Chocolate, Motivation and PR

I spoke today for the Tar Heel Chapter of PRSA (The Public Relations Society of America). It was their final meeting of the year and what topic more fun for the holidays than Motivation by Chocolate? (If I do say so myself.)


As I knew they would be, they were a fun group - these are PR people after all! But here's the REALLY cool thing! One of the members, Denise Kasper, has a chocolatier as a client. And the chocolatier wanted to donate the chocolate for the chocolate tasting I do! How awesome is that???

She sent three different chocolates, fifty of each one. Here's a picture of them - aren't they gorgeous?



Not the best for a chocolate tasting because the fillings overpower the chocolate, but they are very good. And I would NEVER turn down great chocolates for my attendees! But I'll know next time to bring some tasting squares too. The chocolatier was Bon Bon Chocolates http://www.bonbonchocolate.com/chocolates.php


They have a very cool "build a box" feature on their web site where you can drag and drop chocolates into the box - it's fun just to play with! I also think other chocolatiers should do this - it's a great idea. Too many don't give you choices - this is outstanding.


The chocolates pictured here are a milk chocolate with vanilla caramel (my favorite), the colorful fan is a dark chocolate filled with plum wine (another good one - nice and fruity). And the beautiful red one one is a lava truffle - this is an award winning spicy truffle filled with creamy lime tequila. That one was a little too much for me - remember I'm a non-drinker. The group seemed to like it though.


Here's what I think was wonderful about this event:


In the middle of our current economic troubles, we all had a blast for an hour. We laughed, talked about ways to keep motivated and get more out of life, and shared great chocolate.


Let others know about your passion and wonderful things happen! (Chocolatiers send chocolate! Yay!)


The Internet and technology are great - but nothing will ever replace a group of like-minded people coming together. Just the energy and laughter in the room - you don't get that in a webinar. Especially at the holidays - get out of your office and see some people!


We all are much more alike than we are different. I talked about how lonely it can be to be single at Christmas, how terrible it can be to lose a parent - experiences several of the audience members had had. Then I discussed how to minimize the pain of those things. Sometimes it's important to connect - to realize we all struggle.


Motivation by Chocolate - it works!!!!!

More Political Correctness

Since I'm on a political correctness roll, let's review some organic chocolate! (You all know how I feel about organic food - I'm not opposed to it by any means, but I'm okay with a chemical or two. Heck, the way I drink diet soda, my internal organs are probably already embalmed.)

You also know one of my favorite US chocolate companies is Lake Champlain Chocolates. They really make some great stuff and they are totally down-to-earth - no snobbiness here.

They also have some VERY cute things for Christmas - check out: http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/Chocolates.aspx

But back to the organic stuff. Unlike Dagoba (which I have ranted about before), the folks at LCC are not preaching about saving the universe. They don't also suggest that you buy an electric car are get new light bulbs. They are just offering organic chocolates as an option. I love that - options without preaching. Can I get an Amen?

So here they are:

This is the inside of the box which has a great picture and description of each of LCC's organic truffles. They are much smaller than their traditional truffles - which I actually prefer. The other ones are too big. They are sooo rich that the smaller size is easier to eat. (Never thought I'd prefer SMALLER chocolate!)

These are like LCC's other truffles in that they are amazingly smooth and creamy. They also have very subtle flavors. My favorites were vanilla (pure vanilla notes in concert with 70% dark chocolate) and the honey fig (wild honey and succulent figs join milk chocolate in aromatic delight). YUM!!! The mango was good, but I would really like more mango flavor - too subtle for me. I also tried the ginger lemon, even though I don't like ginger. Here the subtlety worked well - the lemon was very good with the ginger - a nice mix of flavors. The Aztec (cayenne and cinnamon warm dark chocolate with a touch of lime) was also very subtle. So many of these new spicy chocolates are too hot, so this was a nice change. But again, maybe a little too subtle.

If you want to try some of the crazy new flavor combos, this is a great way to do it. They are not overpowering at all and really let you taste the chocolate while providing hints of these more exotic flavors. You can take a walk on the wild side, impress all your friends with your gourmet taste, AND eat some really good chocolate. What's not to love? Ohmigod - AND be politically correct! BONUS!

I bet they have a Christmas tree at LCC.

Tradition!!

I'm going to digress (surprise!) from the Chocolate Show to go on a Christmas rant.

I want to rant because Christmas trees will not be displayed in the two main libraries at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill this year because the library staff thinks "it didn't seem right to celebrate one set of customs when libraries offer information about all belief systems around the world without judgment." I guess the only one they can judge is the Christian one.

Look, let me preface all this by telling you I am one of the least religious people you will run into. I'm not a fan of drawn out prayers (from any religion) at business meetings. I don't go to church - well, the Church of Chocolate. But I love Christmas. I love the candy and the trees and the lights and the Santas. I remember my days at college and I loved when the decorations went up on campus - they were festive and pretty.

I say these politically correct librarians are idiots. If I went into a library in another country and saw decorations displayed from that culture - would I not learn something? Would I not be enriched? If I saw another country's flag flying would I be offended? Are the books in the library offensive because they are in English? Is there a Bible in there? Better get that out quick - someone might be offended! Heck - the Christmas Tree came from a pagan beginning! Can't it just be a festive, holiday decoration? I'm sorry - I just think this is ridiculous. They can't see the beauty for the trees.

So, let's talk about some candy that is breaking tradition. Have you seen all the candy canes out there? Everybody is getting in on this - I saw Bubblicious candy canes, Jolly Rancher candy canes, Jelly Belly candy canes, Dum-Dum candy canes, Life Saver candy canes, Spree candy canes, Sweetarts candy canes, Smarties candy canes, even High School Musical candy canes (what the hell?). And, for us, Wille Wonka Chocolate Flavored Candy Canes in the bi-lingual box. Apparently Willie has a big Spanish speaking following.

Candy cane in Spanish is bastones de dulce. Ole!

Ok - first of all, these are so ugly. They are purple and brown. Not festive.

I wanted to hate them - to tell you they should have never been made. (Nestle makes them, by the way.) But I kind of liked them! And each one only has 50 calories (calorias)! If you like chocolate, want a low calorie treat that no one else will take because they are so ugly - these are for you. (But not for the librarians at UNC - they might be offended.) In fact, I think they should all work on Christmas - isn't it offensive to close the library?

Now Cadbury has an entry. I like the Cadbury eggs - the little candy coated ones (well, I like the big creme filled ones too, but I'm not talking about those. Don't get distracted.). They have much more chocolate in them than M & Ms, their closest competitor in this category. So when I saw the Christmas ones, I was pretty excited.

Okay - something went wrong here. Look at these things! Are they dusty? Did they roll around on the floor of the factory? Do they need to revisit their candy coating process?

Can you say - gross? Again I say, what the hell? Where was quality control? Red and green M & M's in a glass container look great as a decoration. They are shiny - they look delish. I'd be afraid to put these out. Boo!! Give these to the library ladies.

I always love new candy - it is exciting. And even though mint is not my fav, I have always loved the Junior Mint. Low fat - creamy. I have eaten these in many a movie. So when I found these new limited edition inside out Junior Mints, I was excited!!!

These are just terrible. They are like a bad mento filled with some really crappy chocolate like material. Like a chocolate gel - eewww. The Junior Mint is great!!! Tradition!!! These are a blemish on the Junior Mint name and the edition should be limited to as few as possible. BLEECH. Library material.

Now, these are better:

These are just like the traditional Junior Mint, but with some little peppermint sprinkles. I still like the traditional one best because I love its smoothness. But as a holiday offering, these are very festive. And you gotta love that box - very seasonal - would look great in a stocking! And doesn't have any Christian images - the library ladies would be happy. But these you should keep for your friends - the ones who are glad to see decorations for any holiday - and know that the more, the merrier.

Anything that adds beauty to this world is a gift. I hope you get to see much beauty this holiday season. (And get to eat mucho chocolate!)

Everyone is Entitled to My Opinion

The Internet really does change everything. Now when I make a purchase, I check out the reviews. Not just by the pros, but also by the common folk. And much of the time, they are spot on! Sure, you have one or two reviews that are way off base, but the majority can give you good insight into a product (or a company, a service, etc.).

So, when it comes to chocolate, I'll be the first to admit, I'm an amateur. I'm working on developing my palate, learning more about it all, but I'm not a professional food critic. BUT just how many shoppers ARE professional food critics? Mr. Eau-la-la may think bacon flavored chocolate is so cutting edge, such a brilliant contrast of flavors. But after trying it, I just think it's just gross. Am I wrong? I don't think so. In fact, I bet if you read one food critic saying it was the greatest and 10 average Jane's saying it was God-awful, you'd go with us average Jane's and save your money.

Now I'm certainly not saying the food critic is wrong - hey, he's an expert. I'm just saying that the Internet lets us see the opinions of a lot more people and then decide for ourselves. So all I can do is tell you what works and doesn't work for me. And I am totally not a food snob. I like the cheesy garlic biscuits at Red Lobster as much as some of the fancy breads in upscale restaurants.

At the Chocolate Show there were lots of upscale chocolatiers. As I mentioned earlier, some were really nice and approachable and some apparently consider themselves above dealing with the unwashed masses. (Why you would man a booth at a Chocolate Show if you felt this way is beyond me. If you are so fabulous, send a peon. Heck, maybe some of these people were the peons! In that case, those chocolatiers need new peons.)

One booth I went to was the Christopher Norman Chocolates booth. Three people were in the booth, one man standing, two younger "kids" lounging in chairs. The older man seemed kind of pissed off that so many people were swarming and none were buying. I don't think they were giving samples, but I'm not completely certain. I was trying to buy, to give them my money. I asked the man what he would recommend, but he blew me off. When I pulled out cash to make a purchase, suddenly everyone was nice. I would have bought more if they had been helpful.

The chocolate caramels I bought were lovely, very colorful (art is their thing - they are artists who use chocolate as a medium).

If you visit their website, you can see fancier things:
http://www.christophernormanchocolates.com/

Did they rock my world? Nope. Were they expensive? Yep. Overall do I have a good impression of the company? Nope. And if I'm honest, it has a lot to to with the people. If they had bothered to take some time with me and find out what I might have liked, maybe they could have sent me home with something that would have been great. Remember those of you in business - "you can arouse and stimulate my palate" (as Christopher Norman Chocolates promises to do) but if you treat me poorly, I'll go somewhere else - like over to Chocolate Moderne whose caramels blew these away!!

Another company there was Eclat Chocolate http://www.eclatchocolate.com/. I got to speak with Christopher Curtin, Master Chocolatier, for quite a while. He was really nice and would tell me about a chocolate and then grab one so I could try it! He was terrific. He gave me one of his Moroccan Mints - whoa! It tasted like mint straight from the garden. It surprised me. (We're not talking that usual York Peppermint Patty stuff - this is real mint.) But I have to say, it was a a little strong for me. I'm not a mint lover. If you love mint - this is for you.

Chris helped me put together a box that I would like - no ginger, no lavender - hey, what can I say? I've tried it, I'm just not wild about those flavors in my chocolate. So Chris hooked me up with what I like - caramels:



The ones that I got and pictured here are:

Calavados Caramel
A sister to Éclat’s award-winning caramels, the Calvados features a soft and creamy apple-favored caramel surrounded by dark couverture.

Dark Caramel
Light and smooth caramel with hints of Tahitian vanilla, covered in a dark couverture chocolate and accented with Fluer de Sel sea salt.

Milk Caramel
One of the stars recognized in Vogue’s “World’s Best Caramels”, this light and creamy caramel is enhanced with Tahitian Vanilla bean, accented with Fleur de Sel sea salt, and enrobed in a milk chocolate coating.

Pear Caramel
Another of our award-winning caramels, Pear Caramels feature pear caramel covered in nicely balanced milk chocolate.


Now Chris knows what he's doing - he was the first American to be awarded the honor of German Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier in Cologne, Germany. He also took the time to talk with me at the show AND to respond to my e-mail asking him exactly what chocolates were in my assortment.

A quote on their site says - "World's greatest caramels... these are the candies to order."
Jeffrey Steingarten Dark Victory, Vogue, February 2007

Who am I to even try to review these? After all, Steingarten writes for Vogue! I like Chris, I like the chocolate. But I like my caramel, well, more caramelly. I like rich and gooey caramel and this was very light, liquidy. For a light, delicate, refined taste - Eclat Chocolate is the one. If you're like me and you like gooey, sticky, a little chewy caramel - we have to take our ghetto selves somewhere else.

Back to the Chocolate Show!!!

I swear I have ADD. I'm in New York, then I spaz out and go to Kentucky, then I find a random motivational clip - I hope you guys can hang with my insanity.

I want to focus this entry on one of the chocolate companies at the Chocolate Show that truly impressed me - Chocolat Moderne. Not only did they have a serious sales person in their booth - she was great - she was moving their bars like there was no tomorrow. No haughtiness, just enthusiasm for a great product. She was approachable, made high-end chocolate accessible, and I'm betting moved a lot of product. But I wanted to buy more than the bars, so I spoke with Michael Schwarz.

He hooked me up with two fabulous items:

I want you to see their distinctive packaging first - it's coral and brown - very nice. One item was sea salt caramels (HOLY COW - these are amazingly delicious!):

Here's the description from their website:

In Salt Talks, the salted caramel meets three of America's favorite flavors: coffee, smoke and pecans! The ‘coffee’ flavor is our classic Madame ‘X’tasy caramel containing sea salt, Illy espresso and dark chocolate. The milk shell holds a salted caramel with an additional sprinkling inside the shell of coarse sea salt and chopped pecans. Finally, the white shell holds a salted caramel seasoned with sea salt smoked over Welsh Oak.

These will make your eyeballs roll back into your head. I'm not kidding! Men, you should buy these for the woman in your life! My least favorite was the coffee - but only because I don't like coffee. If you're a coffee drinker, you'll probably adore it. I have found that I really like caramels with a salty touch. If you've never tried the combo, these are a delicious, decadent place to start. Wow!!!

Michael also recommended an assortment. Look how gorgeous these guys are:

They look like they have a touch of gold dust on them. They are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. These are going to be a little more challenging than the caramels. There are flavors like:

Madeleine Marron ~ silky truffle ~ chestnuts and dark Haitian rum in a sophisticated, smooth dark and milk ganache

Hazelnut Hystérie ~ crunchy praliné ~ pure, deeply roasted hazelnut paste with milk chocolate and caramelized sugar

La Dolce Grapefruit ~ soft caramel ~ our award-winning signature flavor, a perfect match of the tartness of fresh grapefruit and the sweet creaminess of caramel

Raspberry Rendez-vous ~ silky truffle ~ intense flavor with jazzy raspberry jam layered on dark ganache with raspberries

Mon Petit Kumquat ~ silky truffle ~ aromatic kumquat and earthy 66% Caribbean ganache

Caramel Caresse ~ soft caramel ~ luscious caramel with Poire Williams Pear and Eau de Vie

Snake Charmer ~ silky truffle ~ 72% Venezuelan ganache with exotic, sweet spices

Parlez Pistache ~ crunchy praliné ~ we've concentrated the essence of pure pistachio in a paste with white chocolate and crunchy rice crisps

Havana Heat ~ silky truffle ~ naturally fruity 64% Madagascan ganache with habanero pepper, our award-winning 'hot' chocolate

The Player ~ silky truffle ~ 72% Venezuelan ganache with smokey, peaty Single Malt Scotch

Rhapsody in Green ~ soft caramel ~ juicy green apples and Calvados, bracing flavors from the Normandy coast

Pumpkin Pique-Nique ~ crunchy praliné ~ toasted pumpkin seed praliné with pumpkin pie spices, milk chocolate, and caramelized sugar

I won't lie - some of these scare me (grapfruit? peaty Scotch?). But I am really intrigued and want to try them.

But here's the real story of Choclat Moderne. I stopped by their booth late in the game. I already had two bags of stuff. I had tried lots of samples. It was crazy crowded. I was close to being over it.

But these folks were nice and had enthusiasm. And gorgeous chocolates! I bought my assortments (which are not cheap - they are worth the price, but I spent a nice little chunk of change.) Michael was great - we talked about the blog and he was really nice. They were one of the few booths that could take credit cards (a smart move in my book). They gave outstanding customer service is a wildly chaotic environment.

I wandered around the show a bit more, watched some food demos and walked the couple of miles back to my hotel (hey, I just ate about 20 samples of chocolate - I needed to walk!). But now I was carrying all this stuff. And it was dark and rainy. I know - I'm stubborn that way. Taxis are for the weak.

I get back to my hotel and I am looking with great pride (and lust) at all my loot. And I notice I don't have my stuff from Chocolat Moderne! It's nowhere! It was almost $50 worth of chocolate! I started thinking - did I drop it at the show? Did I leave it in the demo theater? I was so mad at myself! I thought if I went back to the booth Michael might think I was a crazy person. But there were a lot of people around and we had a challenge getting the credit card machine to work. Surely I left it there! CRAP! (Remember, I was up at the crack of dawn to fly in, I had already walked to the show and back, it was dark and rainy, ARGH!)

What to do....get a cab and spend more money for what could be a wild goose chase? I mean maybe I did drop the chocolate somewhere or someone else picked it up. I would be so mad if I not only lost the chocolate, but threw more money away on cab fare. So, yes, the stubborn one walks all the way back to the show. (Now you might see how I can eat all this chocolate and not get fat - I am clearly insane. My mania burns a lot of calories.)

I go back in and head for the Chocolat Moderne booth. I see Michael and ask hopefully, "Do you remember me?" Michael says "Yes - I left you a message! You forgot your chocolates!"

Michael tried to find me at the show (which was impossible - the place was a mad house) and when he couldn't, he took the business card I had given him, called me and sent me an e-mail! How amazing and cool is that? I love Chocolat Moderne!!

If you saw how pompous some of these chocolatiers were, you would appreciate Michael even more.

And they gave me a discount code for you, dear readers!! If you want to order some of this amazing chocolate, input this promotional code on the order page: FRIENDF426. You'll get 15% off your order of $30 or more. Thank you, Michael!!!

Chocolate Coated Work

There are a lot of lessons in the visit to Old Kentucky Chocolates - both personal and professional. Let's run your work through the enrober:

1.) Do what you love or find some aspect of your current job that you love. Or quit complaining and find another job. Of course, you can do none of this and stay where you are, hate every minute of it, and lead a miserable life. But I want more for you.

Those of us who do what we love are lucky. But some of you have not found what you love yet or are afraid to take the risk to do what you love. That's okay - you are where you are. How can you find some aspect of what you do to love? First, you have to want to. Seriously - you are going to have to really want to do this. If you do, here are some thoughts:

Maybe you really enjoy people. You may have to deal with some real duds in the course of a day, but I bet you deal with some good people too. Focus on them. Let the others go. Maybe people get on your nerves, but you love the work itself. Great! Remind yourself that you get to do something you really enjoy.

I was only in Old Kentucky Chocolates for a little while, but the people there seemed pretty happy. Now, of course, they all might have been drunk, but I don't think so. This is what I think - some really enjoyed interacting with the customers and having fun (it IS a candy company after all, but I bet all of you could have more fun with your customers than you do. I have fun with the women who work in my post office!). I think some of the others really enjoyed making the candy - they liked the process. Others I think enjoyed the people they worked with and the sense of family. Find something you love, find another job, or be miserable. You get to choose.

2.) The grass ain't necessarily bluer (well, Kentucky is blue grass country) somewhere else. After we've been working a job for a while, we stay to take things for granted. We think every place else must be better than where we are. Not always! I have a friend who worked for a family owned paper and never appreciated how well she was treated till she went to work for a large corporate operation. It was a whole different cut throat world. Before she was treated like she was a true asset, now she's just a cog in a machine.

This applies to your personal life too. We think - if I was with someone different or if I lived in a bigger house, a different neighborhood, etc. etc. etc. etc. my life would be so much better. Things and people can look great from a distance. But when you really examine them, you may realize your current situation is pretty darn fabulous.

And remember that old saying - no matter where you go, there you are. That unhappy you in New York will probably still be that unhappy you in Florida. Although you'll be warmer. And there will be more oranges.

BUT don't use that as an excuse for staying in a bad situation. There is a difference between never being happy and knowing what does and doesn't work for you and making strategic choices.

3.) Be proud of what you do! Sometimes seeing your work through someone else's eyes makes a big difference. Cindy Glick said it at Just Born, Victoria said something similar to me at Old Kentucky - seeing me so excited and interested renewed her enthusiasm for her work. I don't care what you do - there is someone out there who would like to have your job or thinks some part of it is interesting. There is someone who really appreciates what you do - you may think all you do is process the bills at the electric company, but I sure am glad that my power is on right now. And if you didn't do your job, it might not be! Each of us depends on many more people than we realize.

4.) You have a greater impact than you know. Everyone you interact with every day is either enriched by your interaction, unaffected by it, or lessened. Of course, the same is true of you. Simply by being kind and courteous you can make someone's day. And I believe you get back what you give out. Give your kindness, your help, your ideas, even your tough questions - all in the spirit of enriching others and it will come back to you tenfold. I know this is really hard when you are busy, especially in challenging jobs like customer service. But I absolutely guarantee that if you can give out fun, kindness, and enthusiasm it will make your job easier and it will be contagious - both for your customers and co-workers.

The holidays season is upon us - try to spread a little cheer. Wear a Santa hat to work or when you're out shopping. Keep a pocket full of candy canes and give them to all the cashiers or service people who help you. Or to all your customers. How many people will smile just because they see you? How much joy will you spread? And you know who will wind up being the most joyful of all? Yep - you. Ho, ho, ho!!!

Bourbon, Horses and Chocolate

Sorry for the holiday hiatus! I was visiting my great friend Heidi Rafferty in Kentucky. She not only prepared an amazing holiday spread - she also planned a really special trip for me. The first event was a tour of a chocolate factory - is the woman fabulous, or what?

The factory was that of Old Kentucky Chocolates http://www.oldkycandy.com/. When we walked in the door, we walked right into their retail shop. Yoohoo! That, of course, is exactly what I said, which caused a male shopper to say, "You are way too happy to buy chocolate." I said - "You are NEVER too happy to buy chocolate!" I am spreading my delirium nationwide.

This was a great retail shop - with tons of chocolate and candy and hundreds of chocolate molds and chocolate molded items for sale. I saw chocolate guns, chocolate dentures, a chocolate drill, chocolate handcuffs (in a chocolate police set, those of you with minds in the gutter - it's not THAT kind of candy factory!), giant chocolate Santas, and chocolate horses!

It's Kentucky - the land of horses, remember? These guys are life size. They are not solid chocolate, but are chocolate coated. They are not messing around at Old Kentucky Chocolates!

Victoria gave us our tour - which was great - just me and Heidi! How cool is that? It was like our own private factory!! Now the specialty of the house is Bourbon (100 proof Jim Beam) and they make Bourbon Pecan Cake, Bourbon Fruit Cake, Bourbon Truffles, Bourbon Cherries, and Bourbon Chocolates. And these don't just kind of taste like bourbon. This is Kentucky, dammit! You KNOW you've had some Jim Beam when you take a bite of these!

Victoria was terrific - she showed us the giant slabs of Guittard Chocolate they start with and melt down for their chocolate. (Most smaller chocolate companies buy their chocolate elsewhere - it's too expensive to manufacture. Wolfgang chocolates in PA did the same thing, but they didn't disclose their supplier.) She showed us where they make the molded chocolates - all done by hand - and we met the lovely lady who makes them. She showed us a gorgeous solid thoroughbred horse and let us feel how incredibly heavy it was.

We got to meet the owner, Don Hurt, who was so nice to take some time to talk with us.

Everything is handmade here - there is no Mama Hen pumping out millions of Peeps. They were making some almond caramel treats in one room and the Bourbon Cherries in another. The cherries are soaked in the Jim Beam for a YEAR!!! Then they are put in a smaller version of the mixer like the Hot Tamales go in at Just Born and are coated with some confectioner's sugar and other ingredients. They they go through the enrober to be coated with chocolate. When I said "There's the enrober!" Victoria couldn't believe I knew what it was. I got some candy cred right away.

After the enrober, the chocolate covered cherries get cooled, then wrapped up. Victoria does some of the wrapping. She also let us have a cherry right off the line! (Am I living the life or what?) Now I must preface this by telling you that I'm not a drinker. I popped one in my mouth - and yeeoww! It was like taking a shot of bourbon! Forget subtle! Then the cherry and chocolate kicks in - and I have to say - it's pretty darn impressive.

Here are some shots of their assorted box of chocolates:

Looks pretty good, eh? I've tried several of the ones with nuts - and they were great. Not nut chips, great big, high quality cashews, peanuts, almonds. Now we're not talking fancy-schmancy ginger, bacon, wasabi, lavender, squid ink stuff here. These are basic good old American chocolates. And if you like Bourbon, order some of their stuff immediately!!

I've now been to several chocolate factories and the people at Old Kentucky were fantastic! Victoria gave a fun tour and introduced us to everyone - it was like meeting the family. When I was shopping after the tour, the wonderful women behind the candy counter kept getting me to try samples. Like THAT was hard. (The maple cream was to die for!) I haven't been anywhere where everyone was this nice. Old Kentucky had great people, 100 Proof Bourbon and chocolate handcuffs! What else could you want?

Thanks to Heidi for a great Thanksgiving and thanks to the wonderful team at Old Kentucky for helping make my visit special. If you ever get to Kentucky, stop in - it's worth it!!