I have this habit of eating junk food for breakfast. Not donuts or Danishes or other um, normal, breakfast “sweets,” but ice cream, cake, chocolate, cookies, left over Halloween candy…. I blame this on that fact that I’m Italian, and for generations we’ve relied on a steady steam of sugar in the morning to get us going. Case in point: My cousin Miriam, who’s been visiting from Italy since October, came over for breakfast a few weeks ago. Did she want bagels? Yogurt and granola? We both went with Nutella on toast.
So, take this whole chocolate-for-breakfast thing and factor in that I come from a family of self-professed chocoholics and you can see why my brother, Carmine, Miriam and my boyfriend, John, and I were quite excited to go to the World Chocolate Expo in White Plains on Sunday “morning" — I think it was slightly past 12 when we got there. A better breakfast couldn’t be had.
We walked into the auditorium at the County Center—which I don’t think I’ve been in since my high school’s Cheerleading Competition in 2001—and found more chocolate than anyone (or their stomachs) could want before lunch. There were three long rows of booths with chocolate-flavored coffee, truffles, fudge, toffee, maple syrup, fondue, cupcakes and lots of non-desserts like jarred peppers, cheese and wine. And the best part, I think, was that most of the companies were from the Hudson Valley, with almost everything homemade and/or handmade. Is there a difference? Hmm..anyway, needless to say, we all left with a slight sugar-rush. Take that, Cheerios.
Oh, hello there fountain of chocolate.
We bought Keuka Lake Coffee Roaster's Italian chocolate raspberry coffee. Usually, I'm not a huge fan of coffee's that are sweet, but this one was perfect in a not-overwhelming type of way. 
Miriam had toffee for the first time. This almond-flavored version is from Chappaqua Toffee Co.
Ok, this picture totally sucks, but that hand painted piece of chocolate is a s'more. I have it sitting here at my desk and I'm totally tempted to eat it. And, so cute, owners Heidi and Arthur are father and daughter.
Oliver Kita made this gorgeous chocolate-covered apple. I would be so sad to eat it!
More pretty Oliver Kita chocolates
Chocolate-covered pretzels rank up there with one of my all-time favorite foods. Seriously - salty, sweet, perfect. And this one from Fretzels by Jill has all of their toppings. All of them. Amazing.
We love, loved this fudge by FudgeLuscious. Wouldn't the candy cane be great as a hostess gift or to bring as dessert to a holiday dinner party?
Fudgeluscious also has these make-your-own-fudge Oreo kits. (You can see it on the left, right next to that little cupcake tin full of fudge.)
Miriam holding up her maple syrup-flavored cotton candy from Breezie Maples Farm. We tried their organic maple syrup too, which was amazing.
Our happy—and full—little group.
