Tifa Chocolate & Gelato
5013 Kanan Road
Agoura Hills, CA  91301
(818) 879-0685
www.tifachocolate.com

Various blends of chocolate bars sold in the store.

Mindful Nest
3319 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA  91505
(818) 840-0123
www.mindfulnest.net

Various blends of chocolate bars sold in the store.

Summer days mean pretty nice days here in So Cal, but slower chocolate sales.   It’s ok, because now I have time to relax and think about what my next steps are.

Chocolate and Cheese Plate -  Saturday Night

I’ve been eating a lot of chocolate + cheese + bread for breakfast and just did a cheese photo shoot with my friend.  People should really think about putting cheese and chocolate together.  This past weekend, my friend’s kid, Nicolaus King, a superb classical pianist, had an intimate gathering for his close friends.  He’s such an articulate young kid and it was so interesting to here him analyze the pieces he was playing.  I took piano for 10 years so have some connection with what his intentions are in each piece.  Getting back to the food part, I had the privilege of serving my chocolate on a cheese plate.  This was what I had on the chocolate and cheese plate:

Chocolates:

Coffee + Vanilla and Almonds + Sea Salt

Cheeses:

Shaft’s Blue Vein Cheese (cow’s milk) + Fontina Italian cheese (cow’s milk)

I know that the Coffee + Vanilla goes well with your red wines.  They were serving a Merlot and Cabernet.  Coffee + Vanilla is not my favorite blend, but if I’m drinking a red, I must have Coffee + Vanilla.  What was surprising was that the Coffee + Vanilla tasted so well with the Blue cheese.  Blue cheese is a very strong cheese and the Coffee + Vanilla chocolate is also intense.  Both of them complement each other so well.  The saltiness of the blue cheese brings out the coffee and vanilla.  These two are a must on a cheese plate.  It is such a delicious pairing.

Almonds and sea salt is more of a delicate flavor.  So this went well with your Italian cheese which was lighter cheese and not very strong.  I think a cheese that has some caramel notes and more salt would go well with the Almonds and Sea Salt.  Still searching for the best cheese for this chocolate.  The Almonds and Sea Salt was excellent with the cold Riesling they were serving.

New Blends

My new blends these next couple of weeks at the market are Brown Sugar Mayan and Chocolate Daisies.

Brown Sugar Mayan has all the ingredients of your classic Mayan Tradition, but I also added brown sugar + salt + peppercorns.  It’s amazing how just a tiny bit will change the flavor profile.  I didn’t think it would be such a big difference.  There’s more texture, and I can taste the bits of cinnamon which I love.  It’s more of a deep rich flavor and great with your reds where I think the classic Mayan is better with your lighter red wines and white wines.  Classic Mayan is great with a nice crisp white wine.

Chocolate Daisies was already here this year.  Ortega 120 is going to use this in their tequila tasting so I made a little extra for the markets.  I took organic chamomile flowers and stone ground it with your nibs + sugar + cinnamon sticks.  A great soothing blend.  It’s amazing has a hot chocolate.  Before you know it, summer is around the corner.

If you want to find out about the new blends, sign up for the newsletter on the right hand side where it says, “Where To Buy”.

More exciting news on the way so I’ll have another post this week!  It’s big news!

Patricia