I like chocolate almost as much as chilli (or maybe, horribile dictu, more?) and have a long-standing fascination with the original tradition of cacao in combination with spices.

“Flavors of the World” truffle collection.

Of particular note:

One, Black Tea Mousse & Sichuan Pepper. Two flavors of Sichuan that do not necessarily belong together quite like that, but show just what can be brought together. Sichuan pepper, in particular, is best known only for its tingling-numbing effect and its use in conjunction with chilli in Sichuan cuisine, but there is even more, in more subtle ways, to it… I’ll have a lot to say about that in the next few months.

Two, the Aztec Spice Truffle (which seems to be included only in a 25 piece set that seems not to be available anywhere except in the USA). This, though, is most noteworthy for what it does not contain. It is described as “Inspired by an ancient Aztec recipe that combines sweet and heat,” but only the detail page mentions “exotic spices” beyond “cinnamon” that may account for the “heat” part – but it is safe to assume that the original Aztec recipe employed chilli, which the chefs at Godiva were, perhaps, too timid to use…

Go figure. Or go enjoy, if you can afford it.