The Lull

Haven't blogged in a while and why??? No chocolate.   Jim has not felt inspired, we're getting ready to  move, we have to borrow the equipment now and even though we have looked for a Santha grinder on Craigslist everyday we have not found one.  We were lucky to find one before and took it to Costa Rica.  However, I (keli) am also running very, almost fearfully, low on chocolate and resisting temptations to call patrons and ask to buy back some of the good stuff.  So there will be a bit of a lull and hopefully one more batch before we go.

Jim says he will make a new batch of chocolate when he gets inspired or finds a used Santha grinder on Craigslist, whichever comes first.

In character, as people who want everything out on the table, we want to disclose that we (after much research) have found a chocolate bar that impressed us.  It is Askinosie.  Sold in Whole Foods.  It's "bean to bar," wrapped in earth friendly to the max material and, as Jim put it, they have done all the things we could think of and more as far as quality and fair trade and Eco are concerned.  Only my sense of flavoring is missing.  Each bar from different farms taste different and it's nice to see a product on the market which reflects the actual variation of farm life.
Check out his website at https://www.askinosie.com/

We both feel that Sonoma is due for it's own chocolate company and if it is not us at some point then it will be someone else. Either way it's been fun participating in what we have heard one person call "the food that will help tranisition us into the next age."

Here is a nice video about one person doing what we are embarking on.  Grenada Chocolate.
Although we have heard he is expanding and maybe even getting bigger than he intended, his chocolate is still very good too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbRA0NiQDxk