Thank you for writing this - speaks to me completely. Not just in chocolate world, but in all things really - but also in foraging world. The photo of a half in focus flower with the question 'what is this and can I eat it?' pushes me to tears as well! To engage in foraging is an exercise in being in a landscape/ecosystem, observing where plants are, small and intimate details about them, questioning what you know and don't know, testing it all the time. I have long realised that I do not 'discover' plants - rather I 'meet' them and get to know them. I have found as I entered the craft chocolate world, if I adopt the same approach - of meeting and getting to know chocolates - I find it so much more rewarding. And when I introduce a plant 'friend' to a 'chocolate' one it is because I hope and feel that they might get along really well - sometimes it is clear from the start they don't, but other times their friendship blossoms, and as in all good friendships help each party maybe realise a part of them that they did not really know too well.
I'm happy it resonated with you Charlotte. I love how you so beautifully captured this: "to engage in foraging is an exercise in being in a landscape/ecosystem, obeserving where plants are..." It is exactly what chocolate making is. And I think, for me, why the idea of a craft factory with automations and machinary as the focus just doesn't interest me. Thank you for sharing this!
If someone wants “just the recipes”, it’s OK, but then open a franchise.
oh lol. yes.
I love your “journey of discovery” style of teaching! It’s a challenging path but it’s so great working out what my style of chocolate is 😊
Thank you Cathy. I'm grateful that our chocolate paths crossed!
Thank you for writing this - speaks to me completely. Not just in chocolate world, but in all things really - but also in foraging world. The photo of a half in focus flower with the question 'what is this and can I eat it?' pushes me to tears as well! To engage in foraging is an exercise in being in a landscape/ecosystem, observing where plants are, small and intimate details about them, questioning what you know and don't know, testing it all the time. I have long realised that I do not 'discover' plants - rather I 'meet' them and get to know them. I have found as I entered the craft chocolate world, if I adopt the same approach - of meeting and getting to know chocolates - I find it so much more rewarding. And when I introduce a plant 'friend' to a 'chocolate' one it is because I hope and feel that they might get along really well - sometimes it is clear from the start they don't, but other times their friendship blossoms, and as in all good friendships help each party maybe realise a part of them that they did not really know too well.
Thank you as always
I'm happy it resonated with you Charlotte. I love how you so beautifully captured this: "to engage in foraging is an exercise in being in a landscape/ecosystem, obeserving where plants are..." It is exactly what chocolate making is. And I think, for me, why the idea of a craft factory with automations and machinary as the focus just doesn't interest me. Thank you for sharing this!