Because it’s five degrees and five days into Spring, but I still can’t see over the dunes of snow in my driveway. (That’s a good one…) Because my neighbours on both sides are on a beach somewhere and I’m in charge of their driveway dunes too. (Oh yea. Now you’re on a roll…) Because it’s my  mum’s birthday and I miss her. (That’s right, play the dead mother card.)

Sometimes a day calls for chocolate and there’s nothing to be done till you’ve dealt with it. And if you weren’t brought up with the belief that Lent is not the time for indulgences, and are at peace with the idea of Chocolate Anytime, Anywhere, no pangs, no recriminations, no softly from the grave sounds of tut-tutting, then you are a better woman than I.

And you will feel quite free from the need to catalogue the reasons why you are purchasing a box, for curative purposes, eating all eight, in the car, all by yourself. You will taste nothing but pride and pleasure. Good on ‘ya.

The cure for me is called koko.

Crafted by local chocolatier Jen Winter, her Kōkō chocolates are my go-to treat when the day needs sorting. You can taste the quality of the raw ingredients and the care that goes into this artisanal product. The aroma is clear and the finish clean. The pretty squares and rounds are mostly built around ganaches with flavour boosters of nuts, spices, herbs, fruits and booze. For each and every one of them, the calibre of the chocolate and the freshness of the flavour shine through.

I have no favourite. I am taken with them all. I buy a small box and I pause long enough to photograph them in the snow, just to reinforce my need of them. Then I eat them all, in one sitting, no assistance required.  And I’m working on feeling nothing but fine about that.

Small box of eight, $14. Available from the good people at the Candy Store at 350 Richmond Road in Westboro Village.