The last 10 days or so have been filled with experiments! You know when you have a very specific flavor in your mind, say for instance that you are really thirsty and assume that cup of clear liquid to be water, but you take a big gulp and it is sprite? Yes, it was cold and it was refreshing, but it wasn't what your tongue was prepared for? I have been up against that. I have come across a great Earl Grey tea, from Stash Teas in Portland, Oregon (you have to support your home state!). This is a double bergamot Earl Grey that I thought would be amazing for a truffle, I haven't given up yet, but is anything ever as simple as you think it will be?
When we were living in Germany I fell in love with the weekly markets (sometimes a few times a week depending on the town); all the fresh produce and flowers, meats and cheeses and fish. Eating what is fresh and in season wasn't really a revelation to me, everything tastes better fresh, but I had been sucked in to the supermarket theory that it is fresh "someplace". My Aunt Cindy sent me a book, Harvest for Hope, by Jane Goodall that made it impossible to go grocery shopping, for a few months. While I always knew things were better in their season, she made so many connections that weren't obvious to my mind. Not the least of which was the amount of fuel needed to transport those beautiful blueberries from Chile that are in the markets right now. I made a very concerted effort to stay within the seasons, locally. I am not on my soapbox, I promise, there is a reason for this. I so admire all the chefs and restaurants out there (The Boot is my local favorite) that uses local, seasonal foods, but when you take all the veggies out of the mix (kale truffle anyone) it is really rough! How does one stick to your guns, especially given that the main ingredient in my business in no where NEAR local? Does that make me a hypocrite? I really hope not, that is just something I can't stand! So, to assuage my guilt I have been searching for local sources of dairy, (tougher than one would think in Virginia) fruits, nuts, etc. I am off to the Five Points Farmers' Market in Norfolk tomorrow to check out their dairy supply (cross your fingers for me). Does this matter to my potential customers? Especially in this economy? I don't really know, but I am hoping that my customers are so because I am doing the very best I can, which has a few too many parameters if you ask my husband! If I can keep my purchasing power within my community, which is then sold in my community, isn't that better? I know that my business is tiny, a drop in the bucket for any area the size of Hampton Roads, but I hope it will make a difference, even if it is just one person. Another great book on the local food subject is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.
So, while only one flavor I am working on is seasonal, some of the ingredients will be local and those that come from distant lands are bought with fair trade and organic principles as forethought. I also have to keep in mind, as my husband keeps telling me, that I and possibly, my customers may not be able to afford my guilty conscience! Every bit helps though.
Flavors for the February batches will be (I am hoping):
- a chocolate version of a latte
- a return best seller, champagne
- framboise, the classic chocolate raspberry combination, with a fortified raspberry wine instead of berries
- a spicy chili along with cinnamon
- another customer favorite, ginger
- the earl grey tea
- and the most surprising (in a good way) grapefruit
I will be sitting at Let's Talk Wine all day on Valentine's Day, handing out samples and answering any questions, there will be chocolates available for purchase as well.
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