Well, hello there. I hope you’ve had a good fall so far. I have not stopped by here for some time but, as like to say, a quiet blog is usually a sign of a busy life, which usually is good. Here is what I have been up to these past couple of months.
Eat: Chocolate Tasting Workshops
Ever since I was a kid, I loved the bustle of back-to-school shopping. In France, that meant loads of composition books, a new fountain pen (Waterman, preferably), and, when my mom agreed, a trendy pencil case. Now that I am older, back-to-school shopping involves a different kind of supplies: chocolate tasting sheets by Projet Chocolat, a tasting kit by Map Chocolate, and cacao beans from Chocolate Alchemist. This fall, I have indeed been busy hosting several chocolate tasting workshops locally. A highlight of this fall was introducing 280 school age kids to the world of cacao and (real) chocolate. Witnessing children see, touch, and smell cacao beans for the very first time filled me with such awe!
Of course, I have also enjoyed sharing my passion with grown-ups, too: last September, I was invited by Chris Thompson, owner of Philter Coffee in Kennett Square, to train his staff on chocolate. Together, we sampled most of the bars carried at the shop, including a new personal favorite, Dick Taylor’s Camino Verde’s bar. The chocolate won me over with its rounded, comforting, slightly nutty flavor: the perfect bar for back-to-school, if you ask me.
My next tasting workshop will be scheduled at the Kennett Library in Kennett Square in February. To be notified of my next events, please sign up for my newsletter and follow me on Instagram @37chocolates.
Listen: A Chocolate Podcast
I am thrilled that there finally is a podcast devoted to my favorite food – chocolate. Well Tempered is the brainchild of multi-talented maker Lauren from WKND Chocolate. I am both humbled and honored to have been her second guest. If you’d like to know what three chocolate products I would bring to a desert island, listen to our conversation here.
Read: My Chocolate Story
Finally, I wrote the story of my 37 Chocolates challenge for the the Sweets/Holiday issue of Edible Philly magazine. To say I am excited about it is an understatement: I am so grateful that Joy Manning published my story in such a respected publication! The story is not only about chocolate, it also about stepping outside of your comfort zone, trusting your palate, finding – and claiming – your voice. I can’t wait for you to read it. You can pick up a copy at one of the following locations or read it online here.
If you’re coming here after reading the article, welcome! You can learn more about my chocolate journey here and why bean-to-bar chocolate matters there.
Now tell me: what have you been up to this fall?
Just read your terrific article in Edible Philly. In addition to being informative (must eat more hand-crafted chocolate) it is also so inspiring. It proves, once again, that we can reinvent ourselves at any time. Congratulations, Estelle!
Thank you so very much for your kind words! I am so glad you enjoyed the piece and yes, I hope it encourages others to reinvent themselves, no latter how old. Also, congratulations on your first blog post!