Fleur de Cocoa

This may not look very special, but it is. I don't eat sweets often, I mean, it's hard to find one that is really worth the calories and the guilt. But I fell in love with Pain Aux Raisins when I was in Paris!

They may look like this or they may look just like a regular croissant, but they have sweet, caramelized raisins inside, if you always lean towards the chocolate or almond give these a try.

Even my brother didn't think it would be good, and after one bite, he started buying one every morning just like me. Or, as we walked through the city we would stop at all the beautiful pastry shops so we often had more than one a day, and always, always came home with one in our backpack.

As I was reading my local town paper today, the Los Gatos Weekly, I found an article about a small shop called Fleur de Cocoa. It is located in the heart of Los Gatos, on North Santa Cruz Avenue. I live right on the border of San Jose and Los Gatos, so this shop is only 4 miles from my front door! I haven't been in there in ages, but after reading this, I shall make a trip soon.

Fleur de Cocoa, sells the most amazingly beautiful, artistic chocolates and pastries. They also have a small selection of breakfast and lunch items, and of course coffee and hot cocoa.

Chef Pascal Janvier has just recently received the title "Chocolate Ambassador" from the Zurich based Barry Callebaut, the world's largest manufacturer of high-quality chocolate products.

Only 15 chefs in the United States were extended membership and now this exclusive club has only about 100 worldwide!


So, my brain started clicking and thinking about treats in May, after my competition! Forget the Doritos's and Snickers bar! I will have my husband go to Fleur de Cocoa on the day of the competition, before he comes up for the night show and he will bring me goodies!

I am thinking one pain aux raisin, then some caramels covered with dark chocolate.

Followed by dark chocolates with salt

Or maybe a whole box of chocolates!

Actually, I couldn't eat them all and a one pound box will run approximately $52.00, so I will stick with a few. I can actually walk in, pick out two beautiful chocolates and leave, quite happy.

I will go the day before my competition, look at the selection and give them the order, and then my husband can go pick it up in a beautiful box (along with that pain aux raisin), wrapped with a satin ribbon and bring it to me, of course, along with a nice bottle of champagne!

Read the entire article, I highly recommend paying him a visit, maybe have a croque madam for lunch! And if you are in town, stop by and say hi!

I now have a great incentive to stick to my diet!

Article on Fleur de Cocoa

Christmas Treats, Diet Wreakers

My Christmas gifts from my husband, you can see I am thrilled! In case you cannot see everything, it is two small bags of Doritos, two Jo's Salt Caramels and a book called My Horizontal Life, A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Chandler.

Oh what fun! Smut and junk food!

I will most likely end up saving it all for vacation, our real gift to each other. We go to Mexico every February for a week on the beach. While folks here at home are dealing with wind, rain and cold weather, I am wondering which of my 12 bikini's to wear in the 85 degree sun and what to drink as I lay on my chaise lounge on the beach.

The point of this is really the Doritos though. Some people eat a bag of chips every day. Every...Single....Day.

I eat a bag after every competition and I have two at Christmas. Five bags a year, tops.

In case you haven't looked at the nutritional facts (or lack of) on the bag, let me show you right here why you shouldn't be eating these "snacks"

1 3/4 ounce bag of Cool Ranch Doritos

260 Calories
13 grams fat
320 mg Sodium
31 grams Carbohydrate
2 grams Sugars
3 grams Fiber
3 grams Protein

This is practically a meal in itself, a very, very bad meal. I will put it into perspective for you.

Each of my meals ranges from 200 to 350 calories total.

Each of my meals (other than post training) has 20 to 25 grams carbohydrates total.

Might as well suck on a spoonful of mayonnaise with all the fat in these beauties.

If you are really serious about losing body fat, you should not be eating things like this.  Don't close your eyes and mind and pretend that one little bag won't hurt, it certainly will.

If you are at a place where you can afford it, like I am when I am at 4% bodyfat, then it's not a problem. If your bodyfat is over 20% (women) and 15% (men), get your hands outta the bag for good!

Oh and our vacation spot? Hacienda Eden, on the Pacific Coast. This will be our 15th year there, room #4! It is quiet, secluded, has no discos, few tourists, and great food surrounds us.

I am looking forward to walking down the road to Marta's, on the small cove in the neighboring town of Majahua where we will sit in plastic chairs with our feet in the sand and eat fresh lobster as we watch the fishermen.

The Doritos? I will probably eat them in the plane on the way down.