Hedonist Artisan Chocolates started out in a tiny shared kitchen space down a dark alley off South Avenue in 2007. Owners Jennifer Posey and Zahra Langford sold their first chocolates from a makeshift counter inside Equal Grounds Coffee House. This month, the company will celebrate 5 years of building a successful business with the grand opening of their new retail space at 674 South Avenue. The event will take place on Thursday, January 26 from 4-6pm.

Posey and Langford came to Rochester in 2005 for Langford’s job as a user interface designer at Xerox. Posey had an interest in making food and experimenting with flavors, especially for holiday celebrations. Langford had wanted to own a sweet shop since she was a little girl (her parents did not allow their children to eat much sugar growing up). The couple had always dreamed of starting a small business. When they moved to Rochester, they saw the opportunity to bring their interests together when they realized that the city did not have an artisan chocolate company.

The couple started experimenting with making chocolate truffles at home in late 2006, but to get their business off the ground they needed a licensed kitchen space. They were very lucky to find one at the back of the building at 674 South Avenue, just minutes from their home in the Highland Park neighborhood. The small space (350 s.f.) had been created by another company that made artisan ice creams, but they only used it at night. The ice cream company agreed to rent to the couple for use during the day. Posey and Langford wrote their business plan and designed a logo; they registered the name of their business as Hedonist Artisan Chocolates on January 27, 2007.

Hedonist grew their business slowly, but soon gained the attention of local foodies. They initially sold their chocolates wholesale or on commission to other businesses, but eventually added retail sales at www.hedonistchocolates.com and local farmer’s markets and craft fairs. The company didn’t have a lot of money to spend on advertising so their primary form of marketing was chocolate tastings at various events around the area; they gave samples of their product away for free and talked to people about why it was special. During these conversations, people inevitably asked “Where’s your shop?” The answer was a little complicated, Posey or Langford would have to explain that they didn’t have their own shop but customers could get their chocolate at a coffee shop or online.

Towards the end of 2008, the company gained exclusive use of their kitchen when the ice cream company went out of business. They decided to try selling chocolate from there and arranged the already limited space to accommodate a single shelf of boxed chocolate truffles and bark, a wall mounted truffle display and a steel table to hold the point of sale system as well as form a barrier to keep customers out of the chocolate-making area. The location was not ideal, hidden down an alley off the street, but Posey and Langford made it work. They added lots of signage with arrows, a decorative gate and pretty lights to help chocolate-seekers find them. What the spot did offer was a unique exposure to a working artisan chocolate kitchen. Customers loved the smell of melted chocolate and watching chocolate being made. Having a retail location to direct people to was a huge improvement for the company; it generated a new level of exposure that attracted more retail customers and wholesale accounts.

Hedonist has continued to grow their business over the next few years. Major milestones include hiring their first employees, establishing a chocolate counter at Parkleigh (Rochester’s premiere gift shop and one of the only other sources for artisan chocolate in town), yearly sponsorship of the ImageOut GLBT film festival, establishing a blog and a Facebook page, and receiving coverage in local media as well as national mentions in Country Living and Fast Company magazines. The company was making more chocolate and hiring more people, but they were still doing it in the same 350 s.f. space and it was getting pretty crowded in there.

In 2010, Posey and Langford learned that the owner of the 674 South Avenue building they rented space in was interested in selling. They jumped at the opportunity, but it took them over a year to get the deal finalized. They worked with the City of Rochester and REDCO to secure the financing. They closed on the building at the end of July, 2011. In addition to their existing kitchen space and storage area at the back of the building, they now had two storefronts on South Avenue, a large room behind the storefronts and two apartments upstairs.

Although Hedonist closed on the property in July, they weren’t able to take possession of it until September 1st. Since the holidays are the biggest sales season for the company, they needed to any major renovations completed by Thanksgiving. However, they had to do this while still maintaining their current retail and wholesale business.

Posey and Langford did much of cleaning, painting and repair work themselves, with some help from friends and neighbors. They decided to use the biggest storefront as their primary retail space and the smaller storefront as a show kitchen/tasting room. The large room behind the storefronts was converted into an office and storage space, while the existing kitchen was kept the same. Most of the space was already interconnected, so they only had to open up one wall. Major upgrades include a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system, beautiful Brazilian Walnut hardwood floors and a tin ceiling. They also built a custom display to showcase their individual truffles. They decorated the space simply, using their signature brown and white. Nearly three months isn’t really a lot of time, but they managed to get all the high priority stuff done and opened at 10am on Black Friday (November 25) in 2011 for holiday sales.

Customers have been delighted with the new space and the company is gaining more exposure from their street presence on South Avenue. After a busy holiday season, the company is taking some time to celebrate their achievements and 5 Year Anniversary with a Grand Opening of the retail space on January 26, 2011. The ribbon cutting will be at 4pm. Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson will be there to say a few words. Afterwards there will be light snacks, cake and, of course, chocolate!

Additional Information
Hedonist chocolate truffles are available for purchase at their retail location at 674 South Avenue or online at www.hedonistchocolates.com. They can also be purchased at many gift and specialty shops in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region (for a complete list, visit the Locations page on their website). At the Hedonist shop and at Parkleigh on Park Ave., chocophiles can create their own custom assortment at the chocolate counter. Prices range from $12-$34 per box. Hedonist also does business gifts, event favors, party platters, gift boxes and private chocolate tastings.

For more information about Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, visit www.hedonistchocolates.com or contact Jennifer Posey at (585) 461-2815.

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates hand crafts truffles and chocolate treats with French chocolate and fresh, natural ingredients. Each piece of Hedonist chocolate has a character all its own because it is rolled, cut, dipped and decorated by human hands in small batches. A hedonist is someone whose life is devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasures. Owners Jennifer Posey and Zahra Langford find their bliss in chocolate and hope to help you do the same.

This Valentine’s Day, art and chocolate connoisseurs can once again indulge in limited edition imagery on tiny artisan chocolate canvases. Hedonist Artisan Chocolate’s Art on Chocolate projects are fast becoming a February tradition in Rochester. The company is collaborating with local artist Kelly Powell on what will be their fourth annual Valentine’s Day truffle collection: xoxo.

For the 2012 collection, Hedonist put out an open call for concept submissions last October, in addition to scouting talent at local arts and crafts events. Hedonist co-owner Zahra Langford saw Powell’s work at the Clothesline Festival and invited her to apply. Although the company received many quality ideas/ sketches, from art students, established artists and designers, Powell’s concept stood out above the rest because of its professional execution and universal appeal.

The xoxo collection features a raspberry truffle imprinted with a series of “xo” patterns. Hedonist Chocolatier Nathaniel Mich makes the interior of the truffle with raspberry puree, raspberry liqueur and semi-sweet chocolate. Then he dips each one in melted 72% dark chocolate, the xoxo pattern is applied using a transfer sheet before the chocolate shell hardens.

Inspired by two of the most basic symbols of affection, this collection lets you express your love with something blissfully indulgent. Traditionally, the “x” is said to represent the two pairs of lips coming together for a kiss, while the “o” is the encircling of arms for a hug. The bold, graphic shapes are used to form patterns of hugs and kisses that take on their own energy through the positive and negative spaces created as they come together.

“I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed working on this project with Hedonist. It was so interesting exploring what could be created with the patterns by changing the combination and scale of the elements and different color combinations– and what’s more fun than having chocolate as a canvas? I hope people enjoy sharing the designs with the special people in their lives as much as I enjoyed creating them,” says Powell.

Customers can purchase the xoxo collection online or at Hedonist’s South Wedge shop. Everyone is invited to taste the chocolate; meet the artist and chocolatiers on Friday February 3, 2012 from 5-8pm at Hedonist Artisan Chocolate’s new retail location in the front of the building at 674 South Avenue, Rochester. This free tasting event is open to the public. Powell’s artwork, including special edition xoxo cards, prints and pendants will be on display and available for purchase. For an up-to-date list of additional Hedonist chocolate tastings and events, visit the Tastings page on their website.

This is the fourth Valentine’s chocolate and art collaboration project planned by Hedonist Artisan Chocolates. Their first, Raspberry Love, featured local artist Joe Guy Allard for Valentine’s Day 2008. 2010’s 1OVE collection by Christina Nitche and 2011’s TweetHeart collection by Erica Guilfoyle were completely sold out by Valentine’s Day. Hedonist’s owners see these collaborations as a way to take their chocolate to another level, as well as bring attention to local artists. “Working with artists outside the food industry is always a rewarding experience; it provides a continuous source of inspiration and gives us the opportunity to see chocolate in a new light,” says Langford.

Additional Information
Hedonist chocolate truffles are available for purchase at their retail location at 674 South Avenue or online at www.hedonistchocolates.com. They can also be purchased at many gift and specialty shops in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region (for a complete list, visit the Locations page on their website). At the Hedonist shop and at Parkleigh on Park Ave., chocophiles can create their own custom assortment at the chocolate counter. Prices range from $12-$34 per box. Hedonist also does business gifts, event favors, party platters, gift boxes and private chocolate tastings.

For more information about Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, visit www.hedonistchocolates.com or contact Jennifer Posey at (585) 461-2815.

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates hand crafts truffles and chocolate treats with French chocolate and fresh, natural ingredients. Each piece of Hedonist chocolate has a character all its own because it is rolled, cut, dipped and decorated by human hands in small batches. A hedonist is someone whose life is devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasures. Owners Jennifer Posey and Zahra Langford find their bliss in chocolate and hope to help you do the same.

With over 14 years of graphic design experience, Kelly Powell took her love for color and patterns to a new level in 2010 when she began showing and selling her personal design work at Rochester area festivals. In addition to her personal artistic pursuits, Kelly is also available for freelance graphic design services. View a sample of her online portfolio at www.kellypowell.carbonmade.com and be sure to follow her on Facebook (Kelly Powell Art + Design) for the most up-to-date information.

When we first started, we offered small packets of drinking chocolate in four flavors. We weren’t happy with the packaging though and discontinued it until we could come up with something better. This year we’ve settled on a reusable tin with a pretty Hedonist sticker to hold a larger amount of our Bittersweet Drinking Chocolate. It is now available in our Rochester shop and online at www.hedonistchocolates.com
We’ve also made some adjustments to the recipe (which consists solely of 100% cocoa powder and chunks of 72% chocolate), for improved taste and balance. Nicole of the Chocolate Ratings blog recently sampled our Bittersweet Drinking Chocolate and said, “This is a very adult rendition of hot chocolate. When they say bittersweet they mean it. Ground cocoa and chunks of chocolate are whisked into hot milk, or your favorite milk alternative, for a supremely satisfying elixir.”

It takes a little bit more effort to make this thick, chocolatey drink than you may be used to (because it has some solid chocolate in it, it must be melted and whisked in to the hot liquid) , but it is totally worth it. You’ll get your chocolate fix and warmth to ward of winter’s chill in each delicious sip. As I write this, we are also working to bring back our much requested Cinnamon Chipotle Drinking chocolate so you can look forward to that in 2012.

This Halloween, art and chocolate connoisseurs can indulge in limited edition imagery on tiny artisan chocolate canvases once again. Hedonist Artisan Chocolate’s Art on Chocolate projects are fast becoming a tradition in Rochester. The company is collaborating with local artist and employee Justin Hubbell on what will be their second annual Halloween truffle collection: Jazz Macabre.

For the 2011 collection, Hedonist found inspiration close to home. Comic artist Justin Hubbell has worked for the company since 2010 as an assistant manager. If you have ever visited the shop, Justin is the cheerful redhead who greets you as you come in the front door. In addition to being great at customer service, Justin is also a talented artist. You can often find his work on the pages of The Wedge (the local newspaper of the South Wedge neighborhood) and on his website at www.justinhubbell.com. Hedonist’s owners Jennifer and Zahra thought that his quirky style would look great on their truffles and asked him to create a collection for Halloween.

The Jazz Macabre collection is a series of Peanut Butter Honey chocolate truffles (made with local raw honey, organic peanuts, sea salt, white and bittersweet chocolate) printed with a lively bunch of dancing skeletons. Justin owes his initial inspiration to the classical “Le Danse Macabre,” composed by Camille Saint-Saens Saëns. “In a nut shell its Le Danse Macabre meets El Dia de Los Muertos meets a New Orleans jazz band,” explains the artist, “I wanted something recognizable and fun, but also something with a cultural reflection.” Among his designs are two dancers, a singer/guitarist, a drummer and a horn player. “We often play jazz in the Hedonist kitchen, it’s something everyone responds to and I’m happy I got the opportunity to bring it to life in a collection. It also gives me the excuse to play stranger jazz artists that have a more Halloween feel to them, people are going to have a great time at the opening.”

You can taste the chocolate; meet the artist and chocolatiers on October 28th 2011 from 5-8pm at Hedonist Artisan Chocolate’s retail location (in Hedonist Alley at 674 South Avenue, Rochester). This free tasting event is open to the public. For an up-to-date list of additional Hedonist chocolate tastings and events, visit the events page on their website. Jazz Macabre collection can also be ordered directly from their website.

This is the second Halloween chocolate and art collaboration project planned by Hedonist Artisan Chocolates. Their first, “Chocolate Armored Hedonist” featured an image by local artist Eddie Davis III of the local clothing company Armored Personnel Carrier. Hedonist’s owners see these collaborations as a way to take their chocolate to another level, as well as bring attention to local artists. “Working with artists outside the food industry is always a rewarding experience; it provides a continuous source of inspiration and gives us the opportunity to see chocolate in a new light,” says Zahra Langford, Hedonist co-owner.

Additional Information
Hedonist chocolate truffles are available for purchase at their kitchen and retail location at 674 South Avenue or online at hedonistchocolates.com. They can also be purchased at Parkleigh on Park Avenue, Mise en Place Market and Coffee Connection on South Avenue, Max Market on Monroe Avenue and Ravines Wine Cellars in Hammondsport. At the Hedonist kitchen and Parkleigh, chocophiles can create their own custom assortment at the chocolate counter. Prices range from $12-$34 per box. Hedonist also does business gifts, event favors, party platters, gift boxes and private chocolate tastings.

For more information about Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, visit www.hedonistchocolates.com or contact Jennifer Posey at (585) 461-2815.

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates hand crafts truffles and chocolate treats with French chocolate and fresh, natural ingredients. Each piece of Hedonist chocolate has a character all its own because it is rolled, cut, dipped and decorated by human hands in small batches. A hedonist is someone whose life is devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasures. Owners Jennifer Posey and Zahra Langford find their bliss in chocolate and hope to help you do the same.

Justin Hubbell is a native Rochester cartoonist. He graduated in 2010 from SUNY New Paltz where he got a bachelor of fine arts degree in printmaking. His comics offer personal, political, and humorous reflections on a number of different topics. He is currently working to finish his graphic novel, while making regular contributions to his website and other publications (such as The Wedge). Weekly updates can be found on his website, justinhubbell.com

This summer I had the opportunity to visit Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms in Northern California, the source for the main ingredient in our lavender truffles.

The farm is located north of Weed, California (my hometown) and has spectacular views of the mountain. The owners are living their dream in a beautiful Tuscan-style villa that they have built overlooking the lavender fields. My Mom and I arrived on the last day of the season and we were welcomed with fresh lavender lemonade. It was harvest time so as we strolled the property, we experienced lavender harvesting and the distillation of lavender oil. While I was there I picked up a large tin of culinary lavender for use in our lavender truffles. You can find more pictures of my visit on Hedonist’s Flickr page.

While we try to source ingredients locally whenever possible, this is not the only factor in our decision making process. Flavor, quality and a personal story or connection are also important to us. Lavender is difficult to grow in the upstate New York climate and Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms has all three of our preferred elements. The quality and flavor of their product is outstanding, we have a personal connection with the area where it is produced and we are inspired by the owners’ labor of love.

To make our lavender truffles, we first infuse heavy cream (sourced locally from Pittsford Dairy) with culinary lavender from Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms. Then we melt our signature white chocolate into the warm cream. This creates the ganache for the interior of the truffle. When the ganache has cooled to room temperature, it is rolled into spheres by hand in preparation for its dark chocolate bath. We use bittersweet chocolate (72%) to coat the exterior of the truffle. As soon as each truffle comes out of the liquid dark chocolate, it is finished in 100% cocoa powder. To keep the flavors fresh (and the cocoa powder from escaping), we wrap each truffle in pretty purple foil.

The dark chocolate and cocoa powder provide a nice contrast for the creamy and slightly floral interior. As always, we keep the chocolate in the starring role. You can taste the flavor of the lavender, but it does not overwhelm the chocolate. Our lavender truffles are so special, they come in their own collection. You can buy them online in a ten truffle box: The Lavender Collection. At our shop in Rochester, you can buy them individually or boxed.

We’ll put your art on our chocolate for Valentine’s Day

We’re continuing the tradition of placing the work of local artists on our chocolate truffles for Valentine’s Day. Earlier this year, Erica Guilfoyle designed the adorable TweetHeart collection. In 2010 we featured the artwork of Christina Nitche on our raspberry truffles. Both limited edition collections sold out during the Valentine’s season. We’re looking for new artwork and are currently requesting design submissions. The artist we select will be paid $250 and have their work featured on our 2012 Valentine’s Day collection.

To be considered for selection, send an application email to zahra@hedonistchocolates.com by 10/15/11 with the following information:
1) A short paragraph describing your Valentine’s Day themed concept. You can read about the 2010 and 2011 collections to get an idea of what we have done in the past. We’re looking for something different and fun.
2) A description of the design you are proposing to be printed on the chocolate truffles and how it supports your concept
3) Attach a sketch of your proposed design
4) An artist’s statement, describing who you are and what kind of work you do, along with a link to your portfolio or examples of your work
5) Your name, phone number and email address

Final Design Requirements
The design must be one or two color, selected from this list.
It must be in vector format (created in Adobe Illustrator or a similar program)
It can be a repeating allover pattern (example), a series of individual .8 inch x .8 inch designs (see image above) or some combination of both.

If your design is selected, you commit to providing not only the final design for printing on the chocolate, but also design of supporting materials to promote it including a color tag to go on the chocolate box, a black and white informational sheet describing the concept/collection to go inside the chocolate box and a flier to promote the collection (see Timeline below for links to examples).

By submitting your application, you agree that the selected design and accompanying materials will be for the exclusive use of Hedonist Artisan Chocolates. However, Hedonist will always promote the design with the artist’s name and information.

Our Commitment
Hedonist will promote the selected artist and the collection with a press release, a chocolate tasting event/art exhibit at our South Wedge shop in early February 2012, announcements on our Facebook/Twitter pages and to our substantial customer list. We will sell the collection on our website as well as in our shop. Additionally, we will pay the artist $250 for their work.

Timeline
October 15, 2011: Design application due to Hedonist

November 1, 2011: Selected artist chosen by Hedonist

November 15, 2011: Final design due to Hedonist, date selected for chocolate tasting to promote the collection

December 1, 2011: Color tag (tag examples), box insert (insert example) and event flier (flier examples) designs due to Hedonist

December 28, 2011: Truffles with artwork made and photographed by Hedonist

January 1, 2012: Press release announcing the collection and tasting event date (written by Hedonist) is sent to media, collection is available for sale in the Hedonist shop and online

February 3 or 10, 2012: Tasting event hosted at Hedonist shop

February 15, 2012: Artist is paid $250 by Hedonist

For More Information
Contact Zahra Langford zahra@hedonistchocolates.com

We are lucky to live in close proximity to the Finger Lakes wine region and this has given us a lot of experience in pairing wine with our chocolate. We started experimenting early on as we were promoting our business with chocolate tastings at various foodie events in the Rochester area. Local wineries were always in attendance and it was natural to taste their wines with our chocolate. Our most enduring partnership with a winery started during a Friday night wine tasting event at Wine Sense on Park Avenue.

Pairing wine and chocolate has become very popular, but it can be difficult to do successfully. We often try many different types of chocolate (bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk and white) and natural ingredients (nuts, dried fruit, salt, caramel, spices) in combination with many different wines before we settle on a good pairing that can be shared on a tasting menu (as you can imagine, these sessions can be quite fun! You can read about one we did with friend Holly Howell in the Finger Lakes Wine Review). Although there are some general rules, you should always try unexpected combinations, you never know when you will come upon a brilliant pairing!

When you pair chocolate and wine, you want to taste the wine by itself first. Smell it, taste it and enjoy it’s unique qualities. Next taste a piece of the chocolate. Warm it up in your mouth and let it coat your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth to experience the flavor fully. Just as you finish the chocolate, take another sip of the wine, this is the moment of pairing.

In general, darker chocolates will pair well with more full-bodied wines and lighter chocolates pair well with lighter-bodied wines. Most pairings we do try to match the flavor tones in the wine with the ingredients in the chocolate, but you can also try contrasting flavors. A strong red wine such as a Cabernet or Meritage typically goes with bittersweet chocolate; a lighter red like a Pinot Noir might pair nicely with semisweet or milk chocolate. It is harder to pair white chocolate with wine because of it’s sweetness, but you can often get it to go with a dessert wine.

Our first winery partnership was formed with Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake. We absolutely adore their wines and we have worked closely with them over the years to perfect the chocolate pairings that they do in their tasting room every day:

• Ravines Chardonnay is paired with our Milk Chocolate Sesame medallion and our new Salted Caramel with Walnuts in Milk Chocolate. The milk chocolate/chardonnay pairing surprised us and continues to delight visitors to Ravines Winery. Their chardonnay has warm buttery notes that echo the smooth flavor of sesame. A little salt in the chocolate wakes up the taste buds during this pairing.
• The Cabernet Franc is paired with semisweet chocolate. Depending on the season and tasting flight, it will have dried cranberries and orange zest, dried cherry and almonds or local dried blueberries and orange zest. This is a versatile, balanced, fruit-forward wine that pairs well with almost any dried fruit.
• Ravines Meritage is paired with a traditional Bittersweet truffle or a Bittersweet Black Currant and Pepper medallion. This is certainly one of the best red wines to come out of the Finger Lakes. It’s bold flavor has fruit and pepper notes that stand up well to our darkest (72%) chocolate.

In addition to Ravines, we have partnerships with several other wineries in the Finger Lakes including Billsboro Winery, Damiani Wine Cellars and Hunt Country Vineyards. We work with each winery to come up with chocolates that help them highlight the quality and flavor of their wines. We are selective about the wineries we work with because when you taste our chocolate, it should be special.

If you would like to experience a curated chocolate and wine pairing, you can visit any one of the wineries listed above. In Rochester, you can get a flight of our chocolates at Flight Wine Bar in Corn Hill Landing. The staff will be happy to recommend pairings from their ever changing wine menu.

We’ve entered Intuit’s “Love a Local Business” program for a chance to win a small business grant to take our chocolate company to the next level. We love our customers and we know the feeling is mutual. Please take a few seconds to vote for us, just click on the banner above. Thank you!

On any Sunday morning, May through October, when the temperature is 70 degrees or less, you’ll find Hedonist Artisan Chocolates at the Brighton Farmers’ Market. We have a table and a tent located at the south end of the market, next to Ambrosia Acres Family Farm. We always have samples and a selection of chocolate products for sale, including chocolate bark, dipped fruit and truffles.

Although we don’t have time to do all the markets in the area, we love the atmosphere and interaction we get at these types of events. The Brighton Market is one of the largest in the area and well attended. In addition to our chocolates, you can find lots of fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, coffee, plants for your garden, meats, pasta, pastries and lots of other wonderful things. Stop by and say hello if you are in the Twelve Corners area on Sundays from 9am-1pm!

 
At long last, we’re released the Hedonist Salted Caramel!
 
Many customers have been waiting with baited breath for this day to arrive. With the increasing popularity of sweet/savory flavor combinations and the great work of Fran Bigelow (of Fran’s Chocolates), caramels have become a staple for artisan chocolatiers. This spring, you can find our first caramel online and at the shop.
 
It has always been our intention to create a caramel, but the timing or situation was never quite right. The caramel-making process creates a lot of humidity as the sugar/syrup mixture is slowly reduced. Humidity and moisture are the enemies of chocolate (they may cause it to bloom and spoil more quickly). We precisely control the humidity in our small kitchen and we were worried that making caramel would compromise the integrity of our chocolates. However, with some experimentation, improved ventilation and a good dehumidifier, we were able to make it happen.
 
In creating the Hedonist caramel, we decided to use brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup because it has a richer flavor. Other ingredients include vanilla bean, sugar, local cream and salt. We cook the mixture to just the right temperature to create a firmly textured caramel. After the caramel cools we cut it into squares and enrobe it in our signature dark chocolate (72% cacao). Before the chocolate hardens, we sprinkle it with our favorite sea salt. The coarse grains stay crisp even when they encounter warm melted chocolate. At first we were just doing a light dusting of salt, but customers in the shop kept asking for the ones with more salt so we’ve added more.
 
These caramels are delicious if we do say so ourselves. I have a very hard time not thinking about their buttery, salty goodness every time I come into the shop. Our customers have nothing but good things to say and we’ve been selling them as fast as we can make them. Get some today and let us know what you think!