To see how chicken and chocolate should go together, pay a visit to the Domestic Goddess in Training.  She’ll give you the recipes for this delicious looking dinner:

 

It’s Memorial Day weekend, which means summer is here! Oprah has already handpicked "Oprah’s Favorite Things for Summer" which she gave away on an episode where the female audience shrieked, hugged, cried and freaked out over their loot. (If you want to see the hysteria, check out this clip that The Huffington Post put together.)

What did they get? 
1. A turkey burger recepie
2. A gas grill
3. A swimsuit
4. Makeup
5. A tote bag
6. A GPS navigation system
7. A $200 gift card for Mariott
8. A cookbook
9. Oprah’s latest book club pick

Well, they can have it. I’m much happier with my birthday loot, which I received last week. I give you: Charlene The Bon Bon Queen’s Favorite Birthday Presents to Kick Off Her Summer:

1. Super sexy black and white plaid Sacha London shoes that I will be wearing with the outfit I’ve selected for my brother’s upcoming wedding (Thanks, Mom!)

2. Renewal of my AAA membership to keep me safe and covered on the road (Thanks, Mom!)

3. A plush pink terry bathrobe that matches my husband’s cream one so we can enjoy our morning coffee in style in our breakfast nook (Thanks, mon cheri!). It replaces a ratty "free-gift-with-purchase" one that I’ve been wearing for the past few years.

4. A year-supply of contact lenses. (Thanks, Dad!) Since my vision is classified as "legally blind" and I’m an avid reader and visual person, the gift of sight is a big one!

5. The cutest little purse-sized card holder with small business card-sized cards called: "My little box of Magic Messages!", 14 tiny juicylucy fairy cards for sending magic, love and light into the world! I love this idea and the cards are too cute for words. They say things like: "a little thank you" and "you radiate beauty" and "you’re a star" - I can’t wait to sprinkle some fairy love around the world.

6. A hilarious birthday card from my husband that still has me laughing today.

7. A Happiness Spa Treatment package from a friend who is an expert at bringing out the goddess in others (Thank you, Elvira!). I will savor every minute of the pampering.

8. And the most surprising gift of all-kayak lessons from Pascal. Being the sort of girly-girl who grew up walking laps so she wouldn’t have to show off her supreme lack of physical coordination in gym class; being the sort of pampered queen who thinks staying at a motel instead of a hotel is "roughing it in the wilderness"; being a fair-skinned, sun-sensitive, mosquito magnet that I am; you might think that I would be less than thrilled with kayak lessons. But I love this gift. Why? Because kayaking is my husband’s passion. It has always been "his" thing, his way of escaping from the daily stresses of running (and living!) our business. If he is willing to share his passion with me, if he wants me to be a part of his relaxing escape, then I am honored. I’ll probably look like the kayaker in the first photo, but if my husband sees my potential to be the smooth and confident kayaker in the second photo, then that is a gift more valuable than anything Oprah can give away on TV. I promise to let you know how those kayak lessons go…

For the past few days, we’ve been preparing for a private, custom party for that will include fine wines and delicious food creations.  Some of my favorite items off of the six-course menu include ratatouille-stuffed tomatoes; salmon grilled on cedar planks and served with a Dijon crème sauce; and goat cheese and cranberry stuffed pork tenderloin. It’s a foodie’s dream…and for the two of us executing this culinary feast, it can be a foodie’s nightmare. Only one store in town sells white asparagus. When we went yesterday to get it, they were sold out! A truck was scheduled to arrive this morning with a load of produce, but there was no guarantee that white asparagus would be on the truck. Only a foodie would add "please let the grocery store have white asparagus tomorrow" into her bedtime prayers. Luckily, my prayers were answered. The white asparagus has arrived, and Pascal is on his way to the store to select the best stalks.

We weren’t so lucky with the brussel sprouts. We thought brussel sprouts pan-roasted with garlic and dill would be a great accompaniment to the stuffed pork tenderloin. Unfortunately, the produce vendors in the area didn’t agree. We couldn’t find fresh ones anywhere! So, we had to settle for haricots verts instead (that’s thin French green beans for those of you who don’t take your vegetables as seriously as we do).

So, here is the question: is one born a foodie or does one become a foodie? It’s one of those causality dilemmas like "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" My answer? "I don’t really care; I like both!" Seriously, I think that perhaps one is born loving food, but one develops into a foodie.

As a three-year-old, I spent countless hours playing in my toy kitchen. I had a mini-refrigerator, a tiny stove, and a wooden sink with no plumbing. As an eight-year-old, I coveted my cousin’s Mini Bake Oven. In my teens, I moved into my mother’s kitchen to bake cookies and cheesecakes and apple crumbles. Despite having grown up on such delicacies as canned mushrooms and tuna noodle casserole, I still loved food. Years later, I would rediscover a kitchen that reminded me of my first wooden toy kitchen. In my apartment in Paris I had a college-sized refrigerator, a hot plate, and a sink that looked like the ones you find in airplane lavatories.  But it was in that kitchen that I created some of my most memorable meals and began my education as a true foodie. I quickly learned that the magic of food is not dependent on the latest sub-zero freezer and fire brick oven; it’s about the ingredients, the chemistry, and that "je ne sais quoi" a person who truly adores food adds to the taste of even the simplest of meals.

I lived in Paris, I loved in Paris, and I eventually married a Frenchman from the restaurant world – talk about a foodie’s dream! For years, I worked for a cruise line and traveled to Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Israel, Mexico and lots of other countries where cuisine is king. I’ve eaten fish caught before my eyes in Mediterranean waters; I’ve sipped Madeira in Madeira; Ive savored Mejoul dates right off the palm trees in Israel; I’ve devoured warm croissants from the best bakeries in France. I became a foodie, but a food snob, I am not. I also love Chick-Fil-A sandwiches slathered in mayonnaise, cream cheese icing straight from the can, Doritos, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, and on rare occasions, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

I’ll try anything once – including fried fish heads, a delicacy in Cyprus – and I like just about everything. The short list of things I just don’t eat is pretty darn short:  oysters, octopus, pig’s feet, and those fried fish heads. Being a true Francophile, I do like escargots, pate, duck, rabbit, frog’s legs, caviar, and stinky cheeses. Our business may be hand-dipped chocolate bon bons, but we love all kinds of food. In upcoming weeks, I’ll be bringing you a series of foodie blog entries. I’ll share ideas, recipes, and philosophy on everything culinary, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, bon appetit!

We’ve spent the past month celebrating the joys of parenting with our Bon Bon Mom of the Year Contest; now let’s take a look at the flip side! Check out this commercial featuring a young kid throwing a first-class temper tantrum at the grocery store because he wants to eat bonbons (meaning any “candy” in French). You’ll be surprised at the product the commercial is promoting! A word of advice: you may want to lower the volume on your computer!

No temper tantrums necessary to get a taste of our delicious bon bon treats. It’s as simple as placing an order online or by telephone.

P.S. Many people say our bon bons are better than…well, you know…