In 2000, I produced a show entitled Bermuda Triangle to raise money for Catholic Relief Services to distribute to the victims of Hurricane Mitch in the Honduras and Guatemala. I knew that ticket sales alone wasn't going to raise all that much money, so I wrote to a bunch of different companies, asking for donations that could be raffled off. The wonderful people at Ghirardelli sent us two of their fabulous Ghirardelli Trains.

Later that year, my family received a nice gift from my sister's friend in San Francisco. You guessed it-- The Ghirardelli Train. This time, I was fortunate enough to enjoy it.

In October of last year, my mother-in-law and I ventured into the Ghirardelli chocolate factory and store while in San Francisco. I saw the Ghirardelli Train there, but it was going for $45. I didn't need to train, so I just bought the chocolate individually.

Well, the Ghirardelli Train can no longer be purchased online. I believe it has been discontinued, but I am not sure. And, I couldn't get anyone on the phone at Ghirardelli before I wrote this review. If I find out otherwise, I will change it. But, it definitely isn't listed online.

The Ghirardelli Train is a lovely train made out of metal and plastic. It is a bit heavy, and is definitely not a toy. It has the Ghirardelli logo on it. The top is red, the train is black, and there is gold trim all around it. No, it is not a functional train-- It is just for display.

Since the train is made mainly out of plastic, it seems to break easily. When the train arrived from Ghiradelli, who packed it extremely well, a couple of the wheels were broken. (Nothing a little Krazy Glue couldn't fix...) It stands about 12 inches long and 6 inches tall. The inside is hollowed out, which makes room for the chocolate that Ghirardelli puts inside for you.

"Chocolate? Did you say CHOCOLATE?"

Yes, my loyal reader, I said chocolate. The Ghirardelli Train is packed with all sorts of delicious Ghiradelli chocolate. It includes four full-sized chocolate bars (Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Mint Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Crisp) and a variety of the chocolate squares (Milk Chocolate With Caramel Filling, Dark Chocolate with White Mint Filling, Milk Chocolate with Double Chocolate Filling, Milk Chocolate with Chocolate Orange Filling, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Mint Chocolate). I remember there being some sort of chocolate biscuits in there, but I simply cannot find it on the Ghirardelli website.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Ghirardelli chocolate. Heck, I love any chocolate! (For those of you reading, my birthday is coming up... 9/23! Feel free to send some chocolate gifts my way!) But, Ghirardelli really takes the cake. It's right up there with Godiva and soars past See's. The chocolate is so rich, you just know that you are eating a high-quality piece of chocolate from your very first bite. It doesn't have a fake taste in the least.

Since the Ghirardelli chocolate isn't wrapped in paper, you don't ever lose any of the taste. It's that shiny plastic material, and it keeps the chocolate tasting fresh and wonderful.

You can purchase Ghirardelli chocolate and gifts at most department stores. Some cities (San Francisco and Las Vegas, for example) have Ghirardelli stores. And, of course, you can always order online by going to www.Ghirardelli.com.

Unfortunately, you probably won't find the train. however, they do have this way cute Ghirardelli Cable Car....


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