CHESHIRE -  Long time chef and chocolate expert Maria Brandriff will hold "Chocolate Wars" at 7 p.m. Feb. 7  at the Cheshire Public Library.

"It will be a kind of taste-off, where participants will have the opportunity to compare the type of decadent chocolate desserts that we all know and love with a lighter healthier version," according to a release.

"Which type wins the showdown will be up to the participants who will have the opportunity to indulge in both. Recipes and ample samples will be available," the release said. 

Space is limited. To register, call (203-272-2245) or visit the library’s website www.cheshirelibrary.org .

Brandriff is the assistant director at the Cheshire Public Library and her "interest in fine cooking and baking came from growing up in a Ukrainian household where Viennese-inspired tortes and confections dominated every holiday," the release said.

Brandriff "has experimented with the traditional recipes and has come up with her own variations. She has also become more and more involved with the intricacies of working with chocolate. At holiday time she produces hundreds of chocolate truffle candies, which she shares with family and friends."

The program is free and open to the public but\ pre-registration is necessary, as attendance is limited. 

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.