Sunday, June 27, 2010

Carole Matthews talks about chocolate....


Last year, I devoured "The Chocolate Lover's Club" by Carole Matthews. It was such a delicious story. It had a "Sex and the City" feel but revolved around chocolate instead of Cosmopolitans. I loved how each woman had their own situation to deal with and how they tried to help each other out. It was so nice to see the bonds of female friendship played out in such a way. I heard that there's a sequel out in the UK called "The Chocolate Lover's Diet." (Just what I need, in more ways than one!) If anyone overseas wants to do a giveaway for it to send to someone in the US, I'd gladly enter! It sounds like another wonderful treat!

Recently, Carole Matthews sent me a signed copy of this book to give away to one lucky winner. I also got the chance to ask her some questions about chocolate. Enjoy!

1. What is your favorite brand of chocolate?

We have a great range of stores in the UK called Hotel Chocolat. I don't know if you have them yet? They make beautiful chocolate all sourced from their own plantation. It's very expensive for high street chocolate, but well worth it. I also love Lindt chocolate and their dark 70% is my favourite. A while ago someone sent me chocolate from Max Brenner in New York and that was fabulous!


2. What is your favorite movie about chocolate?

There are very few movies on the subject of chocolate and I think Hollywood are definitely missing a trick there! Someone should instantly make a movie of "The Chocolate Lovers' Club" - it would be a sure fire hit! Out of the limited choice, I don't think you can beat "Chocolat" starring the beautiful Juliet Binoche and the inimitable Johnny Depp. It was a great film - much lighter than the book but equally as yum. I could watch it over and over again.

Side note: I'd also love to see "The Chocolate Lover's Club" as a movie!

3. What is your favorite food that includes chocolate?

I love any food that contains chocolate! But I find it particularly hard to resist chocolate ice-cream, brownies or a really rich chocolate mousse. Gorgeous.

4. Where is your favorite place to purchase chocolate?

I've been very lucky in doing my research for The Chocolate Lovers' Club and The Chocolate Lovers' Diet to have visited all kinds of gorgeous chocolate shops. In fact, if I ever give up writing then I'd really like to open one! But the chocolate area in Fortnum and Mason's in London takes some beating. They have every type of high-end chocolate you can think of from all over the world.

5. Preference: White, dark, milk or something else?

I prefer dark chocolate now and as plain as possible. I find filled chocolates - or what the purists would call confectionery - just too sweet. Once you have savoured truly wonderfully produced chocolate it's hard to settle for anything less. Though sometimes, I have to confess, a Snickers bar hits the spot just as well!

Thanks again to Carole Matthews for this interview and for the book to give away.

How to win this signed book:
Please comment below with your e-mail address.

For additional entries (each as a separate comment including your e-mail address, as well):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite kind or brand of chocolate?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.

Winner will be picked at random on Wednesday, June 30th.

47 comments:

BRN2SHOP9 said...

brn2shop9@gmail.com

My favorite chocolate is peanut M&M's.

I follow the blog through google, facebook and twitter. I posted it to both!

Movie Passenger said...

encgolsen@gmail.com

My favorite is orange-flavored dark chocolate. Yum!

Anonymous said...

I love dark chocolate like Lindt's and Dark chocolate covered vanilla ice cream-oooooh!

I follow with GFC.

Anonymous said...

Oh no! I forgot to put in my e-mail address. I am the anonymous with Lindt and dark chocci covered ice cream and GFC follow.

Sorry,

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Krystal Lynn said...

Hi, I'm kind of new to blogs but I'm now following. :)

miss_kris_11@yahoo.com

Krystal Lynn said...

I love chocolate with a passion and though I like eating it any way I can, my absolute favorite chocolate treat is brownies. It's my favorite thing to have when getting lost in a book.

miss_kris_11@yahoo.com

LBK said...

labboo.gc@gmail.com

my favorite chocolate is white lindt truffles!

The Book Chick said...

A book about chocolate? I'm sold! Please enter me for this one, Melissa!

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Wishing I had some chocolate in this house right now!

mrsmelissat@gmail.com

Also a follower!

The Book Chick said...

My favourite chocolate bars are Reese Peanut Butter Cups as well as Mars Bars. Both hit the spot when a chocolate craving hits!

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

The Book Chick said...

I am already a follower through GFC!

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

The Book Chick said...

This contest has been posted on my blog's sidebar, http://book-chic.blogspot.com.

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

Nancy Pate said...

Mmmm. The dark chocolate at Fortnum & Mason's is the best. Worth a trip to London. Like the ginger dark chocolate, the cinnamon, the orange, plain!

patebooks@yahoo.com

http://patebooks.wordpress.com

Marwa Bollack said...

marwa_bollack@hotmail.com

ANY CHOCOLATE!! But I have to say, my favorite kind of chocolate are chocolate covered strawberries from godiva...yum!

Krystal Lynn said...

miss_kris_11@yahoo.com

Entered! :)

Krystal Lynn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Krystal Lynn said...

Just shared this link & blog via Twitter! (@thekrystallynn)

miss_kris_11@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

My favourite chocolate is Galaxy, and I love making chocolate brownies with a gooey middle - they don't last long in our house!

Jenn P said...

I LOVE all Chocolate - especially Chocolate dipped Oreos.

Anonymous said...

Milk Chocolate

sl5toonlover@yahoo.com

Melissa said...

To the person who posted about Galaxy, please leave an e-mail address or another way to identify yourself. Thanks!

CherB said...

MMMMmmmm chocolate as a topic, a dessert, a meal, a gift, delightful. My favorite brand is Dove and while I can appreciate the current trend in dark chocolate, my heart belongs to milk or semi-sweet chocolate!

cherbason@cox.net

Unknown said...

Love Chocolate! Can't wait to read this book. schlarmette@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Ghiradelli is my favorite
schlarmette@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I am a follower of this blog.
schlarmette@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I have posted this on my facebook profile. I am also a facebook fan of chicklit central.
schlarmette@gmail.com

suzannah-burke said...

MMM...Chocolate..the addictive taste of Lindt..or a "Death by chocolate" mud cake. I intend to enjoy to my skinny hearts content. I am one of those dreadfull females that can indulge in chocolate fantasy land all day and not gain an ounce...Please do not send hate mail...lol.

I follow the blog through FB twitter and google. I posted to both....happy munching girls and guys.

suzieb4burke@hotmail.com

Chick Lit Author said...

This book sounds great! When I indulge in chocolate i like Raffaello - the coconut and almond thingys, and i always have Lindt 70% dark choc in the house, purely for its health benefits of course!

I also shared this giveaway on facebook.

jtmauthor@gmail.com

:)

Anonymous said...

I would also love to read this book!
My favorite types of chocolate are milk chocolate with nuts or white chocolate with puffed rice.

My e-mail address is SilverFeline(at)yahoo(dot)com

Thanks, Nienke

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

I swore by Scharffen Berger, but I heard they were sold and the quality's not the same. *sigh*

No need to enter me, babe. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

Colleen Turner said...

This book sounds DELICIOUS (he he) please enter me in the contest!
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I love Godiva...my favorite kind of chocolate is dark chocolate (or chocolate covered cherries...I am making myself hungry!).
candc320@gmail.com

Gaye Alexander said...

My favorite chocolate (in candy form) has always been peanut M&Ms, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Hersey's Kisses with almonds and Snicker's bars. Of course, hot chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate pie and pretty much anything chocolate is great. I always have some chocolate stashed somewhere in my house for my own personal emergencies and consumption! What girl can go without chocolate? I don't know one! I follow the blog through FB and Google. Looking forward to reading the book. Sounds delicious!

Laura Rachel Fox said...

My favorite chocolate is Dove-Promises of Hope. Tasty and proceeds support Susan G. Komen.

I'm already a follower and I've posted a link on facebook.

Email: lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

JHS said...

White chocolate. All forms. Yum.

JHS
Colloquium

jhsmail at comcast dot net

JHS said...

Follower!

JHS
Colloquium

jhsmail at comcast dot net

Booksnyc said...

thanks for hosting!

booksncity at gmail dot com

Booksnyc said...

I am a follower!

booksncity at gmail dot com

Booksnyc said...

I am a plain chocolate kind of gal - Cadbury's!


booksncity at gmail dot com

karenk said...

great giveaway!!!

i love dark chocolate :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Elisa said...

Ok, now I want some chocolate, I want to start a chocolate lovers' club, and I want to read this book! Thanks so much for posting about it, and for the contest.

:)

ChristyJan said...

Carole's latest book sounds delicious!

hawkes(at)citlink.net

ChristyJan said...

I love DOVE dark chocolate

hawkes(at)citlink.net

Melissa P said...

smooty1008@aol.com

My husband is a pastry chef, so he makes the BEST old fashioned chocolate cake. I crave it!

Melissa P said...

I am also posting to facebook!

SweetMelissa said...

I also posted the contest on my blog!
agirlswritetochicklit.blogspot.com

Clodagh said...

Hard to choose a favourite type of chocolate, but I think I'd have to go for Toblerone.