The Promise
A warm welcome, friends and fellow cacao travelers to the violet hour at your favorite private chocolate club.
It is peaceful here. "This is the violet hour, the hour of hush and wonder, when the affections glow and valor is reborn, the shadows deepen along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn." That was Bernard DeVoto talking about making the perfect and ultimate martini and describing the ethereal beauty of the setting in his book "The Hour". But applying his wisdom works here. He spends the whole book ruminating on the sacred value of having a private speakeasy-like club with an entrance that is so camouflaged most people don't know where it is. Inside it is quiet. Tall velvet and comfy reading chairs. Soft light, maybe candlelight. Maybe a small fire crackling. Not so much a place to unwind but maybe just a place where you get a moment to remember who you are between the busyness of work life and home life.
In DeVoto's book he is handed the most exquisite, perfect and expert martini. I like to think of The Cocoa Forge that way. Only instead of a martini, you are enjoying a new chocolate origin. Just for you. And not the perfection part so much. Because there is no perfection in micro batch chocolate when you are focused on bringing out the personality of that origin. It's the feeling that I'm after. It's like that moment when you are inspired to pull off the freeway and get on the old road and take the long way home, windows down and listening to whatever you want or nothing at all. That is my goal.
Your privacy is respected and safe. You will never be bombarded with tech, marketing, or cringy fingers-on-the-chalkboard industry buzz words. It's just me and you, exploring these lovely cacao origins. Let's get off the freeway.