things like fruit and biscuits into the chocolate goo. Strawberries and bananas work very well, as do marshmallows and fudge. You can get Belgian chocolate refills for the fountain, so you never have to run out. You can even dismantle the fountain to put in the dishwasher.

Continental chocolate in general has much to teach the rest of the world. Some chocolate is overfilled with milk or sugar, preventing the full flavor of the cocoa to come through. The Aztecs knew the value of the cocoa bean and didn’t have any sugar to sweeten it.

There is nothing more relaxing after a horribly stressful day, than taking a well deserved bubble bath. I escape to the bathroom to submerge myself into a warm and inviting bubble bath. I make sure there are the perfect amount of bubbles and that the water temperature is just right. And, what bubble bath is complete without a few candles glowing in the background. I dim the lights and let the scent of the burning candles engulf me as I slip into the bubble bath. I love to sink down in the water until the bubbles touch my neck. I close my eyes and let the bubble bath relax my muscles and free my mind. Sometimes that is easier said than done, but it has to be done. Everyone should be able to escape to a bubble bath at least once a week. A bubble bath is not only a means of getting away from the rest of the chaos in the household, but it is very therapeutic.

If you get the proper bubble bath soap, the aroma can do wonders for your senses and relaxation. I tend to try to use lavender scented bubble bath to calm me down after a horrible day. I also love anything that has a light floral fragrance. If you have some of the same scented candles, before you know it, you can lose yourself in your own bathroom. Sometimes, when my boyfriend has a terrible day, I try to coax him into taking a bubble bath. I tell him that he can relax and that no one will bother him. I offer candles and all kinds of different soaps. He always refuses, telling me that a bubble bath is something that only women should do. I constantly tell him that he definitely wouldn’t regret it and would most likely end up wanting a bubble bath frequently. He has no clue what he’s missing. It is amazing what excuses he comes up with to not take a bubble bath. For as hard as he works, he deserves a bubble bath every now and then. Apparently it would be compromising his manhood.

I personally love to shop at Bath & Body Works to get all of my bubble bath necessities. They always have heavenly new scents of soaps and lotions, even candles. With some of their supplies, I know that a bubble bath is something I just cannot live without. I just have to figure out how to convince my boyfriend of that fact.