Belly Up At the Battle Of The Chocolates, no one’s will power can survive

It’s been a surprisingly mild winter so far with the inevitable crushing snowfall still ahead, but mild for December in Wisconsin is still nasty. With cold rains falling and increasingly turning to ice, our city turns inward and falls to filling fireplaces with tinder, kindling, and then stout logs, roaring ever-louder in a fierce competition with the howling winds and whipping torrents of rain outside. Few things are worth venturing forth for in this crap, but a Battle Of The Chocolates is surely one of them. At this event Dec. 10-11, free samples of more than 50 varieties of chocolates will be up for grabs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Metcalfe’s at Hilldale and in Wauwatosa. The basic theory behind the event is to use a little friendly competition to up the ante on quality, and everyone wants the votes, so the chocolate should be really primo stuff. Clearly, the thing to do is go get a bunch of chocolate, cast a vote, but then head home to sit in front of the fireplace and eat bon bons deep into the stormy night.

FATSOMETER: 8. There’s, like, 900 calories in most of these things. And you end up eating 12 of them.