By Mary Jo Spiegel
Enquirer contributor

"I need something chocolate and I need it now," one letter reads. "I'm desperate," writes another. "But please don't use my name."

Fear not, my fellow chocoholics, we are not alone. In fact, we eat over 3 billion pounds of chocolate in this country each year. It's our number one food craving.

And here in the Midwest (and Northeast) we eat more than our share. Why? It might have something to do with the winter blues (well, now it's called Seasonal Affective Disorder) brought on by the dismal days of January and February.

CAN YOU HELP?

Does anyone have a recipe for a Texas Tornado Cake like Wilma Honeycutt of West Chester Township ate at Stacy's in Orange City, Fla.? Diana Wolfgang of Eastgate would like the recipe for "pinwheels," a meat and dough dish served in Cincinnati Public Schools years ago. Patti Capannari of Mount Adams is looking for a fudge recipe (too late for Christmas, sorry) using marshmallow cream and four kinds of chips: peanut butter, milk chocolate, semi-sweet and butterscotch.

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate with a high fat content, seems to trigger the brain's production of feel-good chemicals which in turn help battle depression.

So, go for a walk, sit in front of a full-spectrum light, or self-medicate with one of these easy, decadent chocolate recipes. Who knew it was the chocolate working the magic in the brownies all along?

Rosie's Bakery is legendary in the Boston area for treats like this, voted "America's best brownie." You can order a batch from www.rosiesbakery.com, but you need your chocolate now, so make some from Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Holds-Barred Baking Book (Workman; $13.95).

Rosie's Award Winning Brownie

31/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

11/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled

11/2 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine chocolate and butter. Mix in sugar, vanilla and eggs, blending well. Stir in flour, then nuts. Pour batter into greased 8-inch square pan and bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes. Will test with a moist crumb when done. Makes 12 brownies.

Satisfy cravings for chocolate and bourbon in every bite. This standby at my house is good warm or cold, tastes even better a few days old and freezes beautifully. And for you restaurant recipe fans, it does taste remarkably like the dessert of the same name served at Boca in Northside. From Baking with Julia (Morrow; $40). Garnish with perhaps a fresh raspberry. Anything else is gilding the lily.

Boca Negra

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)

11/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup bourbon

2 sticks butter, very soft but not quite melted

5 eggs

11/2 tablespoons flour

Place chocolate in heat-proof bowl and set aside. In small saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar and bourbon to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves.

Pour this hot syrup over chocolate, stir until melted and smooth. Stir in butter until completely incorporated. In another bowl, whisk eggs and 1/3 cup sugar until slightly thickened.

Stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Stir in flour. Pour batter into 9-inch greased, paper-lined cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees in water bath (place cake pan in larger pan, pour hot water into larger pan to come 1 inch up side of cake pan-- water should never touch batter).

Bake 40 minutes or until set in middle and firm enough to hold its shape (will test wet). Let cool, run spatula around cake pan to loosen. Cover cake pan with plastic wrap, flip onto plate, peel off paper, flip again onto serving plate and remove plastic. Makes 12 servings.

Send food questions, tips, recipe requests and recipes to Saucy Cook, the Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202. E-mail: foodlady@zoomtown.com. Please include name, neighborhood, e-mail and phone number.