With Valentine's Day on the horizon, luscious, rich, sensuous chocolate comes to mind. And these days you can find all kinds of chocolatey things: from dark chocolate with pink peppercorns, green tea, ginger, salt or even curry to chocolate filled with ganache infused with mustard seeds, pepper and even blue cheese. You can even find healthy chocolate and smoked duck dipped in chocolate, says Jordan Le Bel, associate professor of food and beverage management in Cornell's Hotel School and an expert on chocolate and comfort foods, in this month's Dine magazine.

In the article he also offers tips on how to impress friends by hosting an easy chocolate party. For more about Le Bel (and even a few recipes), see http://www.pleasurespecialist.com/.

As for Valentine's Day, you might consider chocolate that is high in antioxidants (such as with black currents) or fair trade and organic chocolate. What does Le Bel have to say about what's the best chocolate in the world?

"I typically reply: 'the one that will give you the most pleasure at the moment you're eating it,'" he writes. "Chocolate is a deeply personal affair and is meant to be savored, not hastened."