It’s always marvelous to find another who understands that chocolate truly is a medicinal substance, essential for staying vital and heart-healthy and - above all - deliciously happy. So we’re delighted to discover szlea’s pick of Chocolat Michel Cluizel’s 20 dram vial of cocoa nibs. Filled with roasted cacao beans covered in 60-percent-cocoa dark chocolate, the nibs are to be used “only with prescription,” teases szlea. And in case you’re still not sold on chocolate healing powers, here’s some evidence courtesy of The Green Queen Corner:

-Dark chocolate has been proven to improve blood pressure.

-Dark chocolate can improve glucose metabolism/diabetic control.

-Dark chocolate contains high levels of naturally occurring plant flavonoids called polyphenols. These flavonoids are antioxidants.

-Another type of polyphenol found in chocolate prevents fat-like substances in our bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging arteries, making blood platelets less sticky to each other.

Chcolate maven, baker and ThisNexter David Lebovitz knows a thing or two about quality cacao-based confections. Maybe I’m not so skilled in that arena, but I surely see what appeals to him about this meter-long box of chocolates from Parisian chocolatier Patrick Roger. For us metrics-challenged Americans, that’s roughly three feet, or a yard, of “pralines, caramels, nougats, and creamy-smooth ganache filled bonbons, all enrobed in ultra-dark bittersweet chocolate.”

That it comes in a box reminiscent of Tiffany’s packaging makes it almost worth having a box FedExed out just in time for Christmas. Although your giftee might initially be disappointed not to receive three feet of jewelry, that would surely fade with each decadent bite of sweet, dark love.  

You know how, when you bite into a piece of really good chocolate, you get that little frisson of rhapsodic pleasure tempered with a twinge of Catholic school-girl guilt? Well, praise the lord and pass the milk, because Culinary Muse has answered our prayers by showing us the light with these light and dark chocolate bars made by Camaldolese monks in Italy. If it’s made by monks, it must be God’s work, so consume without guilt. Do you suppose they are miraculously free of calories as well?

Silly thing, you though seasonal candy went out of vogue with the pumpkins and costumes, dintcha? Well, leave it to Hershey’s to marry two classics holiday sweets: Candy canes and chocolate. Sweet white chocolate with crunchy bits of minty candy canes, you say? Tgubbins at news you can eat kisses and tells:

“they’re unique enough that it’s easy to keep eating them, possibly even beyond the point where you still like them. but - and let me state the obvious here - they’re good 4 people who like mint.”

 But do they freshen your breath?

Of all the things we consume in the everyday, no doubt water’s the most essential. And the second most essential is - but of course - really good chocolate. Hot on the heels of so many yummy shoe, bag, beauty, clothing, and accessory picks, Saltimbanca’s latest ThisNext additions include her favorite choices for both nutritional necessities: First there’s Metromint Peppermint Water, an “unsweetened purified water with just a hint of mint extract” that our shopcaster dubs “perfect for a hot day or an afternoon jog.” Not mint-infused but just as crave-able, Penta Water is “so pure, it honestly tastes like you’re drinking nothing,” says Saltimbanca (“I never would have thought it was possible to CRAVE a certain brand of bottled water,” she adds). And although Vitamin Water is “not really water” in her estimation, Saltimbanca recommends the Power-C variety, a “dragonfruit-flavored drink with vitamin C and taurine to keep your immune system going strong and improve your muscle function.”

While some may fail to see the immune-boosting effects of chocolate, I’d argue that the stress-relieving properties of the dark chocolate and lavender found in a Tranquility bar can do nothing but good for the immune system. Says Saltimbanca: “The lavender flavor in this creamy, heavenly milk chocolate is subtle, so it won’t ruin the chocolate experience for a purist, but it adds something extra for those of us who get tired of plain old cacao.” She’s also a lover of Ritter Sport Chocolates, an “incredibly smooth, luscious imported chocolate that fits my meager American college student budget.” And with Ritter Sport bars so conveniently located right by the checkout at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, who could pass up an opportunity to fill up on such a vital constituent of the daily diet?

OK, so we can think of maybe one or two things you can do with grapes that are better, but this is pretty genius: Burstingly juicy red grapes coated in rich milk chocolate, by Dinstuhl. Considering every other fruit on earth has had its moment in the chocolate spotlight (let’s not get started on those nasty cherry cordials), it’s amazing the lowly grape has escaped the confectionary radar this long. But we’re awfully glad these tempting treats registered a blip on Charles & Marie. We’ve gone ape for these grapes!

One of the plus sides to chocolate’s highly addictive quality is that some of the best cocoa-based treasures out there are also the richest in antioxidants and other good-for-you stuff (unlike, say, potato chips, where only those fried to the most divine degree of salty crispness really ever achieve perfection). Hardcore chocoholics often go for the dark variety, which is loaded with flavonoids that may help protect against heart disease and lower your blood pressure. In fact, notes Jessica Harlan in a Lime.com post titled “Rx: Chocolate,” one researcher claims that “dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than any other food, including blueberries, red wine and green and black tea.” Jessica spotlights various forms of chocolate therapy, such as the low-carb, low-glycemic, fiber-fortified Vere. Recommended by ThisNexters H.M. and Colin R., Vere “claims its chocolate has twice the antioxidants of standard dark chocolate, thanks to the shorter fermentation cycle required by the type of bean used, an heirloom cocoa bean from Ecuador,” notes Jessica.

...continued: Healthy indulgence

I can’t be trusted with a jar of peanut butter. If there’s ever some Skippy or Peter Pan or Smuckers left around the apartment, I somehow end up spooning the stuff straight from the jar once crazy deadlines start hitting. (A while back I even went through a phase of keeping a jar of Jif inside my desk – baaaaaaad idea.) Luckily I’ve discovered the next best thing for when I’m craving peanut buttery goodness: Nature Valley Peanut Butter Crunchy Granola Bars, which are much harder to O.D. on, given their convenient little 180-calorie-per-serving packages.

In fact, practically all the products in the Nature Valley line appear to be the perfect solution for when you need a snacky little pick-me-up but don’t want to resort to junk food. ThisNext member Yumi Chen goes for Nature Valley Healthy Heart Granola Bars, which “have just the right amount of crunch and gooeyness.” Daily Mogs’ blogger, meanwhile, loves Nature Valley’s Sweet and Salty Nut Bars because they’re “more like a candy bar to me which tricks my mind and delights my palate.”

...continued: ThisNext's guide to healthy snackage

We’re not sure what to think about a chocolatier who doesn’t eat chocolate, but after examining the beautiful confections produced by Deb’s Delectables, we’re thrilled there’s more for us. But Deb is more than just a chocolate temptress. She’s a busy bee — writer, blogger and prolific picker on ThisNext. Deb took time out of her extremely busy schedule to talk to us about alternatives to sugar and chocolate, perfect peaches and the what might be the perfect vehicle.

I thought I was a busy person until I read your Blogger profile. Tell us a little about what you do.
Primarily, I’m a freelance writer on such topics as online collaboration and engineering career issues. After that, I’m a consultant on collaboration technologies, which includes giving tutorials on the technology to clients, developing Help files documentation, and much more. I also do some freelance editing of an electrical engineering magazine. Finally, in my (ehem) copious spare time, I have a small gourmet chocolate business. Recently, I’ve been feeling a bit fried, so as of 1 Oct., I’m narrowing it down to the editing, writing and Deb’s Delectables work.

What drove you to start a chocolate confectionary business?
Years ago, I would bake cookies for the holidays because I didn’t have enough money to buy fancy gifts. One year, I decided to try candymaking instead. It was such a big hit that nearly everyone told me that I should try to sell my chocolates. Well, when 20 or so unrelated people tell you the same thing, you really ought to listen to it.

...continued: Interview: Deb of Deb's Delectables

A great day has dawned, a day when organic chocolate can nourish not just the palate and soul, but the planet. Fredrick Schilling of DAGOBA sits at the pinnacle of this movement, and his chocolates are gaining praise all over the world. Inveterate food blogger and book writer David Lebovitz sits proprietor Fredrick Schilling down for a lengthy and thoughtful interview about DAGOBA, the emergence of organic chocolate and what’s in store for the future. David rightfully swoons over their Milk Chocolate Chai Bar, but Schilling has a few things up his sleeve. Will we see a chocolate bar with figs and bacon bits? You’ll have to read the interview to find out.

Anyone who’s even remotely health-conscious knows the importance of upping your intake of antioxidants: The free-radical-fighting substances are linked to everything from cancer prevention and heart protection to better eyesight and enhanced longevity. And – unless your daily diet is very much of the meat-and-potatoes variety – antioxidants are anything but elusive. You can slurp on a watermelon slice to soak up lots of lycopene, down a glass of OJ for the vitamin C power, or crunch through a carrot to get your beta-carotene.

For some of most antioxidant-rich foods and supplements around, just take a peek at all the very phytonutrient-friendly picks popping up on ThisNext. From the indulgent to the hardcore healthy, our shopcasters know all about the stuff you need to turn back the clock and fight off disease like some kind of superhero.

...continued: ThisNext: Your #1 antioxidant source

Here at ThisNext, while we we strive to uphold the highest standards, we also are subject to the temptations of the flesh just like everyone else. So we sympathize with Amy of Cooking With Amy, who caved in to the temptation of these Trader Joe’s Chocolate Caramel Tartlet Cookies. Mind you, that sounds like just the sort of thing we wouldn’t mind having a nibble of ourselves. Thanks for leading us into temptation, Amy. As if we couldn’t have found our way there ourselves.

Bailey’s — feh. Kahlua? No thank you-a. No, for something a little different, a little richer and a lot more home-grown, we’re gonna whip us up a nice big batch of some chocolate & whiskey liqueur, recipe courtesy of Chocolate in Context. While this sounds like it would be just fine on the rocks on a hot summer afternoon, we rather like her more refined suggestion of pouring it over shaved ice in a parfait glass with sliced fruit for a refined and refreshing dessert or aperitif.