You are correct, that is definitely not New Hampshire in the photos above. Rather, France features a bit today in Part 2 of "10 Things I Cared About" from this recent Clandestine Chocolates season.
We'll pick right up with #6. If you missed #1-5 in Part 1, you can find them here.
6. Good Works
When I started making themed chocolate collections a few years ago with one focused on Grand Canyon, it seemed like I ought to give a piece of the proceeds to support that special place. The pattern has continued ever since. Ten percent of gross proceeds from each collection goes to organizations doing good work in a field relevant to the theme.
A couple of this year's organizations are regulars. The December chocolates often have food themes, which is what the great work of World Central Kitchen is all about. Spring Migration chocolates support Earlham College through Birding Big Day. Last fall's New Hampshire Landscapes collection benefitted two land trusts, Lakes Region Conservation Trust and Five Rivers Conservation Trust. And the lovely drawings of Liza Donnelly in All We Need is Love contributed to American Friends Service Committee's peace-making work in Palestine. Similarly, some of the December edition went to Ramallah Friends School, a century old Quaker school in the West Bank.
All told, your chocolates generated over $2,700 toward good works. Thank you!
7. Colleagues in Chocolate
Working alone in a culture dominated by social media, it's hard not to compare oneself with others and catch a bit of imposter syndrome. Finding colleagues is the best antidote, and I've been fortunate in that department this year. I realize much of that is by connections made through the network of Ecole Chocolat, a professional "school of chocolate arts." Pam Williams and her team of exceptional chocolatiers are terrific.
Fortunately for me, Rich Tango-Lowy, master chocolatier of Dancing Lion Chocolate and an Ecole Chocolat instructor, is also here in New Hampshire. I drop by every month or so to chat over some drinking chocolate as we share what we're up to, always learning in the process.
Rich is also president of Heirloom Chocolate Preservation working to preserve heirloom cacao varieties to conserve biological diversity and empower farming communities. Rich asked me to highlight HCP in one of my collections next fall, which I'm excited to do.
In April, I had a wonderful opportunity through Ecole Chocolat to spend a week in France, in both Paris and Tain l'Hermitage in the Rhone Valley.
Nine chocolatiers from the US and Canada were at L'École Valrhona for three days of intensive work making bonbons. Pastry chef Jérémy Aspa led the course with lovely finesse and skill, simultaneously demonstrating and explaining.
For me, it was both an affirmation of what I already knew and a way of picking up different methods of doing things, some of which could help solve issues I have from time to time.
But, just being part of a group of chocolatiers collaborating all day in a professional space was a real joy. Admittedly, the lunch breaks with three course meals and wine didn't hurt.
8. Originality
In Paris, we took a walking tour of 8-10 different chocolate shops. But before that we had a rare chance to visit the workspace of master chocolatier and sculptor Patrick Roger. It gave a whole new perspective on working clean. The airy space was spotless and completely lacking in clutter. The polished black granite work tops were gleaming. The mix of work by hand and large, sophisticated and very expensive equipment was fascinating. So too was the philosophy described by production chef Stefano Casadio of striving for perfection in every detail and never sitting down ("A chair? I don't know what that is.").
Amidst producing large quantities of the finest chocolates to supply 7 shops around Paris, there was a deep streak of originality. It's evident in the look of the shops. Yes, that is an abstract chocolate shark.
But, I was struck most by one simple, stunning product -- over half a kilogram of almond praline and roasted almonds in the shape of a cobblestone. Why? Because it celebrates May Day, which in France celebrates workers' rights, which are sometimes protected through protest. Now that is telling a provocative story through the best praline imaginable. I'm no Patrick Roger, but I love the creativity and the narrative through chocolate. And I hope to do a bit of the same, even if in a very different style and scale.
9. All of You
I suppose it may seem obvious and cliché, but sometimes the truth is. There's only one reason my chocolate venture has continued for over a decade and grows more interesting with each year. It's because of you. You who keep coming back, some of you for every single collection. You who send these chocolates as gifts to friends or relatives. You, those friends or relatives who then begin to order your own chocolates and gift some to others. You who read about these chocolates and join my preorder list. You who just buy now and again. You who send notes about your favorite flavors of a collection. All of you who wait patiently for weeks between preordering and when the chocolates actually arrive.
I can't thank you enough. It's what makes this all worthwhile, as chocolate is a gift and stories are meant to be heard. That takes willing recipients -- all of you.
10. Contemplating What's Next
One never knows where inspiration may strike. Looking at a particular geologic layer in the Grand Canyon and wondering what it would be as chocolate. Hiking in the White Mountains and looking at birch trees -- hmmm, could birch flavor ganache? It goes on and on.
Honestly, I have no idea what next season's collections will be. One will highlight heirloom cacao, but how? My recent experience in France will influence something, for sure, but what? I'll be in Australia in July -- there's potential there. Who knows? That's the fun part of making themed chocolates that appear once. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
That's all for now. I'll share an occasional update over the summer before the first preorder announcements in the fall.
Jonathan Doherty
Owner & Chocolatier