Friday, December 19, 2008

Christmas & Chocolate - need I say more?


Christmas & chocolate go hand in hand in my thinking. This holiday season, I have the pleasure of working with one of Vancouver's up & coming chocolate artisans - Rachel Sawatzky of CocoaNymph Chocolates & Confections. Barely in business a year, things are taking off for them and I am delighted to be a part of their successful journey!
Of course a benefit of working with a chocolatiere is the ever present temptation of sweets each time we meet to discuss their next packaging or promotion plan. Well worth the tempation, I now have several favourites as do all of CocoaNymph's regular customers. A year round fave of mine is the Illa (dark chocolate ganache with fleur de sel). For the holiday season, I've snuck over to the Basque Square (milk chocolate ganache with golden raisins and port, coated in white chocolate).
Not only is Rachel a successful Cocoa Nymph - her shop is also a haven for creatives - stop in and not only will you smell the deliciousness of molten toffee and melted chocolate, you'll also see works in progress like the ones by her featured artist Jill Marie Stokes. Drop by - it's quickly becoming the neighbourhood place to be. 3739 West 10th (& Alma).

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Welcome

As an extension to my consulting career of promoting food artisans, I've created this blog to showcase happenings in the artisanal world. I'll post photos, inspirations, client projects as well as a variety of experiences in my quest to promote an artisanal-inspired lifestyle.
I'd love to create spotlights on artisanal food producers so please feel free to contact us if you'd like to be featured. Thanks for visiting!

Best,
Sher Hackwell
Creative Director, Sher Hackwell Creative

Artisanal - Definition:
In regard to food, it refers to anything that is raised with care, hand crafted using high quality ingredients, prepared with passion, and served with love, using time-honoured techniques. The producer is a small company as once an artisanally-produced product increases it's volume, it loses its artisanal status.
Most importantly, it's a lifestyle, a soulful, purposeful act of slowing down to celebrate traditional ways with friends and family...


PHOTO: Sher Hackwell
Boulangerie Poilane Paris, France 2006