Sweet Intentions

Well hello, friend! I surely have missed you. Did you miss me? In my head you are not digging out of your snow caves, stuck in traffic, or cursing your workplace out for being persnickety about venturing out in this mess. Rather, you are frolicking in a snow covered field with a pack of English bulldog puppies in argyle sweaters and berets, making snow people and sipping hot cocoa while laughing in a carefree manner. Don't contradict me, the fantasy is set and it shall be! *two snaps, shimmy shimmy*

Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty. It's Valentine's Day. I should really love Valentine's Day, being in the profession that I am. Ugh. The sarcasm in my head is suppressing it's smarmy grin. Okay, I have dipped close to 15,000 strawberries in chocolate for Godiva, hand dipped buttercreams that had to immediately get boxed and sent down to a harried customer, and have stayed up for 72 hours straight for the sake of this Hallmark holiday. I love love, but I don't like Valentine's Day. If Necco conversation hearts and overpriced roses are how the measure of one's love is...well, consider me a miser then.

The boyfriend told me I deserved at least a rose on Valentine's Day, and proceeded to argue that every girl deserves a rose today. My counter argument? I deserve a rose every other damn day of the year! All girls do! Give me a rose for Guy Fawkes Day- you'll totally get lucky if you do! It's Thursday, here's a rose:) OH BABY! Extra points if you remember that I am not a fan of roses, but I do adore orchids when the cat doesn't eat them (bastard.). The supreme gesture of love, though? Make the bed. Do the dishes. Tell me you love Muppets. I better stop here, I think I am actually giving myself a giddy case of the vapors just thinking about it.

I won't mock you if you are pro-Valentines. Everyone deserves love, and chocolate,and romantic movies watched via candlelight, and sweet promises whispered in their ear over glasses of champagne. I'm still on the fence about the over sized stuffed animals that scream I love you, but okay. Rock it and embrace it! Just remember to extend that love to the other 364 days of the year, too. Make every day your Valentine's Day with the person you love most, and that also includes the love you have for you!

We're down to the final day and a half of the Sweet Intentions campaign. I have to say, throughout this whole time I have been overwhelmed with the support. I need the monetary support to physically get this venture started, however, I was shocked and delighted by the messages of support by so many of you. Money is money, and there are grants, loans, and other avenues left to venture into (legally! Okay, illegally too;). But friends, ah, friends. I am glad I have you, and thankful you are continual reminders of why I should do what I do and be who I am. 

It's one of the last few days I am going to say this, so take note since I will stop bombarding you with requests. Contribute, please. In any shape or form. And thank you, truly, for being such a good sport about Sweet Intentions. Be safe and warm wherever you are in this wintry hell, and I will talk to you sooner rather than later. Happy Valentine's today and every day after:)

I have been drinking waaaay too much tea lately. Currently I am surveying a kitchen littered with tea boxes, royal dansk butter cookies, the case for the last season of Fraggle Rock, and a wayward resume stained with Earl Grey. Job interviews have been interesting. Not in the thought provoking night at the theater kind of way. Rather, the experience is reminiscent of the blind date from hell a well meaning friend set you up with for a lark. You smile a lot, mentally freak out, second guess, you wonder if you sound like an idiot when you’re talking about the social ramifications of Sesame Street. Before you ask, yes, it can come up in kitchen interviews. And no, the way Cookie Monster eats is not a manifestation of repressed sexuality. Can you guess what I have been up to the past few days? Fingers crossed, lovelies, that I may have a new kitchen home soon.

Admittedly, I am a cad. I should be promoting the hell out of Sweet Intentions. Instead of diving into my project, my baby, I got thumped in the stomach with a curveball from the Universe. The boyfriend had to have some extensive knee surgery and was on strict bed rest for a week. Now he finds out (the day before returning to work, no less) that he has to work in D.C. for the next 3 months. Life, you imp, you. My apartment looks like a packing tornado rent through it, and- shoving emotions aside- it’s a slight shock to the system having never lived alone. How the hell does a person cook for 1 anyway? And no, I will not be that crazy pet lady who makes candlelight suppers that are dog and cat friendly. We shall just have to see how this goes, I suppose. 

NOW let’s get back to the fun stuff! 

In my past life I was the Pastry Chef for the Franklin Fountain. Located right here in Old City, Philadelphia, it was definitely one of those experiences that is truly unique. Owned by Ryan and Eric Berley, their world is truly realized within brick and mortar. Step over the threshold, and you are completely inundated with authentic turn of the century charm complete with wise cracking soda jerks clad in bow ties and snoods. I was lovingly referred to as “The Basement Troll” due to my humble kitchen. Okay okay, it really is a stretch calling the tiny sliver of the Fountain basement (complete with a tiny toaster convection looking oven that made one pan of brownies at a time) a kitchen. Ice cream, sundaes, sodas, pies, cakes, brownies, candy…I was partly responsible for the cavities a lot of the soda jerks ended up with. I am probably also partly responsible for their future diabetes as well.

It seems only right that this candy bar encompass my happiest memories of my Franklin Fountain family. The Birch Beer Malted, hello friend. Birch oil infused caramel, malted milk chocolate nougat, a touch of malt kissing a velveteen coating of milk chocolate. Two sassy finger snaps and a shimmy of ecstasy for you, darling! A soda fountain classic, minus the straw. And the glass. And…well, this one can be shipped anywhere with a cold pack. No fuss, no muss, just the bliss of creamy dreamy goodness melting on your tongue. 

 You know that before I leave I have to plug the campaign, right? I want you dreaming about receiving your bars of chocolate bliss. You need this. And I need the cash flow to make your wants and needs a reality. Soooo, let’s help each other out. Contribute, spread the word, like the hell out of this! Contributions of $75 and above receive the added bonus of a gorgeous 935 silver “Sweet” pendant and chain courtesy of the lovely and talented Jennifer Wong. More about her in the next blog post;) So in the mean time check out the campaign, love it since you know you want to, and let’s move forward. Until next time my dears….

I'm not going to lie. I've been quite awful to myself lately. Now my body is  rebelling with a monstrous headache. No chocolate for days, just tea, muppets, and a whole lotta reflection. When I started the campaign for Sweet Intentions, I had no idea that the day after the world would turn on its side. But the spine must stiffen, and if one has to fake it to make it then hell and damnation, I'm battening down the battle bra.

Jim Henson looked at a purple tweed coat and a ping pong ball and somehow saw a vision of a frog that would eventually be one of the most recognized characters in the world. Roald Dahl went beyond the depths of adult understanding to create iconic stories of whimsy that entertain children ages 1-105. Extraordinary people who did not realize starting out what an impact they would have on so many lives.  

I tell people I got into this business because I watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory more than any child should. It's partially true. Another reason is because chocolate is an amazing medium, and it's so great to work with (even when it refuses to stay in temper). A perfectly golden salted caramel is smile inducing, and frothy whipped nougat stuck in my hair still makes me laugh. But it's having people enjoy the end product- ahh! There's the drug. The smiles, that eye roll, I want it all. And YOU deserve it all too!

“You should never, never doubt something that no one is sure of.”

~Roald Dahl, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

It's a ridiculously funny feeling being home on a Monday. In the past 8 years I think it only happened a few times. And yet, here I am. The indiegogo.com campaign rages on to bring Sweet Intentions to fruition. I have the loveliest friends in the world for promoting this venture, truly I don't deserve such amazing people in my life. But boy, am I grateful for them! Keep it up, I can't make your chocolatey dreams come true without a little (or a big) cash flow;). Keep it up, friends, every contribution helps!

Now, what does one do on a Monday at home while the rest of the world toils? There's an LLC to be had, a space to play with chocolate to be found, an enticing blog and Facebook fan page that is not enticing quite yet, and the most important thing: a handful of mini snickers to suck on with gusto. Now, before you clutch the pearls and start raising an angry to someone who is spouting off about creating artisanal candy bars, let's get something straight. I will spend $1 or $100 on chocolate. I do not discriminate. The humble Hershey bar to the finest bean to bar (we'll get to that eventually) have all graced my kitchen shelves. The Sweet Intentions line is and always will be a vision intended to pay respect to the dreams and memories of every chocolate coated bite of bliss ever to cross my lips.

So, why Snickers? Simple- I love them. Trick or treating with my best friend Kate in grade school was amazing. We would sit in the Ludascher living room with smeared Halloween make up and rumpled costumes to sort, ruthlessly haggle, and trade pieces from our confectionary boon. Kate would end up with my haul of Reese's peanut butter cups, I would get her store of Snickers. The bloodshed was kept to a minimum, and peace within the code of kids was upheld.

It usually takes a half hour for me to finish a regular sized Snickers. My method of enjoying them is still unchanging: take a small bite, let the chocolate melt slowly on the tongue, then chew the nougat and peanut filled caramel slowly. Weird? Maybe. Do I care? Absolutely not.  

It really is no small wonder why my love affair with Snickers inspired the Ms. Peanut bar. Roasted and salted peanut butter nougat layered with a rich caramel and studded with jumbo peanuts. Shove off, Mr. Peanut, because Ms. Peanut will knock your monocle off. The best part? That silky coating of vanilla enriched milk chocolate with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts on top. Just enough to tease the taste buds and prelude the sweet promise inside. Oh, you saucy minx. Let the legitimate pearl clutching commence in 3...2...1 1/2...1...NOW!

In further acknowledgement of my love affair with Snickers and its connection to the creation of Ms. Peanut, check out https://www.facebook.com/sweetintentionsbars for fun facts about Snickers and a special Q&A with Ms. Peanut herself. Submit your questions below, via twitter: @sweetmisswonka, or the Facebook fan page regarding this soon to be released tantalizing treat. No question is too absurd for this candy bar I am assured, including but not limited to who she is currently dating, what she is wearing, and what her dreams and aspirations are.

I'll start this off in a Roald Dahl-esque sense from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

My name is Davina Soondrum and I am a pastry chef and confectioner. Hello, how do you do, and how are you? It is a pleasure to meet you, and please accept this heartily extended virtual handshake. Though it is fairly late, sleep just seems determined to elude me tonight. Hence, it's a brilliant idea (in my sleep deprived state anyway) to start a blog right now! It's only fair that I be open and honest with you as now we are officially virtual bff (whether you like it or not). So sit back and enjoy the confectionery odyssey we are about to embark on:)

Background. Okay, we will start with yesterday. I was let go from my pastry chef position for Fitler Dining Room and Pub & Kitchen. Sorry, did that startle you? I couldn't think of a better way to phrase this so...surprise! It is one of the disheartening aspects of the hospitality industry- sometimes no matter how hard you try to work it out financially, you do have to let people go. It was not a reflection of my work, my attitude, or my love of Queen. Sometimes a position is just not feasible. Sometimes dessert just does not sell.

I am so thankful to both teams for the opportunity that I was afforded while working for them. Made new friends, fought the culinary war, cursed way more than I should have, and tried some amazing food. I will always be grateful for that. I won't lie, being let go bums you out. It's jarring. It probably is why I can't sleep right now. You'll hear more about those stories later. So much time, and so little to say. No, wait. Strike that, reverse it.

Ahh, but what about the doors opening and closing? It's true. The world works in mysterious ways. From the first time I saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I knew I wanted to be a candy maker. I did not, however, actually think it would happen. We'll get into more of the backstory later, but here I am in my madness trying to start a candy bar venture for the fall of 2014. If you are asking "Why candy bars?" then I am afraid we are no longer virtual bff. You hurt me enough to make me burn the friendship bracelet I started looming for you. 

My reason is simple: I love candy bars. Always have, always will. And I think it is a crime that there aren't more artisanal candy bars out there. Cupcakes, donuts, and macaroons did it, so why not show some love to the chocolatiers?! If you are still with me on this one, then get ready for some campaign plugging! Check it out, the link is at the bottom of this post. And holy moses, we already got a little over $1000 raised?! Freddie Mercury, preserve me, Zagat Philly even wrote a promotional blurb! Read that too (link's at the bottom too;)! The love, support, and happiness is so overwhelming- hell, it's enough to snap me out of my doldrums at 4 am.

I'd really like to keep everyone abreast of what is happening, so please, keep visiting me here as I curse, document, curse, promote, curse, and did I mention I curse the journey of starting a business and balance a life. For now, I take my leave to finish watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I wish you a pleasant evening- er, morning, and a very lovely day as well. Sweet dreams, dear ones. 

http://igg.me/at/sweetintentions/x/4945557