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We had all kinds of great celebrations this Labor Day weekend. On Friday night David and I headed downtown to celebrate our launch with some of our favorite local shops. Here’s a list of some of the places we visited:
Our faithful blog followers know we love sharing all things chocolate – the chocolate journey that we are on as well as the giving of chocolate! But one of our favorite posts to date is this one. We are announcing the launch of Chocology Unlimited here first, to you, our supporters. You heard it here first! Read our press release below.
The team at Chocology is here for you, so keep the conversation going by using the “comments” feature at the end of each post to share your expertise, ask your chocolate questions or share your thoughts.
Press Release:
SWEET DREAM CONTINUED. . .Chocology Ltd UK expands their business to the Americas
Know your Chocolate, Acknowledge your Dreams
Yield to Chocolate, Realize your Dreams
Port Jefferson, New York – August 29, 2014
Chocology Ltd UK, announced today that it will be introducing it’s sister company, Chocology Unlimited, to the U.S.A. The company prides itself on its unique approach to the chocolate business, focusing on exceptional chocolates, personal customer service and superior quality.
“We are thrilled to bring Chocology Unlimited to America,” says Managing Director and owner of Chocology Limited and Chocology Unlimited, Linda Johnson. “We love studying chocolate and sharing it with the world!”
There is a synergy between the two companies that Linda feels will result in complimentary relationships between the two continents. “We are so excited about our results with Chocology UK and are thrilled to extend that out to the Americas,” Linda states. “Our chocolates are simply sublime and will make you swoon.”
Linda Johnson and her 13-year-old daughter, Madeline, have realized their dream of running a business together through Chocology. They want to inspire their customers to see that chocolate can assist them in reaching their dreams as well.
Chocology chocolates go beyond your normal run-of-the-mill chocolate. Each chocolate, a miniature work of art, is packed to order and never warehoused. Chocology chocolates are hand finished, containing 100% cocoa butter and cream combined with the highest quality ingredients available. Each decadent morsel is finished with careful artistic style. High in cocoa mass and low in sugar content, this chocolate is actually healthy. Scientific research has suggested that chocolate is good for your health in many ways.
To make things even sweeter, Linda Johnson is in the process of finishing her Chocolatier class with Ecole Chocolat Professional Chocolatiers, so that she can pass new knowledge on to her customers.
Linda and Madeline are also developing an organic fudge recipe that will be available to their clients in the Americas. It’s sure to be a sweet addition to their already luxurious product line.
This mother-daughter duo plan to make chocolate fun! Plans are in the works to create Chocology Kids, complete with a blog, For kids - By kids, chocolate science projects and kid friendly recipes. Also on the horizon are plans to implement corporate team building workshops using chocolate. Enhance your gift giving experience, with a 5% off coupon for your first order.
“Chocology - the study of chocolate,” says Madeline, “need I say more? It doesn’t get much better than that!”
To learn more about the expansion or to purchase a box of these exquisite chocolates, contact Linda Johnson through her website on Friday August 29, 2014 at www.chocologyunlimited.com.
Contact Linda Johnson:
Email: Linda@chocologyunlimited.com
Direct: (631) 901-7151
Follow Chocology Unlimited:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chocology
Chocology blog: https://chocologytoday.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chocology
Have you ever run a marathon?
Sure you have! We all have. Remember that time you stayed up all night with your sick child? Or took 36 hours to give birth to a beautiful human being? What about that pesky project at work that seemed to go on forever? Or maybe you’ve run an actual 26.2 mile marathon like me.
A marathon in running terms is defined as a long-distance running race, strictly one of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 km).
A marathon in life is defined as a long-lasting or difficult task or operation of a specified kind: the last leg of an interview marathon that began this summer.
There’s a phrase in the runner’s world called “hitting the wall.” Hitting the wall in running terms means that you get to that point where you want to quit. It came for me at the 20-mile mark in my marathons. Although I had prepared and practiced for weeks leading up to my run, the 20-mile marker always got me.
It was at the 20-mile mark that it became a mental practice to push through to the end. It wasn’t about the activity of running anymore; it was about talking myself into finishing something I had started. The hard part was already completed. I succeeded in all three races, but the “wall” created self-doubt, telling me to stop before I finished my goal. The overwhelming desire to quit was there, but there were only 6.2 more miles to go. I had run 6 miles per day for many months. I knew I had it in me.
Starting a business is like running a marathon. There are so many moving parts and so much to do when planning a business. Just like in a running marathon, at first, energy is up and enthusiasm is high. For weeks here at Chocology, we have been planning, buying and situating everything from Agreements to UPS, so that we can deliver (pun intended) the best possible product to our customers. The launch of the actual business is upon us. But guess what? I hit the “wall” last week, my body and brain spent, and it felt impossible to go on.
I was frantically rushing from one appointment to another. As I was locking the front door to go pick Madeline up from her summer camp, I felt the lump in the pit of my stomach. I hadn’t deposited checks at the bank. I hadn’t bought groceries or even thought about dinner. My mind began to spiral into how hard it all was. How was I going to ship chocolate to my uncle in the Mojave Dessert without it melting, or to my cousin across the country in San Diego? Chocolate and heat don’t mix, unless of course, the chocolate is already in your mouth! I thought about the mountain of boxes that are piled everywhere in our home; UPS boxes, supply boxes, sample boxes, chocolate boxes. I had just finished an 11 hour day of photo shoots the day before and then received an email saying that my chocolatier class was starting Friday and not in two weeks like I had thought. I had hit the wall – and big time! I truly wondered how in the world I would go on.
But then it hit me! Wait a minute, Lin. You’ve been shipping boxes for years now; what’s the problem? It’s just a box. You can do this! Keep putting one foot in front of the other all the way to the finish line.
I realized I had experienced this same conversation with myself three times before during my marathons. I realized that this was just the “wall”. If I could get past the wall in my running marathons, than surely I could push past the wall I was experiencing in this business marathon. I had to realize that the “wall” was temporary. I had to become present with what was in front of me, affirm my accomplishments to this point and keep going. Yes, everything seemed to need doing all at once. But I could do it, one foot in front of the other. The hard part has already been done. And then snap! The wall was behind me.
I loved this quote about the “wall” from How Stuff Works:
Experience can also lessen the shock of hitting the wall. If you've been through it in training or previous races, you're less likely to succumb to it. As humbling and physically challenging as it can be, it is only temporary. That intrinsic knowledge alone can be enough to get you to the finish line and emerge from the shadow of the wall. ~ Kevin P. Allen, How Stuff Works
We are so close to the finish line. And at the finish line we get to celebrate with great customers, great chocolates and great chocolate adventures. I love people and look forward to the fun part of this business, working with people like you! Like the cheering teams on the sidelines at a marathon, we are grateful to have you cheering us on to the U.S. launch.
Here’s where we are in our race to the launch of Chocology:
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Either the fermenting house or the farmer ferments the cacao beans. This is an essential step as it affects the flavor of the chocolate it will produce.
Fermentation is performed for three reasons: to stop germination, to destroy the seed coat and to enhance flavor.
If the farmer has chosen to do this step, he will ferment the beans on a tarp in a field and cover them with banana leaves. He will stir the beans periodically until they go from a purple color to the dark reddish color of a fermented cacao bean.
The fermenting houses ferment the beans in wooden boxes for six to ten days. These wooden boxes have holes in the bottom where the juices can flow out. The beans are moved from box to box every two days until fully fermented.
Drying
After fermenting, the beans must be dried. The humidity of the beans must be lowered to 6% to 8%. They are often dried in the sun on tarps and raked often to promote even drying and prevent molding.
Drying houses may also be needed when the weather turns to rain or conditions are unfavorable for sun drying.
Drying can take up to a week, but care must be taken to dry the beans perfectly. Too little drying can create mold while too much drying can make the beans brittle.
When the beans are sufficiently dried, they are sorted. Beans that are flat, moldy, germinated or broken are removed. Only quality beans are stored. They can be stored in sacks for up to 5 years. They are now ready for shipping to the chocolate makers of the world.
The Processing and Manufacturing of Chocolate
Roasting and Winnowing
When the dried beans arrive at the manufacturing plant, the beans are roasted at different temperatures and for different lengths of time depending on the humidity, the desired taste and the size of the bean.
After roasting the beans are “winnowed” (cracked) to remove the outer shell, leaving only the nib, which is the essential ingredient for making chocolate.
Grinding
After roasting and winnowing, the nibs are ground into a paste called cocoa liquor. It is here that the cocoa liquor can be used either to produce chocolate bars or go through further processing to separate the fat from the solid. The fat is called cocoa butter and is used in many candies and beauty products. The solid is called cocoa press cake and can be used to make cocoa powder and hot cocoa products.
Conching
It is at this stage that the chocolate making can happen. The chocolate liquor is mixed with sugar, vanilla and milk (for milk chocolate). Conching is the process of mixing the ingredients for long periods of time to remove the acidity of the cocoa and develop flavor even further.
Some conching can take 24 to 72 hours, depending on the desired end product. The continuous mixing of ingredients creates incredibly smooth chocolate with balanced flavors, eliminating grainy or overpowering tastes.
Tempering and Molding
The next step is to temper the chocolate. The chocolate is cooled and then warmed multiple times until it’s of the right consistency. This is the tricky part. If done correctly, tempering is what gives chocolate the smooth texture and snap when broken in two.
After the chocolate is tempered, it is ready for additional ingredients such as nuts, sea salt or coffee beans. It is then poured into molds and takes the shape of the confection that will be sold. Once the chocolate is cooled, it is removed, wrapped in its inner wrapper, labeled and placed on pallets for shipping to a store near you.
Quality Analysis
Many companies employ people who test the quality of the chocolate they are selling. These people undergo extensive sensory training. Often times they will test quality from one shipment to another to ensure consistency in the product. The testers then write descriptive analysis as to the aroma, flavors, and aftertastes of the chocolate they are testing.
At Chocology we are grateful for the community of people around the world who make eating chocolate possible. The commitment and craftsmanship that goes into just one chocolate bar is quite astounding. Makes us want to appreciate it just a little bit more.
In the western world, chocolate is everywhere - the local corner store, the big box chains, on the Internet and of course in small boutique chocolate shops. We eat chocolate to be happy, to be healthy and to celebrate our lives. Our demand for chocolate is evident, but have you ever wondered how a small hard bean turns into a silky smooth chocolate bar?
Collaborative efforts of many people and many countries are imperative when transforming bean to bar. From third world growers to western manufacturers, every step impacts the quality of the chocolate we eat. Chocolate means different things to different people. Artful attention to detail and a commitment to craftsmanship are vitally important every step of the way.
Cacao is valued worldwide as a trade commodity, local food and manufacturing product. For the next two weeks, let's explore, from the ground up, how chocolate is made - from bean to bar. It might inspire you to appreciate your chocolate just a little bit more.
The Harvest
Growing the Cacao Tree
Chocolate begins in the field, not the factory. Growing a healthy, vibrant tree is the first step in making quality chocolate.
The cacao tree originated in Central America but now grows in many areas of West Africa, Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia. There are about 2 to 2.5 million producers worldwide, 90% being small-scale farmers with 12 acres or less. Cacao trees thrive in these areas because of their humid tropical climates with regular rains and short dry seasons.
The trees can produce pods year round for 25 to 30 years. Thousands of flowers grow from the tree’s trunk each year but only about 1% will bear fruit called pods. The pod is of similar size and shape to a football and grows from the trunk or limbs of the tree. It takes five to six months for the fruit to ripen. Pods can grow in a range of colors: brown, orange, red, green and yellow.
Many modern day chocolatiers are working diligently to empower the farmers of the cacao tree by trading fairly, paying above market value and assisting with better working conditions. This helps both the farmer and the manufacturer to produce higher quality chocolate while encouraging more humane and fair practices.
Harvesting the Pods
Once the pods are ripe, they are harvested by cutting the stalk with a machete or long sharp pruning loppers. This is done with great care, as the stalk must be preserved for further pod production. If the stalk is damaged, that area of the tree becomes infertile and will no longer produce the flower or the pod. Pods can be harvested year round but are usually harvested every six months, coinciding with the rainy seasons.
Removing the Cacao Beans
Once on the ground, the pods are sorted by quality and placed in piles. In many areas this is a social affair, where stories, news and jokes are shared as everyone works. Skilled craftsmen will open the pods with a machete, with just enough pressure to open the pod but not damage the beans inside. The beans are heaped upon large leaves, usually banana leaves. The group socializes as they watch the fruits of their labor pile up.
The empty hulls are gathered and placed in the sun to rot. This will later be used as compost for nourishing the next crop.
Some farmers take their crop to fermenting houses, selling their beans by weight. For these farmers, it’s the end of the road. Others choose to ferment the beans themselves. Whether the fermentation happens on the farm or at the fermenting house, the harvesting has now ended and the beans move forward for further processing.
Many of the farmers who produce the cacao have never tasted a chocolate bar. The cacao trees are a source of community, spirit and livelihood among the farmers and their commitment to growing a quality product touches the world. Without the farmer, there would be no chocolate. Join us next week as we follow the next phases of the chocolate journey.
At Chocology, research is one of our top priorities. Since we want to learn all there is to know about chocolate and pass that knowledge on to you, we’re always on the lookout for new chocolate covered theories.
We recently heard that chocolate might play a role in helping people achieve higher levels of productivity. Well. . . at the very least, it might make people happier and then stimulate more productivity.
In any case, a study organized by three university researchers, Andrew J. Oswald, Eugenio Proto, and Daniel Sgroi, set out to prove that happy people are more productive. You can find a full version of their paper entitled “Happiness and Productivity” here.
You’re welcome to read the full report, but basically the trio compiled four control groups to study whether happiness had an effect on productivity. Two groups were shown funny comedian clips, one group was given free fruit, chocolate and drinks and the fourth group was asked to talk about a recent tragedy in their personal lives.
All of the groups were then asked to complete standardize math quizzes to determine if the comedy or food improved their productivity in these tasks. The three groups that were given incentives did much better on the quizzes while the control group that talked about their misfortunes did worse. In fact, the happy producing incentives raised productivity by an average of 12%.
Google is probably the most well known company to offer an array of workplace perks. It has been voted the best company to work for by Fortune.com for the last five years and productivity at Google has increased by 37% since these perks have been implemented.
The driving force seems to be that the happier people are, the more productive they are.
So, how does this relate specifically to chocolate? Well, at Chocology we believe that chocolate does raise happiness levels. We know scientifically that it activates the pleasure centers in our brain. History tells us that people through the ages have consumed it for it’s medicinal and mood elevating properties. In only stands to reason that if we eat chocolate, we become just a little bit happier, at least for the moments that we’re eating it.
If the study by Oswald, Proto and Sgroi is accurate, then consuming chocolate should increase our productivity! It might be a stretch, but it’s a stretch we’re willing to make. Chocolate won’t hurt you and it just might make you happier and more productive. It’s certainly worth a try!
How about you? Do you think chocolate increases happiness? Could happiness increases productivity? Have you seen incidents in which happiness increased productivity in your life? Comment here or join us on Facebook and let us know what you think.
Since we’re talking about research, what kinds of things would you like to know about chocolate? Give us some ideas and we may choose it as one of our research projects for a future blog post.
For the past few weeks, Chocology has been researching and testing all types of chocolate pairings. Champagne, wine, cheese, coffee, fruit and even beer have enriched our chocolate tasting experiences and helped us learn more about how to mix and match our favorite treats. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!
Recently, we’ve coupled some of our unique Chocology chocolates with red wine. What a combination! With all of this coupling and pairing, we’ve uncovered a few simple tips for pairing wine with chocolate. Of course we wanted to share.
Here are a few basics to consider when combining wine and chocolate.
Chocolates with lower cacao contents pair well with lighter wines such as a chardonnay, sherry or dessert wine.
Dark or bittersweet chocolates pair well with a fuller body wine. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir or Merlot are good selections when your chocolate of choice has a higher cacao content.
A good rule of thumb is to choose wines that are a bit sweeter than the chocolate you are going to taste.
Select quality chocolate, with impeccable origins and superb manufacturing practices.
In a wine tasting, it is customary to start with the lightest wines first and work your way up to the more robust reds. When pairing chocolate and wine, start with the lighter cacao content and work your way to the denser dark chocolates.
Cream and filled chocolates will have a delectable impact on the wine you are drinking. A boutique box of chocolates will pair well with wines that enhance the same flavors in the wine.
Match your wines and chocolates by color for a fun pairing experience.
Have fun and experiment! There’s no wrong way to pair. If you like it, then it’s right!
With those guidelines in mind, let’s have a sneak peak at the Chocology chocolates we feel will pair well with that bottle of red wine you’ve been saving in your pantry.
Heart Of the Agean
UB40
Cherry Tart
Bittersweet Raspberry
Ingredients
2/3 cup (160 ml) Fresh Cream
150 Gram Dark Chocolate Bar
3 Medium Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 TBL Sugar
Unsweetened dark Cocoa Powder (for dusting)
Directions Heat the cream in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer through for a few minutes. Do not allow overheating or boiling. Break up the chocolate bar and add to the cream. Stir a few times until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool. Separate the eggs. Whisk the whites with the sugar until soft peaks form. When the chocolate mixture has cooled, in a small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add very small amounts of the chocolate mixture to the yolks, beating constantly so the egg yolks don’t scramble. Add enough chocolate to the yolks to make it look chocolaty. Add the egg yolk mixture back into the chocolate mixture and stir. Fold in the egg whites. Continue folding until all is mixed well. Pour into ramekins. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour to set. Dust with dark cocoa powder right before serving. Serves 5
It’s so much fun to learn about new and exciting things! We at Chocology love learning, especially when it comes to learning more about chocolate.
What have you learned about chocolate?
To celebrate all that we’ve learned so far, we’d like to invite you to test your knowledge. Hint: check out past blog posts to confirm your answers.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE -with our self grading test
| What are three of the health benefits of eating chocolate? |
| Fill in the blank: Scientific research has shown that the higher the ___________percentage, the healthier the chocolate. |
| How does mindfully tasting chocolate expand our appreciation of it? |
| Based on the poll Chocology did two weeks ago, what types of chocolate were most desirable? Suggestion: check our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Chocology?fref=nf |
| Where do we get our knowledge about how cacao was first used? |
| How did the chocolate press revolutionize the way we use cacao? |
We would love to know how you did! Leave us a comment or head on over to Facebook and share what you know. Maybe you know something that we don’t. Give us a tip and it could be a featured topic on one of our upcoming Chocology blog posts.
Ever wonder how we learned to turn this . . .
into this?
Mayan boy beholds the cacao pods growing on a tree at the edge of the rainforest. He gazes and wonders for days, maybe years what’s inside those pods. Then one day, a pod falls to the ground. Maybe he kicks it around for a bit. He might use it as a weapon to hunt. Or maybe he’s just curious and beats it with a stick. In any case, the pod cracks and
he finds 40 brownish almond shaped beans inside. What does he do with them? Does he try to eat the beans? Does he take the pod to his leader for further evaluation? Does he crack another one just for fun?
Want to help Chocology kick off its North American online store? Well you can and we hope you will!
By now, you may be getting to know us a little better. You’ve learned about our family, our staff and our values. We love all things chocolate and want to expand our research and bring fun education and great chocolates to our customers. Now, you can help by letting us get to know you.
We’ve tried every kind of chocolate, from bacon dipped delights to rose petal truffles. With so much to choose from, your input is invaluable. While we at Chocology love all chocolates, we do have our preferences. And we know you do too. What would you like to see line the Chocology shelves?
We strive to satisfy your chocolate wishes. How better to do that to cultivate a direct relationship with you and find out what you like?
Are you more conservative with your chocolate or do you like to live on the edge? Do you want to stick with what you know or try new things? Please take a moment to scan through our poll and give us your thoughts in the "Leave a Comment" section.
Poll Questions:
[polldaddy poll=8157805]
[polldaddy poll=8157814]
[polldaddy poll=8157860]
Thanks for your responses. As we get to know you better, we feel confident we can better serve you and your chocolate needs.
The results of our poll will be posted in a future blog post and of course will be reflected on our Chocology shelves.
We at Chocology are committed to and love the study of chocolate – extending that love and knowledge to the world in a new and exciting way is our passion.
Chocolate has acquired a reputation over time as a food that should be avoided rather than revered. Most of the candies you find at the checkout line have very little cocoa in them, sometimes as little as ten percent. Instead they are packed with white sugar and milk solids, making them a nice occasional treat with little nutritional value. And still, millions of us consume them in vast amounts on a daily basis.
True cocoa, however has been held in high esteem since the days of the ancient Mayans. Used for spiritual and medicinal purposes, it was and still is recognized as one of the super foods of the world. The higher the cocoa content, the higher the health benefits.
How do we come to appreciate higher cocoa contents and flip our paradigm from “chocolate is bad” to “chocolate is nutritious”? The art of chocolate encompasses all of our senses; it truly is a sensory experience.
We start where we are and become present when we eat chocolate in any form. Mindfully tasting chocolate can be a rewarding experience when we slow down and appreciate it. When we are accustomed to popping it into our mouths heedlessly, we miss the adventure of skillfully tasting this super food.
Chocolate tickles the senses and the cocoa in it provides nourishment for our bodies. We want to learn to like the good stuff, right? But going from a highly processed milk chocolate to an eighty-five percent dark chocolate bar is quiet a leap. That’s why we acknowledge where we are now and begin the process of recalibrating our taste buds, moment by moment.
Let’s begin by engaging our senses and paying attention to what we are experiencing here and now. We’ll shift the emphasis to the tasting experience itself rather than reaching an anticipated end goal. Perhaps you can close your eyes, pay attention to your breath and then begin the process of tasting.
Choose the highest quality chocolate possible. Even if it is one of the popular grocery store brands, it’s a start. Our first goal is to experience chocolate in the moment, with reverence and appreciation. As we expand our awareness, we can choose higher cocoa contents and different brands to experiment with.
Rather than popping it into your mouth right away, why not take a moment to evaluate its packaging. Is it a box of truffles or a slick sleeved bar? Is there writing on the container? What does it say? In what region of the world did the cocoa grow? What is the percentage of cocoa in your candy?
Unwrap your chocolate slowly. Listen to the rustle of the paper or the crinkling of the box as you open it. Can you anticipate what you will see?
Now, ponder the color, texture and shape of your chocolate. Is it dark brown or light? Does it appear smooth or bumpy? Did the artisan design the shape or color in an unusual way? Have they added nuts or fruit? What does that look like?
Next, bring the chocolate to your nose. While some of the flavor aromas are “trapped” inside of the cocoa butter until melted in your mouth, there will be others you can detect. Do you know what they are? Can you identify them?
Then, break off a small piece. Listen. Does it snap or is it pliable? How does in feel in your fingers? Is it light? Heavy? Filled with ganache or cream?
Finally, place the chocolate on your tongue and bite into it gently but don’t chew. Try to experience the taste and not judge it as good or bad. Allow the chocolate to slowly coat your tongue and the roof of your mouth. What flavors do you taste? Is it bitter? Can you taste sweetness? A hint of salt? What sensations do you have in your mouth after you’ve swallowed? Has the taste evolved even further? Do you want to try it again or would you prefer something else?
Each time you taste, your ability to decipher new flavors and nuances grow and your appreciation of the quality expands with it.
Tasting chocolate is an experience much different than just eating it. While we don’t want to over think it, mindfully considering the elegance of chocolate can leave us feeling satisfied. It satiates our desire for sweetness and provides our bodies with nourishment. Our incessant need for more diminishes and the appreciation of what is in front of us increases.
When we contemplate art, we do it slowly and appreciatively. Quality chocolate is an art form worthy of our presence and full attention. The feeling of happiness and well-being grows when we acknowledge appreciation in our lives. Appreciating the chocolate in our lives is good for us and assists us in making the leap to finer and higher quality with each mindful taste.
Pizza and Ice Cream Party![/caption]
Madeline’s Innovative Thinking Pays Off
We at Chocology pride ourselves on personalizing every experience. Our 12-year-old cofounder, Madeline is no exception. With her big ideas and out of the box thinking, she keeps us hopping with new possibilities.
Madeline and her mom Linda had just attended a girls club meeting where a party for the girls was being planned. Madeline was in charge of providing the treats. As she and her mom drove home, Madeline sat in the passengers seat deep in thought. Conversation bubbles seemed to dance above her head. Pizza party or ice cream social? What should I choose? What would be the most popular option? What will get everyone excited?
Suddenly, Madeline exclaimed, “I’ve got it, Mama! Why can’t we have both? Chocolate on top of pizza crust with ice cream!”
Linda smiled and veered off the road toward their favorite Whole Foods grocery store. With loving care they picked out all natural light multigrain cocoa pop cakes, which would become the pizza crust for their new creation. They also chose a variety of chocolates; dark, semi-sweet and milk.
Ingredients in hand, they set out to make Madeline’s creation a reality. Since the Johnson family normally eats dark chocolate, the milk chocolate proved to be a bit tricky to work with on their “pizza dough.” But their diligence paid off and the pizza crusts were brought to fruition.
Next, they worked on presentation. Linda had the idea to call their favorite pizza place in New York and tell them what they were doing. To make the pizza experience fun, she asked to buy 10 personal pizza boxes to present Madeline’s treats in. The pizza place loved it. “Come on in…,” they said.
When they arrived, Linda and Madeline were surprised that the pizza shop not only provided boxes for the girls, but plates, bags and t-shirts as well. With ice cream in tow, Linda and Madeline made their “pizza” delivery to the girls club. The delight on the girls’ faces was all Madeline needed, to know that her idea was a success.
Madeline’s drive to create limitless possibilities is an inspiration at Chocology. She knows that sometimes we don’t have to choose. Sometimes we can have it all!
Linda’s “Ooops” Moment
So much goes into starting a new business; planning, purchasing, advertising and much more. Linda loves her chocolate business, but at times her mind spins with the conversions that are necessary for the operation of Chocology, an international company.