2018 Life Logs, Day 31—Secret Santa and Taza’s Chocolate Factory
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Weather: Sunny and Cold; High 30, Low 25 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
Yesterday I received a mystery package. It was sent from Great Britain and had a Customs Stamp on the package. Hmmm. Not something I ordered. When I opened it, it was a set of six Pimpernel cork-backed placemats that I have had on my wish list for two years. I had put these on my Santa list this year, so I assumed that I must have a Secret Santa. I put two and two together and decided that they must be from Justin and Jo. I sent a text and, sure enough, these very desired placements were a Christmas present that finally arrived from them. They are smaller than most placemats, which is what I need for my table, and have a slate-look. I fell in love with them two years ago, and now I have them.
Thank you so much, JJZ&C.
Today I traveled to Somerville, just north of Boston, with the Newcomers Teacher Group to tour the Taza Chocolate Factory.
Great tour followed by lunch with good company. Taza chocolate is organic and direct trade. It started when Alex Whitmore, a still young Bostonian, discovered stone ground chocolate while traveling in Oaxaca, Mexico. He apprenticed under molineros, or millers, in Oaxaa to learn the craft and returned to Somerville to replicate that process. Today Taza makes 40 different products that can be found in 2,800 retail stores across this country.
Mexican chocolate is stone-ground which results in a granular product.
This differentiates it from smooth European chocolate. The tour was interesting and sampling the various types of chocolate produced there was a yummy experience. I think my favorite was the 95 per cent dark chocolate with ginger. And who would have known that today was National Hot Chocolate Day?!! This made it mandatory that I buy a bag of Tazo hot chocolate mix. We were given samples and it is intense requiring that you drink this like expresso coffee in small cups. I’ll try it with the Goldpebbles. It might not taste sweet enough for them, but I’ll give it a try.
