The autumn in chocolate - latest news from Continuum Conceits.

Let's do a serious blog this time, and keep artificial programming (ai) out of it. No, 'content ai', you will not get hold of my blog. It is mine. Not yours. ANNOUNCEMENT before l go on rambling about my chocolate: l have to warn you that the KINGTON FOOD FAIR IN DECEMBER HAS BEEN CANCELLED this year.

It has been taking place on the first Saturday in December since over 10 years but this year, due to change of management, politics, we also had an unfortunate decision from the Herefordshire council to renovate the listed barn next to the Place de Marine where some of it takes place. (roof tiles falling down, they placed an MDF structure last year to keep the tiles from dropping on people's heads, l thought that was permanent as they painted it white and it was very decorative, but it is all decorated with scaffoldings, now.) The renovation work started in (was it late August?) and it was going to last until the end of November., 'in time' (...) for the food fair to take place. However, the latest news are, they found a bit of asbestos in the barn building so the workmen had to flee and abandon their renovation project because it is very dangerous to move asbestos without authorisation and without the specialist asbestos team who will then dispose of it as they (please) are required to. All those things take many weeks to organise. No food fair for us. The new Kington food fair team could not arrange for it to be held anywhere else. We only found out last week. (Imagine the crying emoji here)

There is also the (ignored) issue that the previous team was charging £50 per stall to cover the marquees hire fees (it was all ran by volunteers who did an excellent job) and the new team told us marquees hire has increased so the stall fees should now be £95 per stall. l was not aware of a 90% inflation nationally, even petrol hasn't gone up that much yet?? (wait for electricity to go up, you electric car owners who are grinning as you read this - and road tax is coming for your car too!* ) This sort of change is never welcome, it is a lot of money to put forward just to make money - a true capitalist system. Making money on the back of those who have to work hard to produce or grow goods to pay for their living. l know it is still cheaper than Ludlow food fair, Malvern's shows or other big shows out there, but still, for a little town, it is peeving they aren't just doing it to help the community. The whole town benefits from the food festival. People visiting the festival coming back at later date to visit the shops, etc.

Never mind. Let's leave the grass snake out since it isn't happening this year. (we have a saying in French of "avaler des couleuvres" when we don't like something but we just accept it and swallow the snake) l will publish my dates and places of attendance on my market page for those visiting the area for November/ December time. (l haven't done it , don't rush to that page yet) End of the announcements. __________________________________________________________________________________

l forgot to tell you in my previous blogs that l had a bit of a challenging time during the summer with the chocolates. Since this blog is about chocolate after all, let's talk about it.

l had to miss a few markets due to the heat (l should really have looked into making other products which are not so heat dependent, like fabric bags, but how many people actually need fabric bags? l could make dresses but they take more time) and l had unfortunately some sudden back issues in August which came after the first productive week l had for ages, having made good stock every day, followed by 3 markets in a row, and carrying alone a heavy table because l had turned up late to the Sunday market and l didn't want to disturb the others stall holders to help me carry a heavy wooden table, as they were already set-up and customers were arriving. l also had to leave early due to the chocolate melting at mid-day, carrying that wooden table again, on my own as l, again, didn't want to disturb others. l felt guilty enough leaving early, l didn't want to attract any more attention! So, that was me out of work for about 2 weeks, crying out when having to lift anything at all. l do not remember experiencing lower back pain like this before so it was an experience which makes me grateful now the back is mostly ok and makes me understand how much pain other people may experience when they have back pain. l feel for you!  After one week of the pain which wasn’t getting any better, l did tell my homeopath about this. He said one week of suffering was too long and this was not just a passing aggravation which is part of most remedies, so he prescribed me an acute remedy and the back started getting better from then on - as l had still tried to do work the previous week despite the discomfort, he had advised me to rest, lay down, and l did my best to obey his advice. (except l am not someone who feels happy doing nothing due to lashes of existential guilt! so l still did too much and delayed the healing).  It also taught me not to be too proud and ask for help, disturbing others when they are busy. Also, that l should do my best not to be late at markets which have an obscure start and finish time. A good lesson has been learned. Rest and don't take my body's good health for granted! Here l am having gone away from the subject of chocolate again.... On the subject of chocolate Due to the hot summer, l have had many experience of "bad temper" with the chocolate this year. How exciting! My atelier is cool, though there is a lack of insulation from the main wooden doors outside the atelier but somewhat, in the hot summer, my tempering went havoc. l couldn't trust any of the 4 thermometers/probes l usually use, even doing the tempering with great care , the result was: the chocolate was white and wouldn't get out of the moulds. l had to remelt it and start again, some batches were redone 3 times… l did swear. It was frustrating and l even thought after many times this happening, of abandoning my business and going to find some work in Tesco's, but the idea of having to wear a bluetooth headset and falling out with staff and managers alike as l am bound to, being a very bad, disobedient employee generally, was enough to take this challenge with patience and wait for September or the cooler weather, to come back. Mind, there was a full-time chocolatier, machine operator job going in Leominster at the Willy's Cocoa factory, but that was perhaps worse than Tesco's, admiting defeat and going to work for someone else making chocolate. l shouldn't be telling you all this really, it isn't very profesional of me to admit my failings and not just blow my own trumpets like most of us self-employed people have learned to do, both on websites and with the social media. So what? l failed, l succeeded. l am still there, thinking about my festive chocolates, enjoying the fact markets and online sales are getting busier again. l have even sold out of Armagnac Agen prunes, twice! Festive chocolates, says you? Aye, aye, says l. l am thinking about them as well as doing the back stock as fast as l can. (having overfilled with overly soft caramel some medium bars and them not coming out of the moulds without much persuasion, then coming out broken so there will be some reduced price medium caramel bars on the website soon: only wrapped in paper and non-plastic packaging). Stock wise, l have made the Presteigne honey, pollen and apricot tablettes and medium bars, as well as the favourite heather honey, pollen and Herefordshire apple tablettes, they all on the website now. My plans are to do the curry and raisins in milk chocolate and the garlic and herbs in dark chocolate again, but l still have the Cathare (chilli, salt, smoked paprika and toasted buckwheat) to do first as it has been out of stock for several weeks, now. Apostles selection boxes: This year, the Apostles adventures selection boxes will all be sold in fabric boxes: as you know (l ranted about it in my blog some time ago) the EU says that plastic is much more eco-friendly than wooden boxes for food and cheese manufacturers aren't happy but many obeying, so the Rustique doesn't come in wooden boxes any longer, the brie de Nangis isn't coming to the local delis l used to get the boxes from, either. (Even though it is still showing as sold in wooden boxes, online). Unfortunately, that means that the selection will be more expensive than last year and there won't be any £42 cheese boxes - there will only be the £56 fabric boxes, l will keep the price of those as what it was last year. l will make my usual number of boxes and the ones which won't sell will be on sale in January, on the website, for those who couldn't afford the £56 will hopefully have been gifted a bit of cash to allow themselves to get a box. (having said all that, l hope they won't all sell before Christmas as l only make 40) This year, there will be a fresh goji berry ganache (l had never seen fresh goji berries, grown by a Chinese food lady at a local market) wild blackberries (gathered without getting a fine) , and local bullace plum Artwork: l have been busy doing a drawing for a local organic raw milk farm which does want to remain anonymous, for their garden delivery boxes, and l will be using that drawing on the classic 6 chocolates box.

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l had an idea of a drawing for the alcohol box but l dread to start it as it involves vehicles and l am not very fluent with drawing square things with wheels. l have no location idea for my Apostles drawing, l thought of using the football world cup but then changed my mind and thought of them having an HRE session (hypnose régressive ésoterique) as it is the theme of this year, however this doesn't help me with a physical background idea. It will come, it usually does so on the 27th of November. Since there won’t be the usual Kington food fair pressure this year, it will all be much more relaxing. . Stuffed pruneaux d'Agen: The stuffed Agen prunes will be coming back in their box of 12 or box of 6, l want to make the coconut and raspberry (malibu) ganache again as it is a favourite which hasn't been there for ages. l haven't decided for the other flavours, it could be that the licorice will be there again, if you like/dislike that one, tell me in the comments (comments are below the adverts for the other blog posts, down the page here) Chocolate price wise, after an increase last year to cover the ridiculous price increase of chocolate, l am hoping (it is foolish to "hope"...) that the prices won't go sky high again due to their El Niños and their floods and their droughts - as l found out the farmers still get the same price per kilo if there is a shortage but the "world market" increases its price of cocoa! It is capitalism again - getting rich on the back of those working hard - but since l have no system to replace that one, l will stop there and let you enjoy your evening. Thank you all for reading, and my gratitude for all those who have ordered this summer and all those discerning returning customers l am very fond of. Thank you for making this business possible, without you, l wouldn't be here, enjoying myself WITHOUT a bluetooth headset!

Best wishes,

Alexandra

*PS: l do love electric cars, it is just that l don't want to be in one. l love their looks, like great big war tanks, they are impressive and my little car always fears to be bitten by one when they have enough battery to overtake it. However, my little car couldn't handle carrying a great big battery around with it or it would need a set of pedals as well, for me to help it up the hills. No offense to electric car owners, you are doing what is best for you. However, if you notice a change in health, there may be some wisdom in seeing if sitting on a huge battery may be somewhat a bit of an unknown for our magnetic human bodies. Same as masts, mobiles, etc.

And bluetooth headsets. PPS: l did post another couple of blogs which you will find under this blog, talking about one thing or another.