July 15 - One of my favorite people in the whole world is Crystal. She is my right hand in chocolate making and an all around awesome human. Her birthday was today. Last week she severed her Achilles on a ten day river trip, while dancing. I cannot think of a better reason to lay claim to why I would not be able to walk for months. She rocks a sequined dress too BTW. On less recent news, the chocolate manufacturing facility is coming along more quickly now! Framing is done and some drywall is going up. Aug 28 - Well I let that last one go too long before posting , didn't I? I'll try to keep that to...
This is a long blog. It covers my trip to the Dominican Republic and has loads of photos. You've been warned! One of my more important origins I am able to purchase beans from is the Zorzal Plantation in the Dominican republic. This 1200 acre farm/preserve was purchased a few years ago by a few intrepid organizations that allowed it to become a bird sanctuary, primarily for the Bicknells Thrush, a migratory bird endangered by habitat loss. This area allows it a place to thrive. It is a restored jungle that was for a very long time dedicated to cattle. The proprietor of the preserve is Chuck Kerchner, he was our host and tour guide for the week. We started at...
The past few days have been hectic. Friday I drove to Denver to attend the Colorado Chocolate Festival. But on the way down I had to drop chocolate off to my friends at Knapp Harvest in Eagle, the cutest store with tons of bee-centric things for your home. Then to Edwards to pick up a kegerator for future chocolate sodas to keep you cool all summer, then to Denver Restaurant Equipment to look for bargains on coffee machines, coolers and all the other things I need in order to build out a desert restaurant. Then to the Chocolate Festival! Doors opened at 4pm, I was only a few minutes behind that. Right inside the front door was one of my...
Intersting article on causation: Why Do Carbs Give Me Headaches? Experts say we may be thinking about food triggers for migraines and other kinds of headaches the wrong way. Credit...Aileen Son for The New York TimesBy Alice Callahan April 26, 2022 Q: Why do carbs and sugar give me headaches? It’s common for people to notice a headache coming on after eating certain foods, and foods high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, like a slice of chocolate cake or a bowl of pasta, are among the usual suspects. Such food triggers are often reported by people who have migraines, said Dr. Peter Goadsby, a professor of neurology at King’s College London and the University of California, Los Angeles. “The person that’s...
With some of the excellent luck I've experienced this past year, it's time to open up a storefront where I can sell my chocolate directly yo the public. But we're taking it to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL. The move started out as a need to leave my cramped 450sq ft. space in a neighboring town and bring it to my home town, I will be able to bike to work! The new space is 1600 sq ft. And of course almost 4 times the rent I am currently paying but the upside is that I don't need all that space and can turn it into a retail space as well. Then my brain started to turn. If the manufacturing space...
