Something to note,

the next time I travel to a country that grows cacao, I will pay attention to where the equator lies in relation to the country I am visiting, since this effects the triglycerides in the bean itself.  This is important to know since it is the fats, the triglycerides, that determine how hard the chocolate will be when tempered and gives the chocolatier a better idea of the highest and lowest heat ranges needed to create their best product.  Knowing this little piece of knowledge would have helped me tremendously as I began making chocolate with the beans I had brought back from Finmac, and saved me a lot of time and trouble and a few choice words, that are best left unwritten.  Once I did my homework and learned that Costa Rica is very close to the equator (all of three minutes), I was able to adjust my recipes and create some lovely chocolate.  Viva Costa Rica! Pura Vida Costa Rica.



(A big thank you to Becky Sands who provided me with this picture.  As always, all words. pictures and content may not be used unless you have permission from me)

The chocolate journey as a cook...

I am trained as a cook, in the french style to be exact.  My personal cooking style is one of perseverance, in other words,  I choose a cuisine and learn it.  I read, cook, read and cook and ask lots questions of other friends who know that cuisine or even ask the chef at a restaurant that may be of help.  Only once have I had to throw out the results and order pizza.
When I began learning how to temper chocolate, it was with an online class.  This class is designed by Pam Williams of Ecole Chocolat in Canada and, because it was online, allowed me to learn the tempering and candy making process while being a full time mom to three children and allowing my husband to travel for business as needed.  As a trained cook, I know the difference between good and great is practice.  Although, to be honest, I had some experience in tempering and making chocolate bon bons in my professional life in restaurant and catering, it was many, many years ago and my memory of it was scant.  Through the online class, I pushed myself to hand temper over and over again, and after the twenty-fifth time over a one week period, felt that I consistently produced a near perfect temper.