Wild Ophelia New Orleans Chili Dark Chocolate Bar--Review

New Orleans Chili Bar

Cayenne Chili Peppers + 70% cacao

Varietal: Louisiana Cayenne Chili Peppers

Where: Bayou Country, Louisiana

Flavor Profile: Dark chocolate with a warm, zinging hot spice and underlying tones of earthy red pepper.

Craft: These vine-ripened cayenne chili peppers are grown in the heart of South Louisiana's Bayou country. They are a distinct variety of the chili pepper family that stems from potato and tomato hybrid perennial shrubs. Also known as the Guinea spice, or cow-horn pepper, this red, hot pepper takes 100 days to age and ferment. High in vitamin A and containing amiable amounts of vitamin C & potassium, these vibrant fruits promote heart health. In creole cooking, this Bayou cayenne chili pepper is ubiquitous.

All Natural, No Preservatives, Gluten Free

Made with renewable energy on 100% recycled paperboard

 

To learn more about Wild Ophelia click HERE
 

 

My Thoughts: This was my first time trying a Wild Ophelia chocolate bar. I have to admit I was both excited and apprehensive about the New Orleans Chili.

While I’m always up for something spicy, I wasn’t sure if this would be overly spicy with the ancho and chipotle chili peppers and cayenne pepper. Surprisingly it was actually a nice mild spicy note that mixed brilliantly with the dark chocolate and cinnamon.

What I liked: I loved the taste—it was exquisite and high quality. I also liked that the product was all-natural, gluten free, preservative free, and made from ingredients that are grown in America.

What I wasn't too crazy about: While I loved the taste, I wished the texture would have been a bit smoother. If you look at the picture I took below, you can see the cinnamon and pepper, and it made the chocolate bar have a bit of a gritty texture to it. It’s wasn’t bad, I just wasn’t expecting it.

 

Will I buy this product again? YES

 

Will I try more Wilde Ophelia Products? YES 

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The Sunday Salon

Hello Lovelies,

I hope that you are doing well!

It’s been one of those Murphy’s Law weeks for me. You know the kind I’m talking about: The anything that can go wrong, will go wrong type of week. Where you question why you even climbed out of bed type of week.

Between my internet speeds being so terrible I was unable to post what I intended to post. And due to the chaos that filled my week, I was unable to read this week.

Although here is what I did manage to get up on Simply Angela:

Review:

Charlotte: Prowling for Enchantment by Mima: An adult version of the Choose your own adventure books we all loved as kids.

Inside & Out Book Tag: This is one of those things that I heard about through the blog vine and thought it would be fun to give it a go

Here’s what’s coming up on Simply Angela:

Reviews: Darkening Around Me by Barbara J. Hancock—another delightful modern gothic that I cannot wait to share.

Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson—a brilliant modern take of Pride & Prejudice.

DIY: My adventures in arm knitting

I also have a few product reviews to share you with.
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Inside & Out book tag

The Inside & Out Book Tag is one of those things I heard about it through the blogvine and decided I should give it a go.

The blogvine: I found this from The Paperback Stash, who found it from Books, Biscuits, and Tea...who found it from Sabrina's Blog...who found it from A DayDreamers' Thoughts... Original tag created from MathomBooks from Youtube. Please join in too, it's fun!

I

Inside flap/Back of the book summaries: Too much info? Or not enough (Discuss)

I like just a hint of what the book is about. I don’t want an information dump or the author’s quarry to the editor; I just want a short sweet blurb about the book that gives nothing away.

N

New book: What form do you want it in? Be honest: Audiobook, E-Book, Paperback, or Hardcover?

It depends…if it’s a book that I plan to read only once, then a paperback copy is fine. If it’s a book that I know that I’m going to keep, I will search for the hardback. E-books are only bought when that format is the only format available. Normally I only buy Audiobooks on a whim.
 

S

Scribble while you read? Do you like to write in your books, taking notes, making comments, or do you keep your books clean clean clean? (Tell us why)

CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!!!! I’m picky about my books. No writing, no dog-earing the pages, no bending the covers back of a paperback, when reading a hardback the dust jacket must be removed and placed in a safe spot. And definitely no breaking the spines. Needless to say, I don’t allow many to borrow my books.

I

In your best voice, read for us your favorite 1st sentence from a book.

If the Duke of Robinsworth had known it would be so difficult to raise a daughter alone, he never would have killed his wife.

-A Lady and Her Magic by Tammy Falkner…best first line, just wished the book would have been better and the main character not a fairy.

D

Does it matter to you whether the author is male or female when you're deciding on a book? What if you're unsure of the author's gender?

Nope. I look solely at the writing. Ever read ahead? or have you ever read the last page way before you got there? I’ve had the urge, but never acted on it.

 

&

 

O 

Organized bookshelves, or Outrageous bookshelves?

 

  My Tudor bookshelf is so pristinely organized that you would think it came out of a research library. My other shelves are organized by author, but not nearly as put together as my Tudor shelf.

U

Under oath: have you ever bought a book based on the cover (alone)?

Guilty as charged! And, if I must confess, most of the books I’ve bought because of the cover have been really horrid.

T

Take it outside to read, or stay in?

I love reading in the back garden or on the porch if the weather isn’t cooperating. Although reading inside works too when the weather is too cold to go out.

 

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Charlotte: Prowling for Enchantment by Mima

Title: Charlotte: Prowling for Enchantment
By: Mima

Publisher: Pocket Star

ISBN: 9781476749709

Format: e-book only, $3.99

Release Date: January 2014

How I Read It: E-ARC via NetGalley

Rating: 3.5 Cups

Sail away on a moonlit adventure! It’s the readers who guide Charlotte’s romantic fate in the Dare to Decide series’ next interactive erotic ebook. From the mermaid beach to the fairy ball, you steer Charlotte’s passions with the click of a link.

 
Finally, it’s Charlotte’s time for a sexy single’s cruise, the kind of trip Gram would have loved. Umbrella drink in hand, she finds herself with a choice...a tawny Viking of a man beckons from across the bar, while a leather-clad rocker gets tossed at her feet. Neither man is as human as he seems…but then again, neither is Charlotte.
 
Before she knows it, Charlotte’s dodging curses and negotiating extraordinary pleasure. The elder tales warned us against trusting a pretty face…do you dare to decide where Charlotte goes next? Find your way through the eleven mysterious, magical endings. (taken from NetGalley)

My Thoughts:
 

Do you remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books we all read—and loved—as kids? Well…Pocket Star—a digital imprint of Simon and Schuster—has released an adult version, Charlotte: Prowling for Enchantment by Mima—and I kind of loved it, too—and it’s available at the click of a button.

After the death of her grandmother, Charlotte decides to live a little by taking a cruise, although she never realized that it was a cruise for fantastical creatures—or that she was one of them—until she meets two attractive men that have the ability to rock her world.

With eleven endings, some that will please your HEA fantasies and some that left me a tad disappointed—and numerous ways to get there, each as entertaining and naughty as the one before—Charlotte: Prowling for Enchantment was definitely a fun and funky weekend adult read laced with paranormal mayhem.

Although this book was erotic, it wasn’t over the top, so those of you who are newbies to the erotic genre won’t feel so overwhelmed.

I was a bit conflicted when rating this book. I loved some of the pathways that the book took, and some not so much, but that’s the fun thing with choose your own adventure books, if you don’t like the ending pick a new one. While I liked the characters—most of them—some of the paranormal aspects were a little far out there and a little over played.

Overall: It was a fun weekend adventure and depending on the paths that you choose, could be a novella or becomes a full novel.

Will I read more of these Daring to Decide books? I do believe so! And this book will make a great e-gift!

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The Cold Continues…

 

 

Drive my dead thoughts over the universe

     Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth!

     And, by the incantation of this verse,

Scatter, as from an unextinguished hearth

     Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!

     Be through my lips to unawakened earth

The trumpet of a prophecy! O, wind,

     If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Taken Saturday Morning

It’s ten ‘till two in the afternoon, so I’m getting another late start today on my Sunday Salon post, but in all fairness, I had to wait until my fingers thawed out so I could actually type and I’m still fighting this head cold that I have caught.

It’s cold here—and when I say cold, I mean colder than Alaska cold—thanks to round two of the bloody Polar Vortex that seems to hanging over us and refusing to release us from its icy grasp. And don’t get me started on the snow—we’ve already had half a foot of snow and more is on the way.

You know it’s cold when you’re outside for less than 5 minutes shoveling—or in my case attempting to shovel, or I should say fighting the drifts—and your thick wool legwarmer actually freezes.

Needless to say, I didn’t stay outside too long, which was good considering I just managed to get inside and warmed up when the power went off. And my Scottish oatmeal breakfast helped to warm me up.

In other news, here’s what been going on in bloglandia.

Reviews:

Lost In Me by Barbara J. Hancock—for those of you who like modern gothics, Lost In Me is sure to satisfy. And it’s completely free thanks to Harlequin putting it out as a free online read!

Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley—another modern gothic--or women-in-jeopardy novel as the author calls them. Written with Kearsley’s flare for combining history, mystery, romance, and suspense, Named of the Dragon—while not as strong as her other novels—will please and entertain.

The Dark Witch by Nora Robert—I’ve never been a fan of Nora Roberts, but I loved this one and cannot wait for the next two in the trilogy.

Reviews to come this week:

Darkening Around Me by Barbara J. Hancock—another delightful modern gothic that I cannot wait to share.

Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson—a brilliant modern take of Pride & Prejudice.

DIY:

Stained glass candleholder

DIY to come this week:

My adventures in arm knitting…

What I’m Reading this week:

Every Secret Thing by Susanna Kearsley

Charlotte by Mima

Douglas by Grace Burrowes

Legacy of Darkness by Jane Godman

In other news…

I was in my writing cave for most of last week and some of the weekend working on my own modern gothic trying to make my deadline and keeping well stocked with tea and biscuits…now if only Carson (the butler from Downton Abbey) would keep my teapot topped off…

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends.

Ireland.

 

County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors’ blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits.

 

Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan’s directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives.

 

When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, he’s three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package.

 

Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive…

 

Series: The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy #1 | Publisher: Berkley |Genre: Fiction |How I Read it: Purchased  | Rating: 4 Cups

 Challenges Read For:  Reading Through Nora Roberts

Winter 1263 Sorcha, the original Dark Witch, is being hunted by Cabhan who wants her powers for his own and will stop at nothing to get them but Sorcha will not freely give them and he cannot take them without her consent. With her husband off fighting a war and still weak from the loss of her unborn child, Sorcha knows what she must do to keep her three children alive. She merges her powers with the powers of her young children then sends them off so she can face Cabhan alone.

 

County Mayo, 2013 Iona Sheehan has sold everything and left behind her grandmother, the only person who ever loved her, to move to Ireland, the place of her ancestors. In searching out the legend of the first Dark Witch, Iona hopes to find where she belongs by getting in touch with her roots, but she wasn’t prepared for just how in touch she would become. When she meets her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer, they know instantly that she is the third. The only thing left to do is teach her how to use the magick and prepare her for Cabhan, who already has her in his sights.

 

As Iona learns how use the magick inside her, she also starts falling for Boyle McGrath, the owner of the local stable that she’s just been hired at.

 

I’ve never been overly fond of Nora Roberts’ writing—it’s good, don’t get me wrong, but none of it has captured my attention the way The Dark Witch did. I found, no matter how hard I tried, I could not put this book. It held me spellbound until the very last page and now I am anxiously awaiting the second book.

 

The main character, Iona, at the beginning of the book, comes off a bit strong and a tad annoying but thankfully that quickly changes and she becomes very likeable as her character arcs. Boyle McGrath, Iona’s love interest, gave off that typical Irish boxer swagger. Broody and one to keep women at arm’s length, he finds the situation he’s in with Iona to be a new one and jumps to some interesting conclusions which blow up in his face. I just wished that he would have been a bit more prevalent in the story—he’s in there, but I didn’t feel as though I really got a chance to meet him.

 

While The Dark Witch was Iona’s story, I found that the other characters, Branna, Connor, Fin, and Meara intrigued me as well, which is good considering that their stories are to come (and I cannot wait to read them). They added a nice balance to the novel, and I cannot wait to get to know more about Fin, there was something about him—perhaps that he’s of Cabhan’s blood and walks the line between good and evil—that makes him enthralling.

 

I also liked the way Cabhan and that whole aspect was handled. Rather than every page being ‘this great evil beastie is out to get us and we all might die’ the drama was well handled, it was there but it allowed the plot to flow naturally without being overloaded.

 

Another plus for me was the way that Roberts brought the setting to life; I could almost feel the rain and smell the peat fires.

 

As this is a trilogy, I knew that there would be a cliffhanger of sorts, but I was very pleased with the way the first book ended.

 

Overall, I could not get enough of this book. While I wished that Boyle would have been introduced more, I think that it lent a bit of mystery that he wasn’t. Thoroughly intrigued and pleased, I cannot wait to read the second installment.

 

And just look at that cover….gorgeous!

DIY Stained Glass Candleholder

For the last few months, I’ve been looking for glass candleholders. Of course, they’re not hard to find, glass candleholders abound just about everywhere you look, but I was looking for a certain type. They had to be round, not too tall but not too short, preferably with a fluted tops and some type of footing, in blue or green, and hold look of antiquity.

I looked and I looked. I searched and I searched. There wasn’t an antique shop or flee market, or store in a 50 mile radius that I left unsearched—I even scoured the internet for something to please my fancy and still I came up empty handed (okay, not quite so empty handed, I did purchase some really neat items along the way, but none of them was the candleholders which I had been searching for).

Once I realized I wasn’t going to find what I wanted, I decided to make my own.

 

Glass Vase/Jar, Elmer’s School Glue, green and blue liquid food coloring, gold puff paint, paper plate, rubbing alcohol, water

Optional Supplies: Metallic permanent marker in gold (I have found that the Sharpie brand works the best on glass surfaces)

 

You’ll want to cover your work surface with something to protect it. I use a vinyl tablecloth. If you will need to move your project before it’s dried, you’ll need something for the candleholders to sit in. I use an oversized plastic mixing bowl, but an old shoebox would work— just cover the bottom with newspaper.

Wash glass thoroughly in warm soapy water. Allow the glass to dry. Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and run over the inside of the jar to remove oil and residue. If the glass is too small, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol (about two capfuls) inside the glass, cover the top, and gently shake. Allow to dry.

If you are upcycling an old jar that has the label attached, allow the jar to soak for an hour or two to remove the glue from the jar—if you find that the glue is being stubborn, use a SMALL amount of vegetable or olive oil on a cotton ball to rub over the glue, just make sure you rewash the jar to remove the oil, then follow the steps above.

 

  Either in the bottom of your vase or in a separate cup, add two tablespoons of glue and 1-2 tablespoons of warm water, mix together until the water has absorbed into the glue. Now add 2-3 drops of blue food coloring, blend well, then add 1 drop of green and mix. Don’t be afraid to play around with the colors or the amount that you use.

When mixing colors together remember 3 different colors is your limit. If you mix any more than three separate colors, the outcome tends to be murky.

  

If you mixed your paint in a separate cup, pour the paint into your vase. Turn the vase until the inside is completely coated, then sit the vase upside down on a paper plate to dry.

   

Once the paint has dried, it’s now time to add your designs. If this is your first time, you might want to use a metallic Sharpie to draw on the designs that you want. Having used the puff paint before, I was acquainted with the way the tube and tip worked so I free-handed the designs I wanted. For the gilded-looking top and footer, I squeezed on enough paint to coat the top and bottom then worked the tip of the paint tube until I achieved the design I wanted. Allow to dry to dry for 24 hours.

Voilà! Now you have a decorative vase that will be perfect for both keeping and giving as a gift.

(just remember, the paint is not waterpoof. If you wanted to use these to hold flowers, I suggest that you take a gallon sized ziplock baggy, cut off about two inches down from the top of the baggy to remove the ziplock, place baggy inside the vase, secure the baggy by folding the edges down over the top of the vase and placing on a rubber band, then add water.)

If you make one of these stained glass candleholders, I would love to know how it turned out.

Happy Crafting!  

When all else fails…Keep Calm & Read On!

Between the cold temps (it dropped to -42, it was colder here in Ohio than it was in Alaska) and my head cold, I’ve missed the last two Sunday Posts…so I thought I would share a few of my favorite bookish quotes.

 

 

 

 

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