Quiet Sunday Morning

It's a quiet Sunday morning here at the Chocolate Shop...that's perhaps because we're not open yet. I came in early to start tempering the dark chocolate that I will need to make Saints, Golden Knights, White Caps, Northstars, and Dark Hazelnut Truffles. I'd make Massena Mints but we don't have enough Creme de Menthe to make a batch. I'm trying to get enough creams done to make the display case look respectable as well as do up 15 boxes of 24 candies for an order due this week. Another 8 single layer boxes is also due...so a little backup supply is called for. But for now, all that's happening is the hum of the tempering machine as I wait for that familiar beep that tells me to take out the seed chocolate.

Despite being very busy making chocolate, I do like this new job and still like chocolate. Though my cravings for M&M's and Hershey's Kisses have definately decreased, I still like to sample the occassional mishap out of the mold. The molded creams are beginning to wear on me...simply becoming routine but the bark, pretzels, and oreos still are fun to make.

The hardest cream to make is the Bear Paw. It is a deep mold so it takes a lot of chocolate to cover it well. Then you have to add two fillings; a strawberry jell and peanut butter fondant. The strawberry jell is sticky and only cotton gloves keeps it from sticking to everything it touches. Our new recipe has greatly improved the work involved in this aspect of making it. The peanut butter fondant, if not used within a few days of creation, becomes very dry and crumbly so is very hard to put into the mold as one piece. This causes little bits of peanut butter to infuse with the bottom layer of chocolate that is used to seal the filling. But the flavor is very popular and many people have commented that it is their favorite.

The easiest to make is, yes, the Massena Mint. This is just a little piece of dark chocolate with creme de menthe flavoring added to it while it's warm. It's a solid piece of chocolate with no filling and the mold used is shallow and not very large. It is by far the fastest thing to make in the case...when we have the flavoring...

My favorite to make? That has to be one of the truffles. Though we have not been making these consistently yet, the great use of colored cocoa butter in the mold makes them one of the prettiest things in the case (next to the sugar shacks). Colored cocoa butter is swirled into the mold before the chocolate is added and when the chocolate cools, the swirl sticks to the top of the candy. It's hard to describe. The fillings are a little hard to work with but the finished product is so pretty, it's just satisfying to see it all done. Maybe, I'll just hoard these little gems and not sell them, they're so cute.

Well, more later...on another quiet morning, no doubt. I have to go as the tempering is calling for me to make up those dark flavors. And my truffle mold is ready to be filled.

The Buzz of Christmas

We had our ribbon cutting ceremony on Dec. 8... were open for a few hours after that, and then Saturday hit. By 7 p.m., we were pretty much cleaned out of product that we made. It was great to see so many people who wanted our product, not to mention the people who came in and thought we'd been in Potsdam forever, and they just didn't know we were here.

We have been working until almost midnight each night to restock for the next day. We realize that we are still working off the Buzz of opening. That coupled with the fact that so many want to give Chocolate as gifts...we are having a great opening. On the downside, we don't want to disappoint anyone by not having enough product.

We've had quite a few large orders. Again just trying to keep up is fun and exciting. Have no idea when I will do my Christmas shopping, and I think I will be sending out New Year's Cards instead of Christmas ones.

There are just so many great ideas that we have and will start to implement for the new year. Hope everyone has a joyous Christmas.

Counting Down

Angela's photo was in the Watertown Daily times with a photo that was about 4 inches by 9 inches....pretty amazing. I couldn't even fit it on the scanner, but you get the idea...

We are counting...chocolates that is...93 sandstones, 96 sugar shacks, etc. More, more, more. Everyone I know, and many more that I don't have sworn they are going to be at the grand opening next Saturday, Dec. 9.

My fear is that Main Street Potsdam is going to look like it did the first night Star Wars was being shown at the theater many moons ago. My other fear is we have crappy weather and no one shows. Somewhere in the middle will be idea. I just don't want to be like the bakery that closes, once all the bread is sold.

We are vey excited. The chocolate is flowing, the cases are getting out of New Jersey this weekend...we hope. Of course old man winter decided to show up this weekend. Of course if they cases hadn't been delayed, I wouldn't have to have been worrying about the weather. But we are being very positive...we will get opened on Dec. 9, come hell or high chocolate.

My boss is going to give me a couple of days off next week, just so I don't drop from an anxiety attack. Tom has even been in the kitchen helping, and was very proud to say he tempered chocolate for the Massena Mints. (That's right John...none for you). I'll keep those out of your box, along with the Pep-o-mints.

So far Raspberry Jells have been the most requested...of course one of the toughest to make as well. But they tasted pretty good out of the box of seconds we've started. These will be what we use for samples. Just a little knicked up.

Well, I'd better get to the shop and whip up a batch of coconut, and strawberry jells for the PB&J Bear Paws. Angela did Sugar Shacks today...they look as amazing as they taste....hey, quit drooling on the key board...you're worse than Nezzy.