Alright, there’s something I need to confess. There’s another in my life. Don’t worry, it’s not what you think (though judging by the way you always ask for a taste of my my vanilla ice cream, maybe a little part of you feels the same way). Yes, spoiler alert – it’s vanilla.

Yes, vanilla. The “plain” one, the “boring” one, as you so affectionately (and inaccurately) call it. But honey, vanilla isn’t some bland wallflower. She’s the Audrey Hepburn to your, well, let’s just say your taste buds have a penchant for the dramatic.

Chocolate might be the fleeting thrill ride, but vanilla is the warm embrace you come home to, the flavor that evokes memories and creates new ones. Yes, vanilla, my dear, is the comforting aroma that fills our kitchen when baking cookies, the subtle sweetness that makes a morning latte perfect, the one who elevates a simple cake batter to heavenly heights. She’s the calming presence in a world of over-the-top flavors. The cool glass of water after a hot day. The one who folds socks the way they should be folded.

I know, I know. You champion your dark and mysterious chocolate. It’s exciting, it’s bold, it promises an adventure on the taste buds. And sure, sometimes a little excitement is a good thing. But let’s be honest, doesn’t that ever get a bit… much? Like that new restaurant downtown with the ever-changing menu of deconstructed everything? It might be thrilling at first, but after a while, all you crave is a good old-fashioned burger.

“Can I try a bite?”

Vanilla, on the other hand, is the reliable old friend, the one you can always count on for a good time. She doesn’t need fancy gimmicks or flashy presentations. Her beauty lies in her simplicity, her ability to elevate everything she touches. It’s like the perfect pair of jeans – they may not be the most exciting garment in your closet, but they’ll never let you down.

And if we’re both being honest, I think you know this, too. How many times have you asked for an innocent little taste of my vanilla ice cream cone? Countless. How many times have I tried your melty, drippy, chocolate ice cream cone, even when you offer it? You know the answer to that. The chocolate ice cream somehow seems hot in my mind right now – how is that even possible?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting you abandon chocolate entirely. Chocolate has been thrilling. She’s like that weekend getaway we take every year – a delightful escape from the ordinary. But when it comes to the day-to-day, the predictable, comfort food for the soul, vanilla reigns supreme. She’s the steady stream of happiness in a world of fleeting thrills, the constant companion who never asks for anything in return (except maybe a sprinkle of sea salt, but that’s a story for another time).

It Was In Front of Our Faces This Entire Time.

I’ve been struggling to admit this for a while, not only to you, but also to myself. But I think it finally dawned on me that the answer is clear and unambiguous. I noticed this when I was eating one of your Lindt Excellence 85% Cocao Dark Chocolate bars (hey, I go that way sometimes, too). Anyway, as I was enjoying its velvety darkness, I was reading the ingredient list when I noticed that “bourbon vanilla beans” is an ingredient in this chocolate bar.

Say what??? Vanilla is an ingredient in chocolate, but never the other way around? OK, I wish all of our arguments were settled this easily.

Anyway, this made me look at some of the other chocolates we had in the pantry and it was then that I noticed that the delicious Green & Black’s 70% Cacao Organic Dark Chocolate Bars also contained vanilla! Game, set, match, darling. I bet you had no idea that your infrequent indulgences to the dark side would be the enlightenment we have before us, inevitable as it may have been. I think Alanis would call this ironic.

Don’t Hate the Player. Don’t Hate the Plain.

So, bottom line, the next time you catch me sneaking a spoonful of vanilla ice cream, don’t get jealous. Just think of it as me rekindling my love affair with the most dependable, delicious, and dare I say, seductive flavor of all time. Because let’s face it, there’s something undeniably alluring about a classic.