If, like me, you’re stuck in Maine for the duration of this muddy month, don’t despair. This weekend brings a cure for even the most stubborn winter blues: The 22nd annual Chocolate Lover’s Fling. Held this Sunday, April 6 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, the event is sure to have you jacked up on feel-good endorphins as you sample the wares of 12 chocolatiers.
This year these chocolate experts include: Federal Jack’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, Chocolate Falls in Maine, Cinque Terre, Corsetti’s Market, Geo’s Patisserie Café, Holiday Inn by the Bay, Izzy’s Cheesecake, Old Port Candy Company, The Bar of Chocolate, The Great Lost Bear, Wilbur’s of Maine Chocolate Confections and The Sweet Specialist.
Inside the ballroom, hundreds queue up for a chance to sample the fabulous fudge, truffles, tortes, brownies, cakes and cookies. Past years have brought everything from chocolate dipped tortilla chips to double chocolate vegan custard. The challenge comes in sampling wisely, as opposed to following my lead and overindulging yourself into a cocoa-induced coma.
The temptation of so many decadent treats is a situation Cyndi Amato knows well. As the executive director of Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine, which puts on the popular event, Amato has learned how to cope with chocolate overload.
“Everyone has their own strategy,” she says. “I make a plan of what I want and I pace myself.”
So what advice does she have for Fling newbies?
“You have to have a good breakfast before you start,” Amato says. “And don’t eat chocolate and drink coffee on an empty stomach or you’ll have a horrible stomachache.”
And if all else fails, just remember chocolate is a known cure for the mud season blues.
— Avery Yale Kamila