Nothing Left but The Marzipan

To devour all but one

Covered by chocolate. Smooth on the tongue. Meant to be savored then slowly dissolved into your tastebuds. Chomping down on one of these is a sin. I have enough sin, so I do not chow down. I weep over the beauty of the delicate squares sitting in neat rows.

Relishing them one by one.

Now, all that remains is one marzipan center. I always leave that one for last. My friends give me the same box for every occasion. Birthday, Galentine’s Day, or the Winter Solstice. As we celebrate, my friends bring me these little treasures. I tell them it’s too much each time, and they “shouldn’t have”. They smile knowingly and say, “It’s no trouble.”

They trek into the city, across the water, and over a bridge into Brooklyn. Down a few old streets to squeeze into a tiny lot behind an old building. The storefront is bright and modern, with sweet smells in the air. Chocolate of every shape and size filled the cases. The menu showed numbers, and my number was 4.

Box #4 is a chocolate lover’s dream. All the classics fit into one square box. Six delicacies tempt my senses from recycled cardboard and sustainable bamboo paper. Ingredients are locally sourced and organic. Care goes into the design and creation of the candies. It shows in each bite.

Each time I open a new box, the aroma of cocoa and sugar hits my nose. I inhale deeply and repeatedly, trying to imprint this on my mind. The chocolates last only for a few moments, but the sensations around them can last forever. If I slow down and be in the moment.

The first one I eat is the Caramel Cream. Soft and sweet milk chocolate tumbles into a golden syrup, sliding over the palate. Bits of salt move with the caramel, adding a salty tang to the flavor. I follow up with a Tart Raspberry Bumble full of raspberries, cookie crumble, and white chocolate. Its sourness goes nicely after the sweetness.

Midnight Mint Madness comes next. 85% dark chocolate with a deep midnight green filling. Earthy mint bursts and swirls as I breathe in its night air. My eyes close as I become a creature of the evening.

A Good Morning Glory comes with a hit of espresso powder. A mix of milk and dark chocolate sits over coffee cake and cream. This one is full of spices, while the coffee prepares me for the day, even at 9 pm. The fifth one reminds me of a Canadian spring. Sweet and sugary, full of maple and memories.

The chocolate like the memory goes all too quick.

One left. Marzipan. I have a love-hate relationship with marzipan. As with all the chocolates, it’s well made. The soft paste inside is slightly grainy, so I hesitate with it in my mouth. Until I break the shell by pushing down gently. I leave it until the last because it’s my least favorite. I wait until all other morsels are gone, and the previous chocolate mocks me from its fiber nest. I agonize over eating it or throwing it out.

I can’t let it go to waste.

No one leaves the last chocolate in the box.