Soft and Chewey Chocolate Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the first bowl sift together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1 tsp. of baking soda and 1 cup of cocoa.

In a mixing bowl cream together 1 cup (2 sticks) of room temperature butter and 2 cups of sugar and cream until well blended.  Add 2 room temperature eggs-one at a time-until well blended and a tsp. of vanilla.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture and combine.  The mixture may be a little dry.  Add water-1 tbsp. at a time- until mixture is smooth.

Drop by rounded tsps. onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.  Do not cook until firm-they should be slightly droopy on the spatula.  They firm up very fast so cool on wire racks for 10 minutes and then store in  an airtight container.  The flavor really comes out the next day.

I Want to Live and Die in This Room!

Photo: Hotelslithuania.net

This beautiful room is made entirely of chocolate, including the floor, ceiling, walls, furniture, dinnerware, candlesticks and books.  It was created by artist and sculptor Mindaugas Tendziagolskis,  along with six assistants.  It will be on display starting on Valentine’s Day at the Akropolis Shopping Mall in Lithuania.   It took 661 pounds of chocolate to make this 183 square foot room, which is a recreation of a traditional Lithuanian sitting room.

Seven artists clad every inch of the 183-square-foot space in chocolate.  The room will be on view until March 8, at which point people can start eating it.

Chocolate Lamp

For the chocolate lover, a lovely lamp that looks like a delicious pool of melted chocolate!   This is an Italian design by the Nemo division of Cassina.