Choosing the perfect chocolate gift can set the stage for your romance

Chocolate is literally "the food of the gods" and also gets great marks for setting the stage for romance. However chocolate is not an aphrodisiac in any conventional sense. If you want to incorporate chocolate into your dating repertoire, here are some things you might want to consider.

When selecting chocolates for your date, try to choose flavors that show you've been paying attention. If your date does not like exotic foods such as sashimi, they're also probably not going to like wasabi-ginger chocolate or a super-spicy habanero truffle. If your date likes comfort food then choosing something with buttery caramel in it is a good choice. If on the other hand, your date loves to try the latest in food trends, then wild flavor combinations like raspberry/pink-peppercorn may be just the thing. If your date has a real sense of humor, a chocolate pop rocks ganache is sure to provide a rousing start to the evening.

Reflect your personality

If you're not sure of your date's food likes and dislikes, then get what you like and be prepared to tell a little story about why it's your favorite and reflects something of your personality.

• If you love white chocolate you probably have a little bit of the rebel in you since white chocolate isn't really chocolate because it doesn't have any cocoa powder in it. Solid white chocolate can be very sweet, but it complements fruit-flavored and nut centers.
• If you're a milk chocolate fan, you like tradition, so stay with familiar combinations that include caramel and praline (which is a paste made from ground nuts, caramelized sugar, and chocolate).
• If dark chocolate is your thing, then you like to be mysterious and keep people guessing. Dark chocolate goes great with many of the most exotic flavors.

No matter what you buy, one of the keys to getting great chocolate is freshness. Don't walk into a store and buy something that's been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long. The box may say "I am pretty and expensive" but you don't eat the box - and you want to establish that you're really interested in what's inside. The relationship you want to have with your chocolatier is the one your grandmother had with her butcher. The more they know about what you like - and don't -- the better selections they can make for you. Always ask what's freshest and best. Besides, a custom selection shows you took time and thought about what to give.

Make a powerful statement

If either of you is on a diet, then focus on quality and presentation, not quantity. Two pieces of extraordinary chocolate exquisitely packaged makes a powerful statement. If that doesn't work for you, then look for exotic "named origin" (all the beans used to make the bar come from a specific place or country) solid dark chocolate bars with high cocoa percentages.

The most romantic piece of chocolate you can buy? Why, the passion fruit chocolate heart, of course.

Clay Gordon, a professional chocolate critic, is also the editor and publisher of chocophile.com, a leading online journal of chocolate appreciation.

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