Eurochoc!

Hey, that could be a Superhero name!
My friend, Beck, returned today from a month's holiday in Europe - Vienna, Florence & the cinque terre and Paris. Nice! And here's my chocolate booty....because you can't go away to Europe and not come back with European chocolate for your friends, can you?? :-)

She picked up all these things in Paris, on her final few days so they wouldn't melt. Some unusual Lindt flavours we don't get here in Australia; White with vanilla and caramel meringue with whole hazelnuts. How exciting! Plus a block of 67% dark chocolate from specialist maker Debauve & Gallais (founded 1800) made with cocoa beans from St Domingo. I'm looking forward to this one.
I also got a few small choc squares from Angelina's, where she said the hot chocolate almost rivalled that you can get at Brunetti's in Carlton. Lol! And she says she had the best tasting cake in her life there. That's quite some claim.
Underneath, a Kinder Happy Hippo, which seems appropriate if you've ever seen me dance... And apparently they have different Mars Bars over there; this one seems to have wafers in it.

But down here it gets most exciting. Look at those things in the bowl. Don't they look just like olives? Yep, that's why thee makers at Les Berlandises call them chocolate olives! Almonds covered in dark chocolate and glazed so the resemblance is uncanny! Very easy to eat lots of these at once.....none left now...
On the right are some gorgeous boiled lollies with really realistic taste also from Les Berlandises. Apple, Peach, Raspberry, Lemon & Strawberry. I've only tried the apple, but the flavour transcends what you usually get in a sugar lolly.
And underneath are some handmade chocolate from Debauve & Gallais. Something with pistachio. Something with silver leaf. Something made with cocoa beans from Venezuela and, interestingly, something that looks like an Oreo! Beck couldn't remember the fillings, so they'll be a nice surprise.
But with a wedding in about an month, where I'm a bridesmaid, I think I'll be hiding all this chocolate in the freezer for a while!