The Nou Swear Word

Well I'll be...
We had planned to make nougat for months, nuts at the ready, dried plums from my next door neighbour, Miellerie Blue Gum honey, local eggs (some from our chooks), excitement building, my beautiful Ferrari-red Kitchen Aid plugged in and looking brilliant, we were set. Two hours later, we had marshmallowy mess bubbling like a volcano out of the Kitchen Aid, our hands were burning with splashes of hot honey, nuts flying everywhere and the language was coming out of us at a rate of knots. Nougat will be no more, get it while you can. We're outsourcing it. I can't believe how little you get from so much effort, a bit like Shirley Valentine's description of sex, "there's a lot of pushing and shoving and you still come out with very little in the end". (sorry mum, if that's a bit rude)

Next stop nougatine, hot sugar syrup (176 degrees) added to roasted nuts and cocoa nibs, poured on to the table and Nikki and I whimpering and squealing with excitement, pain and panic as we ripped and rolled these DELICIOUS blobs of smokey nutty delight. Yummo, salted caramels move over, there's a new Sherriff in town. We'll have these with almond in milk chocolate and hazelnuts in dark. Yum-yum-diddy-yum-yum..........

It's competition season again, Tuesday will be mould spraying day, chocolate moulds sprayed with cocoa butter & food colouring, that is. Nikki, being an asthmatic, isn't allowed in. I, on the other hand, will be dressed up like a ghost buster with goggles, face mask, air compressor in hand and a cloud of cocoa butter filling the air. Plays havoc with my lungs, but my skin and hair will look and feel fantastic.

A glass o' Jansz in me handz

Display Counter

And so we have our counter, from Phoenix Creations, a couch, a shelving unit, from Southern Design Centre, a table and cushions from Cathy at Cygnet Market. It's all coming together, but now what do I fill this enormous space with????

Easter has been and gone, next year we will be making eggs from Christmas onwards though, crazy stuff.

Dark Chocolate Easter Egg

Now I am waiting for the end of the financial year to splash out on more of everything! oooh! 90 minutes and too many chocolate sites later, my eyes are agog and my glass is empty.

Must learn to concentrate on one thing at a time. Is it too late or too early for a New Year's Resolution? Or perhaps a New Financial Year's Resolution?????

Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard went to Cygneture to fetch her beloved some chocs
And when she got there, the shop was so bare and Gillian could do absolutely nothing about it.
I now know that it takes at least a week to fill up the shop with enough chocolates to stop people looking at you like you are a chameleon, masquerading as a venue for purchase.

"You are kidding me" is the most common expression, while this time that week, it was, "Wow! That's fantastic - amazing - great - how cute...how clever..." Holy cow Nikki, we've got nothing left........

For anyone out there living in the Huon area, pick up a copy of the Huon News this week for a Cygneture voucher entitling you to 5% off Cygneture purchases of $10 + and 10% off purchases of $20 or more for Mother's Day.

I promise you, we are back to a full range of chocolates, although honeycomb is a bit low, but Nikki will be making amends for that tomorrow. ALL DAY.

We also have my favourite chocolate up for grabs, which is the Rhubarb & Blue Gum. Yum, yum, ye-yum, yum ('tis the poet in me, trying to escape)

Open for business

So Sunday we had a little party to celebrate the kitchen and the opening of the shop. It was lovely. We are now open for business, but in a limited fashion at this stage. Our display units are pending, but we do have a couch and two lovely personalities to entertain you!!


Three weeks later: We now have three lovely personalities to entertain you. Young Nicole Fraser has joined the crew and will be in the shop on occasional weekends. Furniture still pending....

Excitement's Building

Oooohhhh! The excitement is building in my little world. We bought a couch on the weekend, we are awaiting the display counter and the kitchen is in, after a few hiccups along the way.

Let that not stop me!

We have two new additions to our shop this week with "The Silk Swan", by G. G. Hemmings, local poet and playwright, with illustrations by E. M. Lawrence. This is a numbered, limited edition book of poetry, signed by both author and illustrator and includes some very witty, warm and loving poems from the heart. I have always had a soft spot for poetry and am delighted and privileged to have the books in my shop.

I met with a local designer and creator today, Nicole, at mahlimae and previewed her original pieces of playful art for the young and the young at heart. I was thrown back 30 years at the same time as almost wishing I had another little baby to share them with!...almost...

They received the tick of approval from 3 and almost-7, followed by 3's sorrow at not being allowed to play with them and put them in her doll house and take them to bed, but she did get to cuddle them, just a little.

www.mahlimae.blogspot.com

Now for shop times this week:
Thursday 24th & Friday 25th: Shop 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday: Salamanca only 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday: Focus on Franklin only 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We have a limited set up in the shop at this stage, but the kitchen is there and so are the chocolates, so come on by.

The Unreliables Replaced

A Taste of the Huon. Ranelagh Showgrounds. Sunday 13th & Monday14th of March

We are heading to the busiest weekend of my chocolate calendar year.'Tis fierce exciting and my 'trusty side-kick', Nikki, will be 'trusty' no longer. With only 6 months notice, she's off to her sister's wedding. A wedding on the busiest weekend of MY year. It's only her only sister!!!!! Well, she's been replaced by Margie, the artist nurse, on Sunday and a combination of my mother, wannabe Elvis, and David....David...

We get to Unreliable No.2. For those of you who don't know, David goes interstate every second week. "Whatever you do, don't go the week before the Taste. It's my busiest weekend of the year" (have I said that before??)

Last week, in front of 'Unreliable No.1, "I need to go to Melbourne next week and I'll be leaving on Monday night so that I can get two full days in, but I'll be catching the early flight home on Thursday, so I'll be home by 7 o'clock". Wha???? Going away....7 o'clock???? What's early about that?????

The Unreliables.

Not to worry, I've got Margie-The-Artist to keep me healthy. And my mother to tell me whatever mothers tell their daughters...

Fun Bits: The shop & kitchen were approved by council yesterday. Yahoooeeee. So we'll be moving in ASAP.
'On the menu for the Taste (as long as I get the time to finish....)

Apple Confit Caramels
Pear Liqueur Caramels
Rhubarb & Blue Gum (an old favourite that I can make again because Gerard gave me some more rhubarb)
Blueberry & Garden Mint (the blue one)
Ginger & Cherry
Salted caramels
Hazelnut praline
Raspberry pralines
Mint discs
Plum bites
Strawberry & Gooseberry truffles
LN Chai Truffles (Lotus Eaters Chai)
Chocolate-dipped strawberries and blueberries
and lots, lots more
Also introducing Leatherwood honeycomb in white, as well as dark and the old favourite, milk.

All's Quiet on the Southern Front

Well, not really.

Rumour has it that Cygneture is opening a shop. Yes, the rumour is true. We are moving to 7a Mary Street, next to the bakery. Very excited, happy to be basing ourselves in a pretty spot, close to home. We'll be open Thursday to Sunday, school hours of 9 -3 Thursdays & Fridays and 10 - 3 on Saturdays & Sundays. We will still go to Salamanca on Saturdays. All the old favourites will be available, with lots more to boot.

Perhaps I should take a photo tomorrow and write a new post.......