The Well-Tempered Chocolatier is Itching to Get Back to Business!
June 5, 2006
7:43 a.m., MT

Which is good news for all you patient people who've expressed an interest in my truffles. I've just a few more items to get in order to be good to go here; meanwhile, my business consultant has prodded me to move forward with my plans. She's right—it's time to go big or go home. [Gulp!]

So here's the deal for this round: it's a test run of the entire business operation—making the truffles, packaging them, and shipping them in appropriate containers. You want some Snake Sweetness, you'll need to buy 'em, and pay for 2nd day shipping to get 'em to you. However, as we're still working out price parameters (some flavors require more expensive ingredients, and others require a lot more work), all truffles will be a flat price, which will be announced when I post ordering instructions.

If you're interested, please step into the back room and look over the offerings, and let me know what appeals to you so I've a better idea of how much chocolate of which types to order, and how much product I'll need to make.

Here's the list of flavors I'll definitely be offering in this test run. Pre-order any combination and quantity of items from this list; with the understanding that it's a rough estimate pending pricing information and finalization of the complete list, of course.

• Chocolate Martini: white chocolate center with a dollop of the lovely Three Olives chocolate vodka, enrobed in white chocolate;


• Raspberry: white chocolate center blended with homemade raspberry sauce (no pips!), and enrobed in white chocolate;


• Mint Julep: milk chocolate center spiked with Maker's Mark bourbon and a hint of mint, enrobed in milk chocolate;


• Inca Gold: bittersweet chocolate center is warmly spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper, and is enrobed in bittersweet chocolate;


• Honey Spice: blackberry honey, clove, and cinnamon give a bit of pep to the semisweet chocolate center, enrobed in semisweet chocolate;


• Terrorists Treat: inspired by an Afghani candy recipe, the semisweet center is studded with pistachios and walnuts and perfumed with cardamom, enrobed in semisweet chocolate; and


• Piña Colada: dried pineapple nuggets are first soaked in Baccardi Select dark rum, then blended into a white chocolate center along with freshly shredded and toasted unsweetened coconut along with a bit more rum, and is enrobed in white chocolate.

I'd like to try a couple more flavors, but am unsure of the best ways to round out my offerings. Here are some ideas I have; if any sound particularly appealing to you, please indicate so in the comments. In the comments, vote for up to 3 of these flavors to be added to the initial product list above. I'll add the winners to the list above, for a total of ten flavors you'll be able to order.

• Peppermint: Peppermint leaves spice white chocolate and then depart, leaving a creamy, pepperminty center enrobed in bittersweet chocolate;


• Coco-Choco Dream: Coconut milk and freshly shredded and toasted unsweetened coconut are blended into a milk or bittersweet chocolate center, then enrobed in the same chocolate;


• Cherry Cheer: dried dark cherries are soaked in brandy, then blended into a semisweet chocolate center and encased in bittersweet chocolate;


• Maple: maple cream adds its distinctive sweetness to the white chocolate center, enrobed in milk chocolate;


• Orange: Fresh-squeezed orange juice and a bit of Three Olives orange vodka infuse a white chocolate center with flavor, enrobed in bittersweet chocolate;


• Triple Treat: freshly-made espresso—which is made from freshly-roasted and ground beans here at home—and a touch of Three Olives chocolate vodka in a bittersweet chocolate center and enrobed in semisweet chocolate pack a powerful punch of flavor;


• Raspberry-Almond: My homemade raspberry sauce graces a bittersweet chocolate center, into which toasted chopped almonds are added, enrobed in bittersweet chocolate; and


• Pure Chocolate Bliss: Simple but luscious, nothing but bittersweet chocolate ganache in bittersweet enrobing. (I'm not sure that there's interest in such a simple critter, but if there is, I want to satisfy it.)

To vote for the flavor(s) of your choice, just name it/them in your comments. The three flavors which are named most often will be the ones offered. Vote as often as you like!

Sunni

Comments: 23 people have contributed to the conversation

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 8:04 a.m. Mountain time, Erin said:

I'm voting for orange, triple treat, and raspberry-almond.

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 8:20 a.m. Mountain time, B.W. said:

Must - have - chocolate - martini!!!!

I vote for orange, triple treat and cherry cheer. I think this makes me a lush.

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 8:50 a.m. Mountain time, Happy Curmudgeon said:

I'm voting for Inca Gold, Chocolate Martini, and Terrorist Treat in a sampler pack.

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 9:06 a.m. Mountain time, Monika said:

I'd like four of each indicated below.
I'm voting for Terrorists Treat, Inca Gold and Pina Colada. Also Raspberry, but the cruelty of only three choices!!!!

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 9:08 a.m. Mountain time, Monika said:

BTW, I'm due in 6 weeks (around the 20th of July)- do you think the truffles will be ready before then? Otherwise I won't be able to eat chocolate while feeding the baby and all.

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 9:29 a.m. Mountain time, Sunni said:

Just to reclarify here ... the top list is for pre-ordering from. That is, let me know which flavor(s) from it you're interested in. Voting is for the items on the second list only—which of those 8 possibilities do you most want to see in the initial lineup of flavors?

That might help ease the cruelty of your situation, Monika. I expect to ship the truffles at the end of June, latest, so even if your darlin' daughter decides to start exploring the world a bit early, you should still have time to enjoy the truffles.

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 12:44 p.m. Mountain time, Jorge said:

It is probably a good thing (for me) that it is impractical to send me the truffles. Otherwise I see myself going broke and my weight moving in the wrong direction.

Good luck with the business!

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 1:41 p.m. Mountain time, Monika said:

Okie dokie,
the stuff I voted for previously- I'd like to order, four of each. From the second list (truffles of the future) the votes are:
peppermint, triple treat, pure chocolate bliss.

On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 8:25 p.m. Mountain time, Laura said:

I'll be ordering 3 doz. and I'll ideally take a mix (less the terrorism one since I'm not as much of a nut fan).

As far as votes, what wrong with everyone, how can Choco Coco not be at the top of everyone's list????? Orange and Cherry Cheer are my #2 & #3

On Tuesday, June 6th, at approximately 8:17 a.m. Mountain time, Pagan said:

I'd like to order four each of Mint Julep, Inca Gold, and Terrorists Treat.

I vote to add the following to the list: Peppermint, Coco-Choco Dream, Orange, Raspberry-Almond, Pure Chocolate Bliss.

On Tuesday, June 6th, at approximately 5:56 p.m. Mountain time, Erin said:

I'm voting again for orange, triple treat, and raspberry-almond. They sound as good today as they did yesterday.

On Tuesday, June 6th, at approximately 6:00 p.m. Mountain time, dr lenny said:

pure chocolate bliss and triple treat sound extra-ordinary, while i can only imagine your chocolate covered cherry truffle. I'll go for two dozen mixed.

On Tuesday, June 6th, at approximately 9:00 p.m. Mountain time, Concerned Voter said:

My vote is Coco-Choco Dream, Coco-Choco Dream and Coco-Choco Dream

On Tuesday, June 6th, at approximately 9:01 p.m. Mountain time, Interested Party said:

I think Coco-Choco Dream sounds the best.

On Tuesday, June 6th, at approximately 9:05 p.m. Mountain time, New Person Entirely said:

Um, really, I swear I'm someone different. I vote for Coco-Choco Dream.

On Wednesday, June 7th, at approximately 4:42 a.m. Mountain time, Sunni said:

I wondered when folks would realize that Chicago-style voting was encouraged.

I think someone likes Mounds bars ...

On Thursday, June 8th, at approximately 6:39 a.m. Mountain time, SRS said:

I want to pre-order the Raspberry, Mint Julep and Terrorists Treat (natch!), and, as a true chocolate-lover, I'm giving all three of my votes to Pure Chocolate Bliss.

Please tell me the voting isn't closed!

On Thursday, June 8th, at approximately 1:27 p.m. Mountain time, Thunder said:

I have to vote for Cherry Cheer, Maple, and Pure Chocolate Bliss. I'd also like to throw in an extra vote for Orange since we're doing this Chicago-style.

I'm going to have to order a lot. Of almost all flavors. Damn this chocolate addiction!

On Thursday, June 8th, at approximately 6:14 p.m. Mountain time, Sunni said:

Hi Thunder! The customer who ordered some previously said that maple was their favorite ... it's sweet, but very good.

You're welcome to order as much as you'd like, of course. Feeding that monkey on your back is what I'm all about. (Heh.)

On Thursday, June 8th, at approximately 9:34 p.m. Mountain time, Laura said:

Hmmm. Today, I think I have to vote for.... Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, Coco-Choco, and Coco-Choco.

On Friday, June 9th, at approximately 5:45 a.m. Mountain time, Sunni said:

Seeing as how you seem to be the only one really into the spirit of Chicago-style voting (and assuming you were the persons stuffing the ballot box a few days back), I think you've pretty much locked in your choice, unless things start jumping today.

What kind of chocolate do you want your coconut wrapped in?

On Friday, June 9th, at approximately 7:17 a.m. Mountain time, Erin said:

Orange orange orange orange orange orange orange orange!!!!!

On Friday, June 9th, at approximately 3:02 p.m. Mountain time, Laura said:

I for one am thrilled to see that Erin, who's also in the spirit, is voting for my second choice. I think I'd choose bittersweet for my Coco-Choco fix.

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