A sixth-floor view of Haussmann’s Paris.

For eight days, I had the pleasure of breathing in all Paris has to offer. What a treat to enjoy a city so full of life. How do you begin to describe it? History, art, architecture, fashion, food, chocolate, joie de vivre … j’aime Paris!

I rented a sixth floor apartment that had views of the rooftops along Haussmann’s wide, tree-lined boulevards—complete with a view of the Tour Eiffel. The street below was lively with the bustle of a café and street market. My apartment was in the middle of two patisseries on opposite ends of the block. Every morning, I planned my day over coffee and pastries. And in the evening, after a long day of wandering, I enjoyed wine, cheese and chocolates before climbing the many flights of stairs to my temporary home. By the way, if you’re staying in Paris for more than a week, I highly recommend renting an apartment.

The six-floor climb to my apartment.

There’s a reason people write songs about Paris in the spring. It’s indescribably lovely and bursting with fresh life. The horse-chestnut trees that line the streets were covered in white blooms. In one of the little parks near Place Saint-Sulpice, I sat and ate pastry from Pierre Herme under a violet drape of wisteria. Tulips and lilacs created a riot of scent and color around the city. It was magical.

I walked and walked, exploring each neighborhood and sampling the fine shops that seemed to be at every turn. Strolling down the boulevards, admiring the many monuments and squares, is awe-inspiring. Getting lost meandering down small streets feeds the soul.

The first Sunday of the month is Museum Day, when you can enter most museums for free. My trip coincided with Museum Day, so I spent a Sunday visiting two of my favorites—the Musée D’Orsay and the Louvre. I also visited the Musée National du Moyen Age, which is famous for its Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series, and the nearby Thermes de Cluny, the ruins of a Gallo-Roman bath constructed around the 3rd century. It was great to see so many people enjoying the museums—locals as well as tourists from all over the world.

Food, glorious food!

Place Saint-Sulpice, a great spot to eat Pierre Herme.

Not surprisingly, the food was incredible. Lunch tended to be my meal of the day. It was a wonderful, leisurely break from my exploring and a great value. At many restaurants, you can basically get the same three-course meal you would in the evening for half the price.

And the pastries! I could fall in love with Paris for the pastries alone. This trip, I scheduled three pastry and baking classes in the vibrant, artsy Montmartre district. The half-day classes, taught in English, had a maximum of six students and were extremely hands on. I became very familiar with laminating dough and butter to make flaky croissants and pastries.

When I wasn’t in class, I was visiting chocolatiers and patisseries. There were shops everywhere. It was heaven. I visited 26 chocolate shops and there were another 20 that I did not get to (this time). On this trip, one of my goals was to make a map of chocolate shops. I got GPS coordinates of the shops with a nifty app on my iPhone. With 26 shops mapped, I have a good start. This will make a fun project in my free time (free time? ha!).

There’s no place like home

Just to be in Paris is inspiring. It felt great just to soak in it. Paris gave me new energy and sparked my creativity. It’s also gave me a huge sense of appreciation for what we have right here in Madison–a friendly city with much to offer. Enjoy the lovely spring surroundings of Madison. Stop and smell the lilacs. It’s great to be home.

My mom, Lucille, with one of my cousins and three of my sisters. I’m the smallest one, second to the left.

The shop is always crazy around the holidays. We’re flying around the kitchen making seasonal treats like peppermint bark and truffles and chocolate snowmen (and women, too). I like to think I’m carrying on my mom’s holiday traditions on a larger scale.

That’s not to say that my mom, Lucille, didn’t cook on a grand scale. Feeding 10 kids and a husband is no small task! But at Christmas, our kitchen was truly a magical place. Mom made a mountain of cookies and candies. I remember helping decorate her soft sugar cookies. Her sugar-dusted, spicy Mexican cookies were a family favorite.

I especially loved her angel food candy (some know it as fairy food). It bubbled and boiled up to a lightly crunchy, sugary perfection on the stove. After it cooled, she coated the frothy chunks in chocolate. It was her secret recipe and I’ve never been able to replicate it.

Mom’s favorite was fudge. She liked to mix it up – adding nuts, crushed candy canes, maraschino cherries, whatever struck her fancy. Here’s her base recipe:

My family was big on both sides, so during the holidays there was a week-long round robin of visits to aunts and uncles with literally hundreds of cousins. It was so much fun. We played board games and ate all that wonderful food. The adults enjoyed another holiday tradition, cherry bounce. Mom made it by soaking the Door County cherries we picked in the summer in jars with brandy for several months. I noticed that The Old Fashioned on the Square is serving it. It’s good stuff.

My mom passed away a few years ago. I miss her always, but especially at this time of year. When I see a customer’s face light up as they bite into one of my truffles, I know I’m following in her footsteps. That’s when I experience a bit of her magic again.

I hope you experience magic this holiday season, too.

May 2012, It is an honor to be included in Annmarie Kostyk’s blog post about her favorite Mother’s Day chocolates. Thank you and happy Mother’s Day!

April 2012, You know you can trust financial expert Vera Gibbons, so how can we argue with her five favorite chocolate picks, including Gail’s “impressive” towers and “ravishing” mixes?

March 2012, We were so happy to hear that Gail’s praline box transported CookingWorld.com “to a small Parisian café, savoring hand-crafted truffles and dreaming about the future.”

February 2012, You have to love a blog named “Better than Cheddar.” And what could be better than to be featured as one of 50 Ways to Love Your City (if your city is Madison).

February 2012, Looking for your next career? Jeanette Hurt wants you to know “There’s No Business Like the Chocolate Business” in her feature article on Entrepreneur magazine’s sister site, SecondAct.com. Jeanette interviewed Gail and two other entrepreneurial chocolatiers who have made their chocolate dreams a reality.

February 2012, If you’re looking for a “great place to get drenched in chocolate” this holiday, USA Today and Kay Harwell Fernandez, creator of the Chocolate Travel app, recommend Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier among nine others. Thanks for thinking of us (and thanks to The Boxer Show for spreading the love, too)!

February 2012, We love Minnesota Monthly written by Marie Flanagan, so we were especially touched by the very complimentary shout-out she sent our way in February in The Chocolate Holiday. Check it out here.

February 2012, The Review Connection agrees with us that “nothing says love like dark chocolate” in their comprehensive review of the Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier product line.

February 2012, Our Valentine’s Day came early when Gail’s salted caramels were selected as one the treats that “inspire” the editors at Martha Stewart Living magazine. Check out the February 2012 issue to read more. We love Martha!

January 2012, Looking for a great way to warm up in Wisconsin this winter? Travel Wisconsin recommends dropping in to see Gail and grab a hot chocolate. Thanks, Travel Wisconsin!

January 2012, According to André Darlington, Gail’s grey salt caramel is one of the “50 Things to Try in Madison Before You Die.”

January 2012, Ecuador Living once again highlighted Gail Ambrosius for her ongoing commitment to sourcing some of her single-origin chocolate from the committed growers in this region.

January 2012, Travel writer and blogger Cynthia Calvert chronicled her trip to Madison, including a visit to Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier for “handmade, lovingly crafted” chocolates.

December 2011, After experiencing Gail’s new Beerific Taster’s Box filled with truffles perfectly matched to your favorite craft beers, FoodSpring.com agreed that “two beloved foods can only get better when paired.”

December 2011, Stephanie Carley of the Madison Baking Examiner joyfully cheered on Madison’s hometown food favorites—including Gail Ambrosius—in her holiday gift guide.

December 2011, We, too, felt the joy when Joy Deangdeelert Cho’s gorgeous Oh, Joy! blog added Gail’s chocolate dipped ginger to its holiday gift guide.

December 2011, For visitors seeking “Sense-sational” chocolate, Madison sure has a lot to offer. Thanks to TravelWisconsin.com for including us in their round up of Wisconsin’s best!

November 2011, During an interview with the Badger Herald, Absolutely Art gallery owner Meghan Blake-Horst shared the results of her customer survey, noting that “among customers’ favorite Madison businesses are Daisy’s Café and Cupcakery, chocolatier Gail Ambrosius, the Willy Street Co-Op and A Woman’s Touch.”

November 2011, We love the Sweet Leisure blog, so it was a kick to see Gail’s “tidbits of chocolate magic” featured as a favorite in November.

November 2011, After attending the NYC Food Fete Chocolat, Gail’s fanciful dark chocolate creations were featured in multiple publications, including Retail Confectioner and Candy Industry, and via blogs including AnnemarieKostyk.com, Go with your Gut (gluten-free products), the Chocolate Room, and many others.

November 2011, Being associated with such a fantastic community of ateliers offering locally sourced holiday gifts is always an honor. Thanks to Madison Magazine for celebrating and promoting our city’s hard-working, creative entrepreneurs.

November 2011, What an honor to be recommended by talented author Emma Straub in her 2011 holiday gift guide at EmmaStraub.net. Thanks, Emma!

November 2011, In the November issue of Madison Magazine, author of Eat Smart in France Ronnie Hess had some very nice words to say about Madison’s Parisian-inspired delights, including Gail’s truffles. “Her truffles are so terrific, I’ve transported them across the Atlantic.”

October 2011, We love writer Lisa Waterman Gray, of Cook, Eat, Savor blog fame, as much as she enjoyed her visit to Gail’s shop this year. Thank you for the kind, kind words, Lisa!

October 2011, In the latest issue of 435 South magazine writer Kimberly Winter Stern, who visited Madison in August, recommends Gail’s Sweet Curry with Saffron and Caramel Sprinkled with Grey Sea Salt.

October 2011, Art lovers picking up the fall issue of Art Showcase magazine can read Amy Johnston’s Milwaukee to Madison foodie travel odyssey, including her take on Gail’s single-origin dark chocolate truffles which she says “ought to be the first thing anyone does on their trip to Wisconsin” because “even if you hate chocolate as much as I hate onions, you will bring ecstatic rapture to your loved ones or make dear friends of enemies should you opt to purchase.” Thanks, Amy!

October 2011, The votes are in and it looks like Gail’s special edition fall flavors—pumpkin, apple cider and cranberry—have made it to the top five patron favorites along with her classic Caramel with Sea Salt and Lucille’s Vanilla.

October 2011, Moms in need of respite check out the October/November issue of Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious Magazine featuring Gail’s truffles in this issue’s “Me Time” column.

September 2011, On the Striped Pot blog, guest writer Kimberly Winter Stern waxed poetic about the “culinary revolution” taking place in Madison, oh-so-kindly referencing her visit to Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier, where she met a “corporate executive-turned-chocolatier whose origin-sourced product has been called the Holy Grail of Chocolate.”

September 2011, When asked for foodie suggestions for a trip to Madison, Kansas City writer Kimberly Winter Stern recommended a whole host of area favorites including Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier.

September 2011, Florida travelers may soon be seeking out treasured Madison haunts thanks to an article in Tampa Bay Magazine’s September/October issue that highlighted city hotspots including Gail’s own “natural, richly flavored chocolates.”

September 2011, Watch out New York! Gail recently learned she is one of only 20 artisanal chocolate makers invited to participate in the Food Fete Chocolat event November 10 in New York City. Happy travels, Gail!

September 2011, The Isthmus Annual Manual named Gail Ambrosius’ truffles its “favorite sweet” in the 2011 edition. Thanks, Isthmus!

August 2011, If you made it to this year’s Great Taste of the Midwest craft beer extravaganza, we hope you had a chance to click glasses and sample some delectable chocolates at the beer-and-chocolate pairing event Gail co-hosted alongside Aran Madden of Madison’s own Furthermore Brewing.

August 2011, Many thanks to blogger Colleen Busch who wrote a glowing review of Gail’s Caramels Sprinkled with Grey Salt and 12-piece Chocolatier’s Choice dark chocolate truffle box on her blog, Fishful Thinking.

July 2011, Did you catch Gail on Madison’s NBC 15 News in July? Anchor Carleen Wild covered Gail’s recent trip to Peru with the non-profit Becky Fund. Read more about her trip here.

July 2011, We’re in the mood for love after being named Wisconsin Bride magazine’s best wedding favor once again in 2011.

July 2011, Gail loves to travel, so she is thrilled to be one of five great chocolate shops recommended by TravelWisconsin.com. Stop on by the next time you’re in town.

July 2011, The July Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau’s partnership newsletter was twice as nice with two mentions of recent honors for Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier.

June 2011, A beer and chocolate tasting featuring New Holland craft beer and Gail Ambrosius truffles makes an impression on Women Enjoying Beer and dcfud magazine at the 2011 SAVOR festival in Washington D.C.

July 2011, We know Madison is the best place to live, but we were surprised (and honored!) to be named Madison’s best chocolate for the second year running in the 2011 Madison Magazine Best of Madison readers’ poll. Thank you!

June 2011, If you picked up the June 2011 issue of Brava magazine, one of our favorites, you might have noticed us in “Pass the Pralines.”

June 2011, Gail spreads a message of hope in her “woman-on-the-street” moment with Capital Times freelancer Kevin Murphy.

June 2011, We’re blushing…after being named a Wisconsin Company to Watch and a finalist in the AMD Visionary Awards foodie category.

May 2011, Simply Life gets inspired by Gail’s Parsian Praline delights.

May 2011, Red Gecko Studio captures a stunning tiered truffle cake created with Gail Ambrosius chocolates for Jessica and Gabe’s intimate brunch wedding. Congratulations!

May 2011, Dark Chocolate Daily delights in Gail’s Parisian Praline Collection, admiring the treat’s sleek, architectural lines.

April 2011, Gail chats with Kathie Lee and Hoda on the TODAY Show about her reinvention from cartographer to chocolatier.

March and April 2011, the Parisian Praline Collection gets love from Candy Yum Yum, Chocolate Blog, Chocolate Ratings and ZOMG, Candy!

March 2011, Chocolatier Liz Gutman profiles Gail for her column in Serious Eats.

February 2011, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story on Gail’s single-origin chocolate box and approach to chocolate.

February 2011, Salon.com’s food editor, Francis Lam, gives Gail some high praise as he samples some of “drugstore” choices for Valentine’s Day chocolate.

February 2011, Martha Stewart Living assistant food editor Kris Kurek writes about Gail’s chocolate and her recent visit to Martha’s test kitchens.

February 2011, O, the Oprah Magazine, names our Classic Collection of truffles as the choice for “time-honored traditional” artisan chocolates for Valentine’s Day.

January 2011, Travel + Leisure includes our Shiitake Mushroom truffle in its roundup of the “World’s Strangest Chocolates.”

December 2010, Bon Appetit includes our Tea-Inspired truffles in their list of recommended chocolates for holiday gifts.

November, 2010, Modern Bliss writes about Gail’s efforts to teach Costa Rican women how to make chocolate from their locally grown cacao in the article “Lend a Hand.”

November, 2010, More shares Gail’s inspiring story in the article, “Reinvention is the Best Revenge.”

November, 2010, Gourmet News interviews Gail about the hot chocolate flavors for fall.

November, 2010, We continue to be the bane of Serious Eats’ founder Ed Levine’s diet.

November, 2010, Madison Magazine names Gail as one of the “32 People You Should Know.”

October, 2010, Salon.com does a Halloween candy taste test that includes our tree frogs.

October, 2010, Blogger Jessica Su gives our truffles the thumb’s up.

September, 2010, 77 Square reports on the preparations for our Food Network appearance.

September, 2010, Food Network Magazine says Gail makes “the best little box of chocolates” in the nation. Gail appears on “America’s Best” special featuring America’s top 10 sweets on the Food Network.

August, 2010, Brides.com provides some tasty suggestions for wedding favors from our product line.

August, 2010, Traveling Mamas write about the importance of travel in Gail’s development as a chocolatier.

June, 2010, For the second year in a row, the readers of Wisconsin Bride say we make the best favors.

May and June, 2010, We get some serious blogosphere love from Candygurus, chocolate writer Annmarie Kostyk, ZOMG Candy! and Gigi Reviews.

April, 2010, The Nibble puts us on their Mother’s Day shortlist

April, 2010, We win gold for Madison’s best chocolate/candy shop in Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison poll

March, 2010, A thoughtful review from The Chocolate Note

February, 2010, The editors of Midwest Living select Gail’s Caramels Sprinkled with Grey Salt as one of the eight delights they would put in their “Fantasy Box of Chocolates.” Their description: “Luscious dark coating, silky vanilla caramel and a kiss of sea salt to wake up the flavors.”

February, 2010, Gail’s truffles get a “5 across the board” for taste among dark chocolates sent from around the world, earning her a spot on the Huffington Post’s “10 Top Chocolates for Valentine’s Day” list.

January, 2010, Chocolate Bytes gives Gail’s truffles a valentine of a review on Blisstree.com

January, 2010, New York food writer extraordinaire, Ed Levine, admits he couldn’t resist Gail’s chocolates despite his dieting resolve in his weekly column for Serious Eats.

January, 2010, Gail is profiled in an In Business story “Retail Report: Profile of a Chocolatier; A Little Luxury Still Sells During a Recession”. Gail discusses being at the five-year mark in her business and looking ahead to what the next five years might bring.

December, 2009, Gail’s truffles were reviewed by pastry chef/candy blogger Elizabeth LaBau for About.com. Elizabeth said Gail’s chocolate were among the best she had in years.

February, 2009, Gail was featured in the Wisconsin Woman cover article, “Gail Ambrosius: Her Business is Your Pleasure” (PDF). Gail discusses her passion for chocolate and how she got started in as an award winning chocolatier.

January/February, 2009, Gail was featured in an Our Lives cover article, “Sharing the Love” (PDF) about her recipe for success that comes from caring for her team as much as she does her customers and chocolates.

October 29, 2008, a 77 Square article “Let’s Eat for $7.70: Two ways to satisfy a sweet tooth” featured Gail’s 3 Hot Nuts Bar and truffles and the honor of Gail being chosen as a semi-finalist in the Next Generation Chocolatier competition in New York.

June 13, 2009, The University of Wisconsin School of Business awarded Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier with their 2008 Dane County Small Business Award. The DCBSA committee selected Gail on the basis of several criteria including business viability, employee relations and benefits, and community involvement. Everyone who works at Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier is honored by this award.

June, 2008, Dr Dave’s Mega-O Truffles: Gail is proud to partner with Dr. David Kiefer, originally of Madison, to bring you your daily dose of Omega-3s in a delicious chocolate truffle.

June 6, 2008, Gail was a guest on Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders, broadcasted on WPR (WERN FM 88.7, FM 90.9, and FM 107.9). She discussed her passion for chocolate making and her training in France. Joining Gail was Pam Williams, an instructor at Ecole Chocolat, where Gail began her formal studies. Click here to listen to the program.

June, 2008, Gail was once again honored with the Silver Medal Award in the Best Candy/Chocolate Store category of Madison Magazine’s annual Best of Madison awards.

May, 2008, Gail’s journey from state employee to successful business woman is chronicled on Lemonspark.com’s “Wisconsin Entrepreneur Project”. This debut article is posted with the intention of inspiring others to follow their passion and achieve their professional goals. Follow the link and click on “Stories” on the left hand side.

December, 2007, Gail was featured on the cover of Isthmus in the article, “Consumed with passion: Gail Ambrosius brings a world of chocolate to Madison”, about getting the chocolate business started as well as Gail’s single origin chocolates.

July ,2007, Gail was honored with the Silver Medal Award in the Best Candy/Chocolate Store category of Madison Magazine’s annual Best of Madison awards.

May, 2007, Gail was featured in Wisconsin State Journal article, “Conference Sets Path To Sweet Success”, about Gail being one of 15 women business owners who had three minutes to describe why they deserved a spot in the Make Mine a $ Million Business program, which helps women grow their businesses with extra financing, marketing and educational support.

December, 2006, Gail was mentioned a Chicago Sun-Times restaurant review, “Eno – A Triple Threat Destination”. Gails chocolates are now available at Eno inside the Intercontinental Hotel, Michigan Ave, Chicago. The hotel’s lounge remade into a 42-seat intimate space focusing on chocolate, cheese and wine.

October, 2006, Gail was featured in The Wisconsin State Journal article, “Chocolates Take Your Breath Away”. Read all about Gail Ambrosius’ passion for chocolate and the opening of her new store.

September, 2006, Gail was mentioned in the Culinary Clips section of the Capital Times announcing the news of my location move and new items here at the shop.

July, 2006, Gail Ambrosius received the bronze award for best chocolate shop in Madison Magazine’s 2006 Best of Madison annual reader choice poll.

Gail was a guest on the locally produced cookingshow called Cooking at The Casbah. Squeaky Wheel Productions produced a fun little promo piece for Gail and her chocolates.

February, 2006, Gail was featured in The Wisconsin State Journal article, “Sweet Passion: For Gail Ambrosius, making chocolate is her destiny”. Read all about Gail and her passion for chocolate.

December, 2005, Gail was mentioned in a Madison Magazine article, “Hot Chocolate” by Nancy Christy and Neil Heinen.

November, 2005, Gail was featured in The Capital Times article, “Strong, dark beers harmonize with chocolates”. Read how she pair up my chocolates with selected dark ales from Unibroue, as presented by Jim Javenkoski, Unibroue’s Culinary Attaché in Chicago.

June, 2005, Gail was featured in Genie Campbell’s Shop Talk column in Anew magazine.

May, 2005, an article in the Madison Capital Times about Gail’s Ambrosius’ chocolate tasting events titled “Chocolatier is one-woman show”.

Gail was in the January / February 2005 Special Collector’s Edition of Wisconsin Trails Magazine celebrating 45 years. Gail’s on page 18 of Laura Kearney’s Food for Thought section – look for “Food of the Gods.”

February, 2004, a story from the Wisconsin State Journal featured Gail, titled “Entrepreneurial Bug Has Bitten: Wisconsin People Are Flocking To Classes On How To Start A Business Of Their Own“.

Meet the Farmers | It’s About Respect | In The News

A World Of Real Chocolate Experiences

In my opinion, good chocolate is its own food group. A little bit feeds the soul and fires the imagination. I want people to experience the real thing, without lots of sugar, and other ingredients that most people confuse with the taste of chocolate. Real chocolate is strong, earthy, fruity, floral … a whole world that unfolds on your palate. It’s the deepest, densest tropical jungle mixed with the refinement of Paris and the sheer wonder of childhood. Chocolate, in all its mysteries and complexities, is my passion.

I suppose it was fate that my parents, Ray and Lucille Ambrosius, gave me the perfect name for a chocolatier. I grew up as one of ten children on a dairy farm in Seymour, Wisconsin. With that many mouths to feed, Mom was usually found in the kitchen creating something wonderful for us. Chocolate pudding was one of my favorites, so much that I have a truffle named after my Mother that tastes just like her chocolate pudding, made on the stovetop from scratch. She instilled a lifelong love of cooking in me.

While Mom introduced me to warm, comforting chocolate, Paris introduced me to dark, exotic chocolate. I was 17, on a French Club school trip, and got separated from my group for a day. Along with shopping and an impromptu hair cut, I visited the patisseries. Everything was so beautiful, I just wanted to eat it all. I remember watching the people eat chocolates and they were in ecstasy. So I bought my first dark chocolate and I understood—eating this is the best thing you can do. I dreamed of owning my own chocolate shop, like the ones I’d seen in Paris, but life often has other plans. I moved to Madison, married, had a son in 1988, divorced, went back to school, became a cartographer, and took a “safe” job with the State of Wisconsin where I worked for a decade.

Then I got laid off. I was 44, unemployed and a single mom. It was scary, but it was also my opening. A chance to live my dream. With the support of family and friends, I decided to go for it.

I took an online class with the Ecole Chocolat and then returned to France, where I learned the craft from the renowned Valrhona and Cluizel chocolatiers. While in France, I visited neighborhood shops, unabashedly sampled lots of world-class chocolates and soaked in as much information as I could gather. I came home with nearly 50 pounds of chocolates!

Just before Thanksgiving in 2004, I launched Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier. I hired my first employee within six months. Today, I employ 10 people and together we produce several thousands of pieces of chocolate by hand every day during our peak seasons.

After much study, experimentation, tasting, practice and practicing some more, I have come to understand a bit more about chocolate. I am still far from being an expert. I like to think of myself as a lifelong student. There will always be more to learn and understand.

From what I’ve learned so far, what I believe is this:

• Dark chocolate is more interesting because you get more of the real chocolate taste without lots of sugar.
• Single-origin chocolate is even more interesting because it takes on the flavors of the area where it was grown.
• Chocolate is an adventure; it comes from exotic locations, circling the equator, all around the globe.
• Don’t be shy about trying lots of chocolate. I try everything I can in order to explore all the varieties of flavor that the amazing theobroma cacao tree has to offer.
• There’s no right or wrong. If you like it, that’s great. If not, keep tasting and eat what you enjoy.

As my business grows, it seems I’m drawn back, more and more, to the farm. In recent years, I’ve traveled to a few of the countries where cacao is grown. I’ve lived with the farmers and seen agroforestry and biodiversity in action. Although Seymour is half a world away from the jungles of Costa Rica, I’ve lived the farming life and I understand it.

And now, here I am using cacao they’re growing and selling it as a gourmet product. I feel passionate about using quality chocolate that is grown without chemicals. Real chocolate—grown on trees by farmers transformed into truffles on wintry Wisconsin days—is my passion. And it’s my joy to share it with you.