People keep sending me photos of their babies reading my book, and I love it! This is from Arcelia Gallardo, the founder of Mission Chocolate. She says she's been carrying my book around in her diaper bag for easy access.
This has been a fantastic year for bean-to-bar chocolate, and I can’t wait to see what next year brings. But before I peace out for the holidays, I wanted to share a couple fun things with you.
Collaboration with Zingerman’s
Zingerman’s calls my book "the definitive guide to American craft chocolate making," which is such a nice compliment! We've put together a delicious bundle of my book with three of my favorite chocolate bars, Fruition’s Brown Butter bar, Askinosie’s Single-Origin 72% Tanzania bar, and Dick Taylor’s 72% Single-Origin Belize bar. It’s a perfect gift for the holidays and will be available through Valentine’s Day as well.
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate in the Press
My book has been getting more great press!
"Sweet Move for Chocolate Maker" (featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, December 2017)
"Drinking Chocolates for Winter" (featured in Imbibe magazine, December 2017)
Small Bites — Episode 71 (featured on Small Bites radio show, at 43:50 mark, December 2017)
"Have an Interest in Craft Chocolate? Join the Revolution" (featured in The Daily Herald, November 2017)
"New Book Highlights Craft Chocolate, Shops, Makers" (featured in Luxury Travel Review, November 2017)
"Bean-to-Bar Chocolate" (featured on KATU morning show in Portland, November, 2017)
"Bean-to-Bar Chocolate" (featured on 9News morning show in Denver, November 2017)
"Author Visits Winston-Salem to Promote Craft Chocolate" (featured in Winston-Salem Journal, November 2017)
"The Ultimate 2017 Holiday Product Gift Guide" (featured on BuzzFeed, October 2017)
"'Bean-to-Bar Chocolate' author shares her favorite NYC chocolatiers" (featured on amNew York, October 2017)
"Fruition, All About the Flavor" and "Fruition's Olive Oil Sourdough Truffles" (featured in Edible Hudson Valley, October 2017)
"The Most Delicious Chocolates to Buy Now, According to America's Best Craft Chocolate Makers" (featured on Forbes.com, October 2017)
"Woodstock Radio: Episode 158" (featured on Woodstock Booktalk Radio with Jennifer Egan and Dermot Meagher, October 2017)
Meanwhile I’ve been writing about chocolate makers, their obsession with technology, and the fantastic books they publish for Engadget and Forbes.
"Geeks Are Using Science to Make the Best Chocolate Ever" (Engadget, about Dandelion, Amano, Fresco, Patric, and more!)
“4 Lessons for Entrepreneurs to Make Work Meaningful — and Profitable” (Forbes, about Shawn Askinosie’s new book)
“Here’s How to Change Your Industry With a Branded Book” (Forbes, about Dandelion’s new book)
Results From the Chocolate Quiz
The talented folks at Storey Publishing put together this fun quiz based on my new book, Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: America’s Craft Chocolate Revolution, to help you find your favorite type of craft chocolate bar.
I’m pleased to say that everyone has found it pretty dang accurate so far; here are some results that people sent me:
Deborah Kwan (Guittard’s PR rep): “Dark Milk Chocolate, which is surprisingly accurate!”
Morgan Reed: “This was a nice surprise to see in my email inbox and the thought of quizzes take me back to my middle school days when all I wanted to do was answer fantasy or animal Quizilla quizzes and find out more about myself. Baha. I love it. Anyway! The quiz results told me I love nutty chocolate and I cannot say that is wrong. :) Though I’m also curious what the other craft chocolate results were. I’m really looking forward to the chocolate bar recommendations (Amano Chocolate’s Ocumare Village bar and Dandelion Chocolate’s Mantuano, Venezuela bar). The chocolate suggestions were very appreciated. I wonder if The Meadow will have these…”
WKND Chocolate: “She's @MeganGiller outed me! I got milk chocolate :) What's yours?”
Dormouse Chocolates: “Karen got dark milks and I got nutty darks, pretty accurate!”
Charmaine McFarlane: dark milk chocolate; “...Collecting and tasting chocolate is becoming my new pastime.”
And to All, a Good Night
I hope you are all able to take some time off this season and enjoy what you’ve accomplished. I for one am going to take a week-long nap. I’m brainstorming my next season/series on Chocolate Noise, and you may notice that it’s a little quieter than usual around here in the beginning of 2018. Rest assured that something fun is coming.
See you next year!
(Note: This story contains affiliate links.)