I love chocolate.
That's hardly a controversial statement, but sometimes I think I love chocolate in a different sort of way than most people.
Generally, people think of chocolate as a dessert-specific food or ingredient, but I say that those people are wrong.
I'm not here to say that chocolate doesn't shine in the sweets department. Give me a plate of classic chocolate chip cookies and a glass of cold milk, and I am a very happy Amy.
I'm not crazy here.
Mexican cooks have been combining peppers, spice, and chocolate into regional mole sauces for ages.
Any pot of chili I make contains at least a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder, which adds a bitter richness and brings out the other flavors more.
Of course, I also keep plenty of bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate on hand for all my baking needs. I'm not discounting its role in the vast world of desserts.
Really, cocoa is so versatile that it should just be its own food group.
