Years ago I watched the film Chocolat which transformed the way I looked at chocolate. One of my favourite films, Vianne Rocher owns a chocolaterie that dispenses healing and happiness through her magical chocolate concoctions passed on by generations. Vianne has a gift of knowing a person's favourite chocolate and one by one her customers are transformed from blah-living creatures to people full of life and vibrancy. I remember going home from the movie and adding chili powder to my hot chocolate to see if I could get a kick of magic. I had a fiery tongue, that's for sure!
But that was the start of my appreciative love for good, high quality chocolate. I abandoned the candy bars I once loved and began to experience a variety of dark and darker chocolate. I recall the first time I had bitter, 100% chocolate. Okay, the sweetness needs to be there too. Anything higher than 54% cocoa content makes me a happy person. Everytime the local drug store carried a new chocolate bar (not candy bar which is mostly cocoa fat solids, sugar and not the anti-oxidant stuff), I had to try it.
I realized that my love for chocolate was something I felt that I can share with others. I wanted others to appreciate and enjoy chocolate the way I did. But I also wanted to share the recipes for chocolate truffles, cookies, and brownies. Everytimes I made something new, it was met with open mouths and the feedback was amazing. I've had people tell me that my chocolates tasted better than some of the professional ones they tried.
So, with this on-going experience, I've decided to follow my dream and become a professional chocolatier. My truffles are currently being sold at my mother's tea house: http://www.thewindsorteaplace.com/ and is featured in their afternoon tea service. And this Saturday, I will be venturing into selling chocolates at the London's Farmers Market. I will be there every Saturday, from 7 am to 3 pm dispensing my chocolate happiness. I am excited. What I have planned to sell are my truffles, chocolate barks, brownies, and Mayan hot chocolate. What a way to start the New Year!
By the way, my favourite chocolates are dark chocolate truffles, with a touch of rum in it. Mmmm!
