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DR.com Chocolate Tasting and Discussion at Artisan Confections


Andelman

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WHEN: Wednesday 3/21 at 7 PM

WHERE: Artisan Confections shop in Clarendon (1025 N Fillmore St.)

WHO: only DR.com members. I (Jason) will be conducting the tasting.

WHAT and WHY: Well, I really just want to share with you all what we do here at Artisan Confections. The plan is to have a quick discussion about how chocolate is made and we'll taste a bunch of different Valrhona chocolates to get a feel for the stuff we use here. After that, I'll give a demo/talk about how we make our bon-bons and caramels and we will taste a multitude of products as we go. My goal is to have everyone walk away with a better idea of what we are all about. In that same vein, I would like to have an open discussion about the business side of things and how we operate. Look at the evening at as a 'behind the scenes" look at what we do here, both on the production and business sides. I am only inviting Dr.com members to this event because I am looking for some lively conversation from people that really, truly care about food and (from what I can tell) small businesses in general. I think it will make for a fun night and my hope is that other businesses would follow suit down the road.

COST: I am going to go all Radiohead (I will probably even be playing Radiohead over the sound system) for this event and just say pay what you think it was worth. I'll leave discreet box in the shop, and when it is all over you can pay want you want. I am honestly not looking to make any money on this event and am planning on doing it for free. However, if you want to contribute to cover costs, please feel free to do so..(it is not expected though!)

HOW: Please send me an email at jason@artisanconfections.com or PM to confirm your spot. No phone calls please. I really only have room for 20(possibly a few more) people maximum, so once it is full I'll start a wait list. The more the merrier, so I hope we can get a full house!

If you have any general questions, please post them here I will answer as promptly as I can.

Best,

Jason

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WHEN: Wednesday 3/21 at 7 PM

WHERE: Artisan Confections shop in Clarendon (1025 N Fillmore St.)

WHO: only DR.com members. I (Jason) will be conducting the tasting.

WHAT and WHY: Well, I really just want to share with you all what we do here at Artisan Confections. The plan is to have a quick discussion about how chocolate is made and we'll taste a bunch of different Valrhona chocolates to get a feel for the stuff we use here. After that, I'll give a demo/talk about how we make our bon-bons and caramels and we will taste a multitude of products as we go. My goal is to have everyone walk away with a better idea of what we are all about. In that same vein, I would like to have an open discussion about the business side of things and how we operate. Look at the evening at as a 'behind the scenes" look at what we do here, both on the production and business sides. I am only inviting Dr.com members to this event because I am looking for some lively conversation from people that really, truly care about food and (from what I can tell) small businesses in general. I think it will make for a fun night and my hope is that other businesses would follow suit down the road.

COST: I am going to go all Radiohead (I will probably even be playing Radiohead over the sound system) for this event and just say pay what you think it was worth. I'll leave discreet box in the shop, and when it is all over you can pay want you want. I am honestly not looking to make any money on this event and am planning on doing it for free. However, if you want to contribute to cover costs, please feel free to do so..(it is not expected though!)

HOW: Please send me an email at jason@artisanconfections.com or PM to confirm your spot. No phone calls please. I really only have room for 20(possibly a few more) people maximum, so once it is full I'll start a wait list. The more the merrier, so I hope we can get a full house!

If you have any general questions, please post them here I will answer as promptly as I can.

Best,

Jason

This is awesome, and I hope we can all pitch in to support Jason's generous offer.

(I'll bet MattRocks is going to be happy he's a dr.com member!)

Note: New members are welcome, but you have to sign up and become a member first! So do it!

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Thanks to all those that have signed up already. We do still have some spaces available if anyone is interested. I think I'd like to cap it at 20 people so it isn't too cramped in here, so sign up soon! I'm looking forward to this....

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I'll also add that we still have spots available if anyone is interested. Like I said, the more the merrier! Invite a friend if you like! I have plenty of chocolate to share. Please let me know by Wednesday morning if you'd like to add yourself to the the list. I think we have 13 people at this point.

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These events are *very* informative, fun, and given by an artisan in the truest sense of the word. Location is central, and the price is "pay what you can." If you care about supporting 1) cratsmen who devote their lives to mastering important arts, and 2) donrockwell.com (even though there's nothing in it for us but recognition), then please attend this event, This is donrockwell.com at its best, and Jason Andelman is a true master worthy of all the praise heaped upon him. And he's sharing all this on a donation basis. What more can we ask for? Nothing, that's what.

Thank you again, Jason, for hosting this. You are a local treasure.

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So, it looks like we have a full house for the event tonight (20 PP) so it should be engaging. I think the parking questions were answered above, but yes, there is free parking in the building. The entrance is just past our space (coming from Clarendon Blvd) on the left. It is the garage that goes down UNDER the building. Please don't use the small parking lot near the self-storage, as you may get towed. Additionally, there is street parking in the area.

I'd like to start this event on time at 7 PM, so please try and arrive on time. I don't like to start these things until everyone is here, as I lock the door at 7 PM. That being said, please don't show up at 6:30, as I really don't have to big of a 'waiting area". :)

The tasting should be about 1.5 hours long at the most--it really depends on how in-depth we get and the number of questions asked.

Since the shop is pretty small in the back, everyone will have to stand. I do have a couple of chairs and stools if anyone needs to sit, but be prepared to stand for the duration of the event. Water will be provided as well.

If you have any other questions, please post them here, otherwise I will see everyone tonight!

Best,

Jason

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Yes!! Many super duper thanks to Andelman for taking the time to teach us more about chocolate on many different levels!

I am reminded why we have such wonderful events like this: to sample, to learn, to see old friends and meet new people.

I love this board!

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The class was tasty and informative. I especially enjoyed Jason's efforts to share positive information about his local business.

The two best business take away facts were that corporate sales help him succeed and that he has learned over the years to save earnings from peak times (Christmas) for the lean times (over the summer).

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I just wanted to thank everyone for coming last night. I hope I didn't babble on too much and sorry for the later than usual finish. I hope everyone learned a little something and enjoyed the chocolates. Also, thank you very much for all of the gratuities. Much appreciated and very kind. Hope to see you all in the shop again soon.

Best,

Jason

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Jason,

Thank you for teaching us so much about chocolate and the development of your business. It was all really interesting, and we were so happy for the opportunity to learn your story. We ran out of time last night, but another time I'd love to hear about how you go about coming up with new flavors for bonbons.

I only took a few photos with my cell phone last night, and they're grainy, but if any are interested they are here: Nae Dawn/Artisan Confections

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Thanks for having us! Great and tasty presentation. It's really neat having an inside look at the developmental and ongoing growth activities of a small business. Also...watching a pile of salted butter caramels fall out of the mold gave me a delightful shiver. I hope you got what you wanted to out having us all there. If you want to continue the discussion, you know where to find us!

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^what they said. Very interesting. Now I understand the difference between conching and tempering chocolate. Also, now I know that I can buy Valrhona "tablets" from Jason. I usually bring them home in my suitcase when I visit L.A. and make my usual pilgrimage to Surfas, the chef supply store in Culver City.

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Thanks to Jason for a great event (my first dr.com event). I really enjoyed the business side discussion, and I just savored an Earl Grey from the stash I bought on the way out. Ok, and a honey-thyme caramel, too. Thanks to Jason and to all of the "regulars" for creating a welcoming environment (and to Don for creating the whole thing).

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Thanks to Jason for a great event (my first dr.com event). I really enjoyed the business side discussion, and I just savored an Earl Grey from the stash I bought on the way out. Ok, and a honey-thyme caramel, too. Thanks to Jason and to all of the "regulars" for creating a welcoming environment (and to Don for creating the whole thing).

NO, thanks to people like YOU who make these events happen. It's beautiful synergy, when it all works together. I'll always be here, the restaurants are friends we can rely on; it's the attendees that make the events, and we have a wonderful world to choose from.

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^Jason does a really nice chocolate class that you can sign up through his website. I have done one before and learned much (though not as much or comprehensive as this class was) from it, plus, you get to take lots of chocolate created by you home for the week (or night) to munch on.

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