Happy Spring!

Hello, Turtle Faithful!

If April showers bring May flowers, I'm thinking May is going to be a BLOOMFEST!
We're over the hump:  there's light in the sky in the afternoon, buds are showing themselves, things are trying heartily to get green.
I'm not the only one who's feeling good about it, our customers are, too.  We're seeing a lot of folks right about now for the Easter holiday, also selling lots of sweets for Passover.  Whatever you are celebrating, it's SPRING!

yup, that basket is made of chocolate.
By hand!

all these bunnies are solid.  No messing about.

Spring is also a fertile time for me in candyland.  Lots of inspiration.  I'm really quite happy with our latest, our Curry Caramel.  Topped with a flake or two of Maldon salt, the balance of curry, cream and milk chocolate is just heavenly.  I expected the dark wouldn't work, and I was spot on.  Not enough fat in the dark chocolate to make that curry really taste creamy and full bodied; interestingly, though, in the dark chocolate, the curry went completely floral.  I did not see that coming.  Learning new stuff is boss!

A bar I've been playing with for a year or so finally had it's debut as well:  the Bjorkbar.  Milk or dark chocolate, chopped black licorice, and licorice salt.  This is another one that I really enjoy best in milk chocolate. I tend to lean to dark chocolate, so as much as I like the dark chocolate version, the milk chocolate just gets the balance right. No other way to describe it.  When I am lucky enough to  achieve that perfect balance, I'm grinning for days (or maybe I'm grinning because I'm taste testing every other minute.  Sugar is a powerful drug).  

Keep your eyes peeled for more new delicious bits and bobs.  After Easter, though!

xx

H

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!

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!

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.