Thursday, April 9, 2009 --- 2:50 a.m.

Madison residents care about their health and the environment.

In the week's Hot Trends...Just in time for Easter, we found a healthy alternative for the Easter Basket that gives back to Mother Nature and your body!

This is not your typical chocolate shop. Its mainly Dark Chocolate you'll find at Gail Ambrosius Chocolatiers on Atwood Avenue.

"Dark Chocolate tends to be the trend right now. I think its going to continue. Dark Chocolate is better for you. It has less sugar in it so I think it has a lot more flavor as well... "

Gail makes all her own chocolate right here at the store. Candy bars, Easter bunny's and even truffles. She prefers dark chocolate for the taste... But she says the health kick across the country and here in Madison is really helping business.

"People are becoming more health conscience and milk chocolate of course has more sugars in it and has milk solids, milk powder, whatever. The dark chocolate has just a small amount of sugar and therefore you can taste more of the pure chocolate. "

Meantime, her pure love of the environment rivals her love of dark chocolate. In fact, her business went completely carbon neutral on April First.

"I am also working with an organization called Big Tree Climate Fund so I am off setting all of my CO2 emissions by planting cacow trees in Brazil. "

Nationally she has bragging rights well.

This chocolate bar - 3 hot nuts - won first place in the Next Generation Chocolatier competition in New York last November.

She's also making some milk chocolate bunnies at the request of a 4 year old who came into the store last week. The chocolate bunnies and other Easter treats run from $5 to $25.

For more information on Gail Ambrosius Chocolatiers on Atwood Avenue, please click on Newslinks.