Too Much Chocolate

C-- and I went to a Chocolate Tasting/ Class thingy today. I had a serious case of Math Brain this morning, so I managed to first find the right address where to go, and then decide on a wrong address. We arrived at the tiny candy shop 10 minutes late and out of breath. Luckily for us, we weren't thrown out like the bunch of truants we were, but were simply allowed to join the group.

We were given a tour of the candy-making areas in the back of the shop, then guided through the consumption of multiple kinds of chocolate, and then led to the Room of Chocolates for yet more samples. We were given more chocolate to take home, and we bought some candy as well. I haven't been able to look at another chocolate for the rest of the day . . .

The woman who showed us around, also the owner of the shop, was just fascinating. She was Japanese-American, and when she was young she helped her parents pick garlic in California's garlic capital. Eventually, she became a teacher. She led the tasting like a teacher, with visual aids and fun activities (which involved taking samples, of course.) And then she became manager of the chocolate and candy shop.

She told us about making traditional candies and inventing new ones. When she described the new candies she invented, and how they were supposed to interact with you senses, it made me feel like I was in Willie Wonka's chocolate factory. Just minus the rainforest and all that. She had this chocolate-covered homemade marshamllow that you drop in hot milk. The milk turns to cocoa and the marshmallow pops up on top! How cool is it to be able to invent something like that?

The traditional candy-making bits of the tour were fascinating, as well. They had huge, gorgeous copper bowls they used to heat candy, and (in keeping with the retro technology theme from the last post) machines from the 70's with stacks of nobs and analog dials.

Now I'm thinking about all the random ways one's life can change, even when it seems to being going full-steam ahead . . . But first I should brush up on my cooking skillz. (Yes, with a "z".)