Chocoholics Rejoice in these Cocoations
| It’s not fair. You’ve almost lost all that holiday weight and here comes Valentine’s Day to tempt the palate (and waistline) with boxes of chocolate. Six weeks of the South Beach Diet and you’re torn apart by one Russell Stover (OK, three). Never fear, Kayak.com recommends four ways to enjoy chocolate without the calories. |
| Brussels flights | hotels | forums Belgium is the chocolate capital of the world, producing 172,000 tons of chocolate per year with more than 2,000 chocolate shops throughout the country (kudos to the Belgians whose population is not 100% obese). We recommend a trip to Brussels, home to the Godiva family. Godiva’s history began more than 75 years ago when master chocolatier Joseph Draps founded a chocolate company named in honor of Lady Godiva (We would retell her story but after last week’s newsletter, decided to play it safe. Ask Google). While in Brussels, visit the Musee du Ca Cao et du Chocolat where you will learn about the origins of chocolate (thank you Aztecs) and chocolate production. The museum was created by the Draps family and no doubt includes one or two marketing messages for Godiva. Brilliant! Perhaps we should open the Kayak.com Museum of Online Travel. |
| Hershey flights | hotels | forums While Europe celebrates their chocolate history with austere museums and elegant boutiques, here in the U.S. we build a big ole tacky resort complete with theme park, golf courses and a spa. Welcome to HERSHEY’S Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania (population: 12,771 people and 1.5 billion chocolate Kisses). The HERSHEY’S Factory Works Experience offers a taste of a real chocolate processing line. Watch your favorite candy bar dance and sing at HERSHEY’S Really Big 3D Show (feels a little like an acid trip) or empty your stomach faster than an Olsen twin while riding one of the 60 rides at HERSEYPARK. Adults can relax AND enjoy chocolate without a single calorie at The Spa. The Chocolate Fondue Wrap left us feeling silky soft while the Cocoa Massage worked out our issues with carpal tunnel. |
| New York flights | hotels | forums While Brussels is the capital of chocolate, New York is home to Mr. Chocolate. No, not Johnny Depp but Modern Day Willy Wonka Jacques Torres. One of the most highly decorated pastry chefs, Jacques is dedicated to sharing his art of chocolate making. Pay a visit to his Manhattan shop, where visitors can watch beans turn into bite size pieces of heaven from a work space completely enveloped in glass. Since we’re not far from the city, we personally sacrificed our time for you and taste tested his offerings. We can recommend Taittinger Champagne Truffles; pistachio-marzipan bonbons; and the “wicked” hot chocolate, made with a touch of ancho and chipotle chilis. We also recommend having plenty of Pepto on hand. |
| Oaxaca flights | hotels | forums No discussion of chocolate is complete without mentioning a trip to Mexico where it all began. The origins of chocolate, which is derived from the Theobroma cacao tree, can be traced back at least 4000 years. The Aztecs believed the beans were of divine origin (’Theobroma’ means ‘food of the gods’) and used the tree’s beans as currency - 100 beans would buy a slave, 12 beans the services of a courtesan and 10 beans a rabbit. In Mexico, you won’t find bonbons or truffles but sipping chocolate. Go to one of the markets in Oaxaca and order your drinking chocolate ground to taste. Customize your drink by specifying the weight of beans, sugar, and flavorings - cinnamon, almonds, etc. Into the grinder goes the ingredients and out of the chute oozes something looking a lot like tar but smelling and tasting like heaven. |
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| Dieting until Cadbury egg season,Steve and Paul, Kayak.com co-founders |
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| Kayak recently launched a cruise search engine, and we’re celebrating the launch by giving away a free Royal Caribbean cruise for two to one lucky Kayaker. Like all great parties, the celebration must come to an end, and our proverbial clock is ticking toward midnight (or Feb 14, when this sweepstakes ends). Enter now, and you could have a killer Valentine’s Day present. |