There is something wondrous about people who make delicious, yet very creative items out of food.

I admit that I was one of those kids who took their time eating the chocolate bunny. It was full of wonder and delight, and I wanted it to last a long time. Starting at the bottom (thus keeping the head and ears intact as long as possible), I slowly made my way up. No way could I keep it as an iconic image to treasure. It tasted too good. By golly, it was chocolate!

As an artisan chocolatier, Sarah Hart, Alma Chocolate, takes her craft seriously. It’s remarkable that it can take years to acquire the specialized knowledge of how to work with chocolate, and there’s always more to learn. This is one of our earlier stories, filmed several years ago, and Sarah continues to expand her knowledge of chocolate. Two years ago, about this time, she returned from France where she had taken another master class.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, this may be a good time to visit your local artisan chocolate shop for a gift. This holiday may be one of those occasions (though year-round, there’s always an excuse) where you buy two items, one for yourself, and the other for that special person in your life. Enjoy!

PS. For those inquiring minds that may wish to better understand the distinction between a chocolatier and a chocolate-maker, David Lebovitz provides a good description in this post: Chocolatiers and Chocolate-Makers

Most of the videos featured on Cooking Up a Story were produced, filmed, and edited by Rebecca Gerendasy. Fred Gerendasy contributed as a writer to many of the posts and occasionally as the interviewer. Visit Rebecca Gerendasy Clay – Art and Fred Gerendasy Photography to see their current work.