Glad to meet ya, 2019!

Hoodoggers, my Turtle Peeps, I find myself once again overdue!
Happy New Year.  Happy Valentine's Day!
I guess I just sort of slid through November-January without a blink.  Things do get a bit hectic....

Christmas Eve, 1 minute after we opened the doors.  It was like a rock concert!

It was an amazing Fall, busy and fun, tasty treats flying out of our Gloucester and Salem shops.  We just have the best people in both shops behind the counter right now; I'm thankful daily.

In most recent chocolate holiday news,  Valentine's Day is fast approaching.  Amy and Brandy from our shop on Derby Street in Salem  just had a fabulous time at Salem So Sweet, an annual event that has grown so very much since we first did it 15 years ago, really great to see it has become such an event!

Here in the salt mines in Gloucester, we're making things as sweet and foofy as possible, which for all my cranky exterior, I love love LOVE.

I'll pretty much put hearts on anything.  Oreos, for instance.

In the world of not-about-Valentine's Day, I'm excited that we have a couple of new turtles in dark chocolate.  I really really like pistachios, always have.  It's been hard to find a really great pistachio out there that is affordable, fresh and delicious, but at long last, we have.  Say hey to our dark chocolate Pistachio  Turtle, as well as our dark chocolate Cherry Pistachio Turtle.  We just couldn't decide which one was better, so we made both.  They are both selling equally as well, so there it is.  So far only one person has asked about milk chocolate.  What say you, Blog folk?  Yes or No?

I anxiously await some feedback on this.  We are running out of space in our cases, making it necessary to use the limited space we have wisely.

For now, though, I'll be making Valentines.  Lots of them.  All sorts of shapes and colors.  Come see us!  If you come on Valentine's Day proper, I can guarantee you it will NOT be just men, and that we will be open an extra hour that night.  See you in the Alley!

PS:  don't forget to click on highlighted words.  There are fun links lurking behind them!

xxx

Happy Halloween!

Hi Folks!

Just squeaking a post in by the end of the month.  Monthly, said I, so here we go!
Today is not just Halloween, but it is also the day we who love the Red Sox celebrate their amazing tromp of the Dodgers.  In LA, no less!  For myself, there just couldn't be sweeter news during an otherwise dismal news cycle.  Today a customer was in who said she'd just gotten off the train, with people going into Boston for the parade, and others going into Salem for Witch City's holiest of days.  "Actually", she said, "it was beautiful".Someone even called us by mistake (we share a number similar with the local hospital) today, and the lady on the other end told me she was watching the parade on the tv and got distracted, and boy, didn't that make a lot of people happy....
Thanks, fellas, we needed that.
In candyland, we have had yet another crazy October.  Our Salem shop has been hopping since the 1st.  What a great city in October!  We participated in the Bizarre Bazaar this year.  The weather was perfect, and the crowds were beyond enthusiastic.  Literally, people buying caramel apples out of the box as they were being delivered to the table!

Hot Stuff.

We've been having a pretty good time keeping people in their sweets and spooky treats for the month, and now are getting ready for the lull that occurs at the start of each November, while folks finish off their left over Halloween candy.  No that there is a lack of things to do; we all know what month comes after November....
With that in mind, turtle doves, I'll sign off.  Caramellos will not wait.  Until next time:  Vote on November 6th, Kiss your family, Stay sweet.

PS: 47 harvested to date.  More on the way!

Caramel Applepalooza

Oh yes, turtle loves, it's here.

                   Caramel apple season is upon us, and BOY does it look tasty!

Plain, Fleur de Sel, Milk Chocolate, Pecan, Peanut, So many to choose from!

We are heading into our sister shop's truly crazy season, and we couldn't be happier about it.  To get ourselves warmed up, Amy and I did a pop up shop at Far From the Tree Cider.  If you've not been, go.  These folks make a seriously gorgeous product, and the place has a very cool vibe.
 

Sometimes being a chocolatier means hanging out at a cider house on a Friday night. 

I made a truffle out of one of their September tipples, "Jam Session" -- milk chocolate ganache enrobed in dark.  The cider has a hard time competing with the chocolate, so while it doesn't exactly taste like cider, it's super tasty.  There's a little smoky note in the cider, and that seems to come through in the truffle, but that's about it.  Totally fun and tasty experiment. I've been having one for dessert after lunch all week, and I am not mad about it.

Get 'em while the gettin's good!  Available in both shops.  Ask for them if you don't see them in the case!

October in the Salem shop means all sorts of extended hours starting Thursdays through the weekend.  Check our Facebook page for updates throughout the month.  Also, this October, we are participating in the Haunted Bizarre Bazaar, so folks can visit us in the great outdoors as well as in our little jewel box of a shop on 318 Derby St.

Things are a little less spooktacular in Gloucester, but it's a good thing:  we need all the time we can get to churn out those chocolates for over the bridge, as well as on island.  Whichever shop you land in, you're bound to find something to tempt you in the sweetest way.

Happy Fall, folks.  Losing the light doesn't seem so bad if you've got a treat in hand.

PS: so far I have harvested 17 supremely delicious tomatoes.  I do not plan on doing anything chocolate-y with them whatsoever.  They are perfect just the way they are.

Not sick of them yet!

Bittersweet

Aw, August, you've been such a pal!  Really!  There's no need to rush off!

Labor Day Weekend: the last 3 day hurrah of summer, here upon us once again.  The weather has been unseasonably warm here on the North Shore these past weeks, amplifying the disbelief that the season is winding down.  Not the best weather for chocolate making (or eating?? just soooo melty!), but we soldier on...

Soldiering on, Turtle Alley toffee style.  Hard to be me...

Living in Gloucester, Labor Day weekend is among my favorites, as it is the weekend for Schoonerfest.  My husband and I have sailed in it, sailed along with it, just soaked up the harbor as it fills with schooners, as well as boats of all kinds.  It's such a wonderful event for the city, and it's just grown so much in the past 34 years, really inspiring.  On Sunday morning when the Parade of Sail takes place, it's almost possible to imagine Gloucester Harbor as it once was, filled with fishing schooners back in the day.  Just love it.

There's all sort of other things going on in the city, too, not the least of which is a block party up on Main Street to kick the weekend off on Friday night.  What does this mean to you?  CRAZY SUPER FUN LABOR DAY HOURS IN THE GLOUCESTER SHOP! 

That's right, folks, shop early, shop late, no need to start that dreaded "back to school" (otherwise known as the "I hate pants") diet until this weekend is in the can!
Looks like the weather is going to be swell the whole time, so come and see us!

PS:  September and October are really pretty Salem - centric, so expect lots of news about our sister shop next month!

PPS:  latest tomato count:  39.  Still green.  Except for this one:

ain't she purty?

Summer Love

Man oh man, do I love a warm breeze!  The hotter, the better.  I don't even care if it's humid.  Just a delicious hot breeze, and I'm transported.

That said, I love fall, winter, and spring, too, but right now, we are in the heart of summer.  I'm just delighted.

The shops in Gloucester and Salem are teeming with folks from all over the world.  It's so cool we have shops in such beautiful places.Those of us who live on the north shore are very fortunate people.
When winter was trying to turn into spring a couple of months ago, I got talking to one of our excellent long time Gloucester regulars.  He works at a farm part time, and was telling me how good it was to work with the soil, especially when the spring seems like it will never get here.  I asked him if the farm he works at grows celebrity tomatoes.  My husband really loves a good tomato, and I really only like one right off the vine.  In the past we've had a piece of dirt to grow a couple of plants in, and had luck with celebrities.  This summer?  Not so much. He said they sure do, so  I asked him to let me know when they were ready for planting.

At the start of June, he showed up at the shop with 6 gorgeous baby tomato plants.  Wouldn't take money for them.  Wouldn't even take chocolate! Just a really nice guy.

I planted those tomatoes, and I stuck 'em in my office window.  I get great sun there.  The plants took off like crazy.  I had to ask around about hand pollination, and do a little reading -- I've never grown tomatoes indoors.  The plants got so huge that I had to move them into the front of the store.  I do my crazy tomato lady thing, shaking and blowing on the flowers, midday, daily.  I've taught one of my coworkers how to do it on the days I'm off (I don't ask him to talk to them, though- there are certain things I just can't ask!).

Week after week, I do my thing.  I figure even if they don't bear fruit, they are incredibly optimistic crazy looking plants, and I just never get tired of smelling tomato vines, so it's all good.  Watching things grow is an exercise in positivity, as far as I'm concerned. But look.  LOOOK!!!

 I really can't tell you why this makes me so happy.  Like irrationally, stupidly, happy. I know it's a  candy store.  I know I'm supposed to be regaling you with tales of chocolate dreams and tasty new  recipes.  But really all I can talk about right now is green things, given as gifts, talked to, blown on,  gently shaken green things, who in return have decided they are going to flower, then fruit.There's a lot of things going on on this planet that are not so sweet and simple.  I'm grabbing the simple. By the end of the month, those tomatoes won't be green anymore, but I guarantee they will be sweet.

Happy summer, y'all!  I'll talk about chocolate next time.

Maybe. 

Greetings from the island

Turtle Faithful!

I made a promise, and I'm stickin to it.  A post a month!

June is shaping up to be pretty swell, as far as I'm concerned.  Folks are starting to flock back to Gloucester and Salem.  The Northshore is truly spectacular; those of us who live here are beyond lucky.

Summertime means a lot of things, not the least of which are extended hours.  Also, wacky holiday hours (did you know that the Gloucester Parade is called the Horribles, and happens on July 3rd?!). There's block parties, beach days, fireworks, farmer's markets - all good things, really.  And maybe the summer weather will come and stay!

It turtle town, though, summer means the return of a couple of special treats.  We love our Strawberry Pecan Turtles in milk chocolate, and adore our white chocolate Cashew Blueberry Turtles.  These are originals to Turtle Alley, don't let imitations fool you!

In other news, it was pointed out to me by my loyal customers that there is a dearth of excellent chocolate jimmies in our area.  We've got you covered!  We use the best when making our Tulips (Brazil nut wrapped in caramel and rolled in chocolate jimmies).  I posted a video on Instagram and Facebook, and the jimmies got all the love.  SO now we are packaging them up in BPA free containers for you to grab for whatever you need them for.  I've been toying with a recipe for candied maple walnuts, it's pretty alright, maybe we should sell those too?  What do we think, folks?  Your input is welcome and much appreciated! 

I'm sure the long days and warmer temperatures will stoke my creative fires, so who knows?  There could be new and fabulous taste treats on the horizon!  

Stay tuned.  See you in July!

So long, 2017. Hoping 2018 is sweet.

Hellloooo again!  HAPPY NEW YEAR! *cue Mayday eyeroll*

Man, 2017 was a GRIND.  So many things happening on the world stage, so many things happening in the States, just soooo much.  I find myself wishing more of it was good stuff happening.

At Turtle Alley, things were an oasis, most of the time, of sweetness.  We've got a great crew in both shops, and of course, plenty of things to do.  We came up with a couple of new things to tempt you folks, and I still have to taste-test enough to ruin dinner at least once or twice a month.  All together, a swell way to pass the hours.

I've been pretty quiet on the blogfront; I had a loyal customer mention today that she missed the blog updates, and to be honest, I do too.  It's been a busy winter, but it always is.
The winter of 2017 was marked by loss for me, however -- 1 mentor, 3 dear friends. Pretty heavy.

This week, one of those dear friends would have had a birthday.  We played a lot of tennis, ate a lot of meals, drank ourselves some fine French wines, and had the most rewarding working relationship ever. Since I first opened the doors of Turtle Alley. 

Laura Herrmann Couallier was Turtle Alley's graphic designer since day one.  That's almost 19 years.  Almost 19 years of my last minute requests for snappy ads, spontaneous sticker inspirations, brochures, window designs, sign updates, just everything.  Laura was a great designer because she was a great listener.  She was very open to all of my input.  One of the best collaborative relationships I have ever had.  A lot of this winter was spent trying to figure out how to continue without her.
Thankfully, chocolatetown is a busy place in the winter.  Thankfully I have the most delightful and supportive husband, and crew. Thankfully, winter turns to spring, the light returns, darkness recedes.  Happy birthday, chica, I miss you daily.

Pretty good reason to be quiet for awhile, no?

So let's have a bright spot, shall we?

Excellent fun news in candyland (and a big ole whoop whoop) comes from our girls Amy and Brandy

look at those sweet mugs!!

who brought home the excellence in retail award this year!  They got to put on their glad rags and had a swell time being wined and dined.  Shout out to the Salem Chamber of Commerce  for welcoming Amy so warmly to the fold.  It's been wonderful to watch Amy make new connections, and great fun for both Amy and Brandy to welcome all sorts of new customers through those connections.              

So for now, we'll luxuriate in accolades for a job well done, dream up some wonderful gifts for your Mother (Mother's Day is May 13th, FYI), enjoy spring whenever it decides to show up, and think good thoughts.  For those that are here on the planet, and those that are not.  A blog a month, that's    

my promise for 2018.  I like to keep my promises.  Talk to you in June!  xxx   H.                                              

                               

Try, Try Again...

I've been making chocolate professionally for about 25 years.  It's not a big fat brag, it's just what I do.  You'd think I'd have it down by now. That's what I think most of the time.

I've had it in my head to bring back an old favorite, Figaro, to the shop.  It's been in my head for a few months now.  I just could never find the time, it seemed. I realized at the start of the week that in fact, that wasn't true.

I was nervous.

I hadn't made it in years, maybe a decade.  I have shadowy memories of it only being partially successful.  After I had made it a few times, I still didn't feel like I owned the recipe.  It harshed my candyland mellow, and eventually I dropped it from our repertoire.

I'm old enough that I don't like not being an expert at my job.

I've got a birthday coming.  Such stupid thoughts in the face of another ring around the sun, said I!

I got all the ingredients last week, and then I put it off again, until just yesterday.  I'll tell you what: when I flubbed the first batch, I wasn't surprised at all.  Not a whit! Don't get me wrong, it was super tasty.  Just wrong.  In lots of ways.

So pretty. So wrong.

After retreating into my office to do some non-threatening paperwork, I thought about it some more. Double checking my math, my ratios.
The thing about making a mistake in chocolate (especially Figaro), is that it's costly, and I dislike wasting money almost as much as not being an expert. Double whammy, mammy, get on your horse and ride!

And so I did.

Figaro?  You're MINE now.

Second time was a charm, but the best part of the whole process was having a laugh at myself and who I think I am sometimes.  It's got me all jazzed up to make some more mistakes.  We're just heading into a fairly predictable summer season; there's plenty of time and space to work on some new ideas.

Or maybe just make some of the things I love best.

Did I ever tell you how much I love torrone?

Stay tuned.  Who knows what could happen next.

xxx
your flawed, but devoted, chocolatier.

Hippity Hoppity and Shake that Shillelagh, Turtle Babies!

The light is changing.  The sun feels kinda warm sometimes in the afternoon.  There's an unspecified optimism emanating from our customers, despite the chill.

Spring.  So close!

It's crazy how much these little things mean by the time March rolls around.  This year, Easter is early, so March has a little more oomph to it here at the ole chocolate factory.  But Easter isn't just it: St. Patrick's Day, too, is right around the corner -- this means only one thing to our fans:

STOUT TRUFFLES!

 No really, folks --

They ARE all that.  And more.  So much more.  Super silky, deep and dark, the stout is right in front, nothing subtle about these babies.

Just how we like it.  We make them for the month, and then we make then a little longer, if folks ask.

They ask.

We've been making these for about a decade or so.  One of my first forays into breaking out of the tried and true truffle combos.  It took just a couple of batches before they were perfect.  I'm really proud of these -- and tooting my own horn is a rare thing.  These guys are close to my heart, and that's saying something (my Scottish grandmother is positively rolling in her grave reading this).

Back to Easter!

I love this holiday because the most imaginative, fun, and whimsical molds are made in it's honor. We've got some great ones this year, and the astronaut bunny is among my favorites.  That's not to leave out the boater bunnies, peep baskets, edible eggs and baskets, the Dapper Bunny, the Jelly Belly bunny, and the ever popular Bunny Boxes.  Our last little bunny is hands down the crowd pleaser of the season:

               And that's just some of the things we offer.  So many options.

Happy Spring, Happy St. Patrick's Day, Happy Easter, and everything in between!

Me?  I'm celebrating the light.  The crocuses emerging from the ground.  The fact that I get to be surrounded by this sweetness every day.  I'll take unspecified optimism, any day, from any source.       Winter?  Can't say I'm sorry to see you leave.  Onward ho!

Happy New Year. Better late than never!

Woah, it's been a little while since I was tapping away at the keyboard, giving y'all the latest blow by blow of life as a uke totin' chocolatier...

It was a crazy successful, crazy good December for us in the Alley. After a restorative week off, we're back to it. It's quiet in January, but we have so much to do in terms of preparing for Valentine's Day, it's sort of nice.

I'm not a sap, really, but there's something about Valentine's Day that cheers me. This time of year on the East Coast is dreary, dark, and gray.  A lot of the time.  I find myself welcoming the bright colors and textures of each year's Valentine's designs greedily, enraptured by the sheer over-the topness of it all.

That's just a taste, folks!  There are so many more!

Okay, maybe I am a bit of a sap.  You can't be in this business for 24 years without that happening, apparently.

To add to the February fun, our sister shop in Salem is part of the Salem's So Sweet Festival, participating in the Chocolate and Wine tasting event on the evening of the 5th.  Amy and Brandy will be representing there with some of our tastiest bits. Such a fun night!

Valentine's Day is very different from other holiday seasons; the crush is intense for about 4 days. The 10 days prior are busier than normal, sure, but the sheer volume of folks we have coming through the door is really something to be seen.  It's always a bit of a gamble, too -- the things that really sell (truffles, cherries), we have to just make as much as we can and hope stocks hold up until the 15th. Thankfully, we have a really wonderful, loyal fan base; more often than not, if we're out of something, we can point them to something else they'd like.  Of course, the goal is to not run out, but...

In the past we've had some  great write ups right around Valentine's Day, which always helps.  This year, we'll be in a sweet little spot on the news on channel 7 (NBC) throughout the day on the 5th, so that's exciting.  In the spot I show you how to temper chocolate so you can make Valentines at home, just like in my book, Turtle, Truffle, Bark!  Go ahead.  Try your hand at it.  Even a failure can be pretty delicious, and you know we are always here to make your favorites.

Always -- except that first week of January, that is.

Ho ho ho!

Oh December, you wacky month of comfort and joy, sore muscles and tasty beverages, and gorgeous starry skies!

I love this month.  I always have.  My father hated the commercialism of Christmas, but my mother loved the whole thing.  When my brother and I were kids, she hardly ever wrapped a present before we fell asleep Christmas Eve, so it really was a wonder on Christmas morning.

Of course I see it a bit differently now that I'm in a business that is so crazy during December, but not too differently.  I love that people come in to buy secret Santa gifts.  I love that folks come in to buy candy filled dreidels, advent calendars, all that stuff.  I'm not a religious person, but I do love the bustle of it all.

After 16 years in business, one of the very coolest rewards is that we have become a tradition in some families.  The idea that Turtle Alley is a known, expected treat during the holidays makes me happier than I can express, actually.  It's hard to believe this all started with one machine and just me.

It's a whole different ball game now, lots of  apron-clad turtles gracing both stores, and lots of candy flying out the door. Chocolate on every surface, customers coming in and going out all day, so many turtles.  Soooo many turtles.

December is a month where attaining a work/life balance can be difficult, but every year it does get a bit better. One of the many added benefits to my job is that in December, it's also a lot of my social life -- I see everyone!  I'm also pretty lucky that my husband is Turtle Alley's shipping manager, otherwise I might not see him at all.....

candy cane pretzels!!

So this month's post is going to be a bit short.  I've got more of these to make:

FYI:  if you're in Cape Ann and watching cable on December 17th, tune in to John Ronan's TV show, "Writers Block".  You'll get to see little ole me chat about my book, candy, all sorts of things!

Until next time:  avoid the news at all costs, tell the people you love that you love them, smile at strangers, and by all means, do NOT make any chocolate related resolutions for the New Year!!

xxx.  Happy Holidays.

October, Witch City, & the Neverending Story of the Caramel Apple Forest

and so it begins...

It's not quite a month since my last dispatch, but man oh man, has it been a busy not-quite-a-month. First, let's just get this out there:  we have a sister shop in Salem Ma.  It's October.  I'm delirious.

Sorted!

This month has been really fun, exciting, and intense.  I've been able to do my favorite thing, making candy, but also have had the opportunity to do some other things, mostly around my book .  On the 10th, I did a chocolate making demo and book signing at Williams Sonoma  in R.I. (my home state).  It's a beautiful shop, and I had a really lovely crowd there.  Probably the best part about the whole thing was I got to troubleshoot a truffle recipe an attendee was having difficulty with.  When I was able to explain what the problem was, I swear, I actually saw a light bulb go off over her head.  It felt really good to connect in that way over one of my favorite subjects.  Also, we sold some books, which was excellent.

A couple of days later, I did an interview on local TV (here in Gloucester).  The show "Writer's Block" has been hosted by John Ronan for 26 years.  John's an old friend of my husband's, and a lovely fella.  We had a great time talking about the book and such.  It was a bit surreal to be introduced as an author -- I'm still getting used to that.  The actual show will air December 17th; I hope it looks as fun as it actually was.

In October, with the Salem shop in full swing, the shop here in Gloucester really starts to feel like a factory:  constant production, long hours, many hands making the work flow smoothly.  For me, it's about heading into work in the dark, and leaving work in the dark, too -- and that's fine.  Making hay is hard work.

I'm pretty proud of the caramel recipe I've been tweaking over the years.  It is exactly the caramel I always want to eat.  Probably about 8 years ago, our longest running manager in the Salem shop, Jennie the Boots, basically nagged me into adding caramel apples to our repertoire.  It was a truly brilliant idea. It is crazy how many of those babies we sell.  Right now, I feel like pretty much all I'm doing is cooking caramel and dipping apples into it.

Dark out.  

Also dark out.

This is actually really cool.  Early in the morning (when I can hear myself think), I sometimes take a second to think of just how many people have enjoyed our apples, turtles; all of the stuff we make here with our own hands.  Somehow it makes it not seem so dark out.

I'm going to sign off now, there's a batch of caramel on the stove that will not be ignored.  Before I do, I'm going to take a second and think about all the people at Turtle Alley that make the work so much fun, and make my days so much easier.  Graham, LeRoy, Amy, Kathleen, Hannah, Brandy, Bree, Julian, Fiona, Natalia, and Zoe:  thank you.   I couldn't do it without you, and wouldn't want to!

In which the chocolate road leads to delicious POLLOCK!

On September 20th, I had the distinct pleasure to be one of 5 judges for a Seafood Throwdown at the Boston Local Food Festival.  It was an all woman event:  all women chefs, and the panel of judges, all women authors.  Total honor, and a hoot to boot!

Despite the fact that I make my nut on sweets, I'm no slouch in the kitchen, and am known for a pretty precise palate. This was a great way to meet some other food authors, and stretch my taste buds a bit.  Added bonus?  They wanted us to actually talk about our books, which I am always down with.

I'd only met one of the other judges in person, Heather Atwood.  She did a really lovely review of my book.  We found we had friends in common, and actually got on so well I came precariously close to burning a giant batch of buttercrunch (talk about getting on like a house on fire!).  Other than Heather, I knew no one on the panel (literally, a fish out of water. *sorry*).  What a fantastic group: Ali Berlow, Leigh Belanger, Diana Rodgers.  Fascinating conversations, cool jobs, good earrings, great books.  What else could one ask for?

FISH.

Well hellooooo, Pollock!

There were two teams competing in this Throwdown, and the fish was pollock.  The goal of these throwdowns is to feature under utilized fish, and show folks what can be done with them.  Both of the teams did a fantastic job, but the Fishmongers came out on top (one of the categories to judge is use of the whole fish -- they cooked the skin to crispy perfection!).  It was a really close contest, and both teams were super talented.

As the teams shopped for ingredients and then got down to cooking, each of us in turn was asked to chat a bit about our books.  It was a really fun and informal atmosphere, so I only tanked a little.  The other ladies were on their games, though. Watch and learn, Hallie.  Watch and learn.

All in all, the day couldn't have been better:  the weather, the company, the chefs, the fish.  What an amazing food festival this is.  A total treat to step out of my chocolate covered clogs and into more fish-friendly flip flops.

SO:  not a chocolate blog at all today, just a chocolatier's lucky day out blog.

Not to worry:  I do not intend to marry chocolate and fish anytime soon.  Unless maybe we get into making mole.......

Up next:

Who knows!  It will be about sweets, though, I promise.

PS:  We're losing the light, but try to get out to see these sunsets.  They are fabulous!

No filter.  From my "front porch".

Hearty hellos and here goes!

Sooo serious, this chocolate stuff.

Hallie Baker here, from Turtle Alley Chocolates, my own personal haven, and your own personal pit-stop for all things sweet.  This is the place where I get to write about the things I'm elbow deep in, whether it's a new recipe, a flavor I can't get enough of, the latest song I'm butchering on my uke, chocolate tips, recipes, just whatever the hell I'm excited about -- on the sweet side.
Such freedom! Such overwhelming freedom!

Yikes.  

About half my life I've been messing around with chocolate.  In 1999, I opened up my first shop in Gloucester, MA.  A few years later, a second shop in Salem, MA.  We've had a  lot of luck with great reviews, and extremely loyal and devoted fans.  In the past year, everything culminated in the chance to write and publish Turtle, Truffle, Bark! -- which was way more fun than I could have anticipated.

It's a lucky life I lead.

It's true.  All those words came out of MY HEAD.

As the business has grown, our Turtle Crew has expanded (in a most excellent way, I might add), leaving me more time to play with flavors and test out new recipes, which is my favorite thing. Because I really am a lucky so-and-so.

So welcome to the blog, welcome to my world, hold on to your hats, and enjoy the ride!

Papaya coconut caramel.  Genius!  

PS.  favorite chocolate right now:  dark chocolate papaya coconut caramel.

PPS. currently butchering "Girl Talk" on uke.

PPPS.  favorite smell on a scooter ride is beach roses on the back shore.

Over and out, good buddies!