RanaMN

Can't wait to see everyone tomorrow! Also we just stopped by at the central market, Ruth wasn't joking when she said they have a whole wall of chocolate. We went to the one on Lamar. Kate Weiser has bonbon boxes there and her 35 count box was almost half price on sale! Definitely great selections of chocolates!

We just checked this place out. It's about 6 miles to our hotel in a strip mall. It's a bean to bar Ecuadorian chocolate shop. It's a simple little place. The owners are from Ecuador. They make bars and bonbons. (No color and only dark chocolate). In case anyone wants to check it out.

I was the one who asked for it, but it's totally up to you. If it feels like a burden, don't worry about it. I took pictures of the ones I'm interested in making. Willow said she has some pictures of the book on her iPad too. I just thought it was a good resource in case others would like to try recipes from it—but again, if it's a burden, don't worry about it. I'm sure there will be plenty of ideas.

Wow! Drive safe!

I poked around and found some more chocolate shops. https://delysia.com/ https://www.goldeneyechocolates.com/?srsltid=AfmBOor6E_YJ4K5iHDtoDwrqNW0SaFOUxvstbN4Wx2UsGJTpWmIZibj_ https://theecuadorianchocolate.com/contact-us/ We have the https://www.swisschocolateshoppe.com/ (Based in SA and Matt, the owner, will be with us but they also set up at Bartoon Creek Farmers Market, in Austin I believe. If anyone else has additional suggestions, please feel free to add them to this list.

I can certainly take pictures or copy a few pages for myself. I just thought that if the book is there, and others want to use or try the recipes, they could too. I might end up doing copies since it's so heavy.

It's by Callebaut. It's almost 600 pages, a pretty large book.

Does anyone who's driving have The Chocolatier's Kitchen book, and would you be willing to bring it? If no one has it, I’ll carry mine in my backpack on the plane, though it’s a bit heavy for that. I'd like to try a few recipes from it.

Thanks, Willow! I'm not checking a bag, so I wasn't going to be able to bring mine—I was planning to try and find it over there. So that's perfect if you're able to bring it!

Which one did you buy? I want one so bad but feel so insecure about buying one.

Fantastic! Thank you so much!

Neither Kerry nor Ruth can bring their AW meter to the workshop. Would anyone else be willing to bring theirs?

Looking forward to seeing everyone in Austin! I’d love to practice making a pipeable marzipan filling with a good shelf life. I’d also love to make a ganache using pomegranate molasses (which is literally pomegranate juice boiled down until it's super thick—it tastes kind of like balsamic). Kerry, will you be bringing your AW meter? I still haven’t purchased one—otherwise, I would!

I have the 8lb one which tells me 1 kg was plenty for that. I didn't buy the small because all I want to make in the melanger is mainly almond and hazelnut praline, and flavor some couverture with coffee and maybe freeze-dried fruit I would think pretty "safe" recipes but haven't tried them yet. Did you try flavoring couverture in there? If yes what was your experience? ( I know people have made flavored chocolates from scratch but haven't seen anyone just flavoring couverture in the thread yet).