Chocolat

Tomorrow it begins. The chocolate-making. The disaster in the kitchen that will last until December. Goodbye counter and tabletop; I'll see you in a few weeks.

Every year for the past, oh, 4 or 5 years, I've made chocolates for family, friends and co-workers. It will take up the next several weekends, and by the end I will be pulling my hair out. I will be randomly mixing up bowls of chocolate and crunchy things (rice crispies, nuts, or candy canes) and dumping them into molds just to get rid of my remaining chocolate. Still, I love it. I love the care that goes into crafting each bite. Painting chocolate up the sides of the molds with a paintbrush. The smooth taste of ganache when you get the consistency just right. Trying a new flavor combination and having it work out better than you thought. Best of all, though, is giving them away. I don't actually eat very many of my own chocolates. The joy is in the making and the packaging and the giving.

This year I've decided to make my own caramel filling (instead of using the Bernard Callebaut jar of "karamel" that I've used in the past). After visiting 5 different stores tonight I've discovered the only place that carries the toffee bars needed to make the caramel filling is London Drugs, and they are sold out right now. Sigh...I guess I'll go back tomorrow and see if they've got anymore in. If not, I'll start with what I've got. After all, it's only the beginning.