Ever had one of those amazing dreams where everything was made out of chocolate, and you just ate your way through it all? Actually, I haven't either, but with these recipes for a complete chocolate meal, dreaming is unnecessary.

When last we left you, we were at the end of our travels to museums of chocolate in Canada. Come meander with us south of the Canadian border, and discover a handful of famous U.S. chocolate museums that you shouldn't miss.

In parts I-III of this series, we told you about famous museums of chocolate all over Europe, from Switzerland to Italy to England --a total of 11 European countries boast chocolate museums. In Part IV, we'll explore museums of chocolate on this side of the pond, in Canada. Quebec and New Brunswick please extreme chocolate fans in a few different ways.

Never heard of chocolate theft? It's America's fastest growing crime, an epidemic sweeping the nation... well, maybe not. But we're not just talking about shoplifting a chocolate bar here. We're talking about real, serious crime -- or if not serious, at least illegal.

Since chocolate had its beginnings in a humble laboratory, it's only right that science dedicate itself to discovering the perfect chocolate. British chocolate manufacturer Cadbury has spent much of the last decade financing a study on chocolate's crystalline structures and how they affect taste in search of the perfect chocolate.

You know when you buy chocolate bars and they have that disgusting white film covering them? You might have chalked it up to a poor quality of chocolate, but the fact is improper storage is the more likely culprit. Chocolate is an extremely delicate substance. If you want it to last as long as possible -- and still taste great when you get to it -- you have to store it properly.

While we like to think that chocolate works for just about any dish, there are some that seem rather unlikely -- and chocolate pasta is one of them. Now, this category can include pasta that is itself cocoa-flavored, or regular semolina pasta with chocolate sauce. In this article, we're going with the former.

A little extreme? Maybe. But then again, chocolate beet cake seemed a little out there, and so did chocolate sauerkraut cake -- and we've provided recipes for both. So why should we hesitate with chocolate-flavored pasta? Hmmm? Set your course for adventure, then, and follow along!

The origins of chocolate mousse are relatively unknown. After being introduced to chocolate by the Spanish, French chefs have been cooking with chocolate since the early 17th century. Mousse, which means "foam", originated in France in the 18th century. It was only a matter of time until cooking with chocolate and making dishes with foamy textures came together for "mousse au chocolat."

While I was driving yesterday, I heard a radio commercial for chocolate jewelry that got my stomach growling. Just the mention of chocolate is enough to get me thinking about it for hours. But, unfortunately, the chocolate being advertised was not edible. It seems that food-like descriptions have made their way to the world of jewelry. As if diamonds weren't already enough to make you drool, there are now chocolate diamonds, as well as chocolate gold and chocolate pearls.

In Part I of this article, we introduced you to the most widely-recognized types of cacao beans: Criollo, the bean that flavored the original Aztec xocolatl, and Forastero, which provides most of the chocolate we imbibe today. Both types are currently grown just about anywhere that can support the Theobroma cacao tree.

Taken together, Criollo and Forastero account for 81% of the chocolate on the world market. But what about that other 19%? Well, that's what Part II of this article's all about. Here's where we tell you about the other two members of the family, Trinitario and Nacional.