The only thing better than peanut butter

I discovered chocolate hazelnut spread back in the late 1990s when this Middle Eastern/European delicacy was still mostly unknown here in the states.

Over the years I've become a bit snobbish about the stuff - I like my spread VERY chocolaty and not too sweet. Nutella just doesn't cut it.

But my world came crashing down a year ago when I discovered that my favorite chocolate hazelnut paste contained one of the most deadly substances known to man -- partially hydrogenated oil. It was instantly banned it from my diet.

So you can just imagine my joy when I recently came across Çokokrem, a delicious partially-hydrogenated-oil-free chocolate hazelnut spread made by Turkish food manufacturer Ülker.

I found Çokokrem at North Park Produce, a great Middle Eastern grocery at the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and Wilson Street not far from my apartment.

NPP is great. It has all of my favorite Middle Eastern products, like Feta cheese and Jordanian green za'atar. The store also carries a few things you won't find in my kitchen, like goat's head and lamb nuts.

Hmmmm. Maybe lamb nuts would be good in sauce piquante.