The pastry chef inside me cringes when I think about how long I held off chocolate. My mentor, I called grandmother, would foster what my mom liked: fruit and cream. Making tarts, soufflé, pies, cookies, and even candy. On a scarce occasion, my grandfather would request a chocolate cake. Finally, around the age of seven, I was introduced to chocolate mousse and fell in love. Mostly the texture, not so much the flavor. There was something bitter, rich, and dark about chocolate that did not sit with me as a child. All these attributes would resonate strongly with who I am as an adult.