The older I get the more determined I am to not have to settle. When I was young I always could pick out the most expensive item in a store, at least that is what my mother says. Not much has changed in 50 years. My desire for quality has simply grown more quality conscious.

Although I wasn't born with a silver spoon I never wavered from my standards. Sure, over the years, I have had to settle at times. For example, at one time I owned an older Mercedes Benz, but at least I owned one. I say owned because it didn't take me long to figure out that the repair bills were higher on my Benz just for the name.

My taste in clothes is much the same. I have been happily inducted into the fashion police club. I remember fondly the year I spent working for Chase Manhattan Bank in the executive wing in Tampa, Florida before they merged with J.P. Morgan. There were three of us that hung out together. We would rate the way the other employees were dressed and sometimes it was pretty bad. We weren't cruel or rude, we just quietly giggled over lunch.

I also remember well a visit from my baby brother, Steven, down from Atlanta, Georgia. I met him at the Tampa Airport and when he saw me again for the first time in six years he exclaimed, "Wow sis, you are gorgeous!" That made my millennium for sure!

My taste for fine wine and food is no different than my tastes for anything else. I may not drink $100 bottles of wine every night but I have enjoyed a few. And then there is chocolate; my one true vice.

I have a real love/hate relationship with chocolate. I love it when it is dark, creamy, and rich but as for my hips, well I think you understand. I have eaten all the best chocolates you can name, from GodivaÂ(r) to GhirardelliÂ(r), from Swiss to Belgian. However it wasn't until early in 2006 that I discovered the absolutely, unmistakably, most fabulous chocolate you could ever begin to imagine.

The bakery that I discovered that will forever satisfy my chocolate fantasy is located about 12 miles south of Los Angeles in Whittier, California. My Little Taste of Italy is owned by Gloria Mount and her daughter, Liz. From my very first order of Chocolate Chip, Chocolate dipped biscotti I was hooked. Then, late last year Liz came up with a recipe for Cappuccino Brownies that are out-of-this-world! They are so rich and creamy that Jan Verhoeff, another of their loyal customers, has rightly dubbed them, "Orgasmic!" I have yet to try their Bada Bing-chocolate bundt cake but since it has my favorite ingredient in it you know it will not be long before it too passes over my quivering lips.

I don't know what their secret is, but I, for one, am certainly glad they found it. Gloria has informed me that My Little Taste of Italy uses authentic Italian chocolate in all of their chocolate goodies. I don't know what else they do that makes them sooooo yummy, but whatever it is I hope they never stop doing it. It's no wonder to me that they are gaining a reputation for all of their tasty treats not only across America but in foreign lands as well.

Mama Gloria, as Mrs. Mount is known, is working on several taste sensations for the upcoming holiday. She tells me that they have developed two new flavors of biscotti and a new Florentine cookie she calls "Hot Mama". I wonder what that secret ingredient is.

My Little Taste of Italy recently put together "Docle of the Month Club". If you want to experience all they have to offer too this is a very good way to do it. Just look at this list:

- January - Hot buttered Rum Muffins (Box of 4 ) Just add a cup of your favorite hot brew for those wintry nights

- February - Chocolate Chili Cookies, (2 dozen) with pinch of cayenne pepper...enough to spice up your love life! Happy Valentines Day!!!

- March - Irish Crème Muffins (box of 4)...for the Irish in all of us!! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

- April - Sicilian Orange/Almond Muffins (Box of 4). Enjoy spring's fresh burst of orange flavors.

- May - Mamma's Biscotti (1 Dozen) - Hats Off to all our Mammas. Happy Mothers Day!!

- June - Cappaccino Brownies (10) - Treat your Dad with his favorites, coffee and chocolate. Happy Fathers Day!!

- July - Angelinas - "The Italian Wedding Cookie" (2 dozen). A tribute to Elizabeth's wedding reception, where the "Angelinas" were heaped on lovely trays.

- August - Thumbprint Cookies (2 dozen); Just like those footprints in the sand, our own thumb print will hold a dollop of jam. Happy last days of summer!!

- September - Chocolate/Blackberry Muffins (Box of 4 ) Cherish the last of the summer's berries, mixed with chocolate. End of summer "blues"!!

- October - Old World Florentine Cookies (2 Doz) - Perfect fall colors with the crunch of fallen leaves.

- November - White Wine Muffins (Box of 4 ) Bursting with fall spices.

- December - Fiori de D'Eliso- Our buttery snowball as a tribute to Tony & Colly D'Eliso, our parents and grandparents.

Now I am sure you can see this is the cat's meow! A true feast for the prince or princess in you.

Copyright 2007 Ginger Marks