With Valentine's Day around the corner, there's a lot of sweet-talking going down, so I thought I'd share the love. When it comes to sweets, I tend to go for something lemony, so I asked my readers to broaden my horizons and speak to me of chocolate desserts. They were happy to report exactly what they love and why they love it. So, here's a little gift from me to you: a list of some of my favorites, some of theirs and a couple of Valentine's Day specialties you might want to kiss up to. Did we miss your heart's desire? Do tell!

One reader insists that after a side-by-side tasting of chocolate cakes -- involving 22 invited guests and cakes from some of Seattle's top bakeries --"Nothing came close to Bakery Nouveau's exceptional quality and flavor." Their classic chocolate cake is "a perfect balance of chocolate cake and ganache -- both bittersweet. Not overly sweet, just rich and buttery." A rousing vote for the West Seattle contender.

My nod goes to the chocolate truffle cake at Simply Desserts in Fremont. Those luscious layers also hit that just-right note between sweet and not-so. I've been indulging for more than 20 years, and warn you: share a slice. Readers weighed in heavily for the shop's chocolate fudge cake. No, wait, the chocolate caramel cake! -- with a chocolate espresso cookie on the side.

At Macrina Bakery Cafe, Olivia's chocolate chip cookies are a must, I'm told: Pick one up in Belltown, Queen Anne or Sodo. I regularly get my cookie fix at Delancey in Ballard. What's the secret to the success of the pizzeria's bittersweet chocolate chip cookies? I thought it was the grey salt sprinkle, but have since learned it's the time spent allowing the cookie dough to rest for days before baking it.

There's no baking involved in that marvel of mascarpone, tiramisu. And the tiramisu-for-two at Tutta Bella Neapolitan pizzerias (in Columbia City, Fremont, Westlake and Issaquah) -- spiked with Frangelico and showered with chocolate shavings -- is as good as it gets.