Chocolate thief to lose hands in Iran

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Can you call it “sweet revenge?” Probably not …

A man convicted of robbing a candy store has been sentenced to have his hands chopped off. As if that isn’t enough to keep him from stealing, he’s also going to do a year in prison. The guy was arrested back in May, when the police found “$900 (£560), three pairs of gloves and a large amount of chocolate in his car,” the BBC reports.

So, if you find your way to Iran, bring a full wallet – or exercise some restraint. The BBC adds that amputation is usually only used in the cases of habitual thieves, but I don’t know that I’d roll the dice. If you want a candy bar, just buy it. Then, you’ll have the hands you need to eat it.

[from hapal via Flickr]

Daily Pampering: Chocolate Bar reopens in Boston’s Langham hotel

by Melanie Nayer on

September starts a new season of all things savory, including Boston’s two best culinary indulgences – chocolate and Sunday brunch. The Langham, Boston welcomes the return of Boston’s two favorite decadent buffets – the Chocolate Bar and the City Brunch.

The Chocolate Bar at The Langham is entering its 22nd year as a Boston staple. Pastry Chef Jed Hackney’s innovative creations featuring salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and savory flavors will delight any chocolate lovers palette. Desserts include Stuffed Soft Pretzels, Raspberry Filled Beignets, White Chocolate and Lemon Meringue Tart, and Chocolate Almond Financier. Several old favorites will also return including the legendary Langham Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding, Cotton Candy, and Whoopie Pies.

If you want something more substantial for breakfast, try the City Brunch on Sundays, which feature a variety of stations and buffet items. Executive Chef Mark Sapienza offers a variety locally sourced and produced foods, in addition to house-made items. Chef Sapienza has a direct relationship with local farmers and artisan food purveyors to offer the best meat, seafood, cheese, fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

The cost of this indulgence? Visit the Chocolate Bar in Café Fleuri every Saturday for $38 for adults/$25 for kids. Enjoy Sunday brunch at $48 for adults and $25 for children.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Knott’s Berry Farm adds chocolate and bacon to the funnel-cake menu

by Leigh Caldwell on

Chocolate. Bacon. Funnel cake. Three of my favorite things in the world. But is putting them all together too much of a good thing?

Apparently not at Knott’s Berry Farm, where chocolate bacon funnel cake is being added to the menu.

This over-the-top culinary concoction started where all good theme-park food trends do these days, on Twitter.

Meghan Gardner, a spokeswoman for Knott’s Berry Farm, said that the park sent out a tweet asking followers what funnel cake toppings they would like to see added to the menu.

Chocolate and bacon was the winner. So, the Buena Park, Calif., theme park created a funnel cake drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with chopped bacon.

It was supposed to be a temporary item, Gardner said. But it proved so popular that the new snack has been added to the permanent menu at the park’s Funnel Cake Kitchen.

Chocolate bacon funnel cakes sell for $8.

Small gifts go a long way in making friends – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Whenever I travel internationally, I always carry a few small gifts from my hometown that other people might be interested in — things like chocolates, pens, dress shirts and basic housewares like vegetable peelers. These kinds of gifts are appreciated in many developing nations.

Even though India, for example, exports many of the clothes we purchase in developed countries, those clothes are not available for sale domestically.

High-quality, everyday items provided to your host family or helpers or service workers will ensure you get a personal touch, and they mean as much or more than a generous tip.

Gadlinks for Thursday, 1.21.2010

by Katie Hammel on

Can’t get enough travel news? Fear not, here is some more travel talk from around the web.


More Gadlinks HERE.