Welcoming Spring and her bounty is a favorite time for all, as we shake the last few flakes of snow from our boots and our thoughts, shifting them toward warmer days.
Spring is indeed the “brainstorming” phase of Nature’s cycle. It is a time of revelation. A time of awe and wonder… and planning. Easter celebrations mark the spirit of reflection, renewal and rebirth, as family and friends emerge from their warm and cozy dens. We join together again, sharing insights from the calm heart of winter, which lays the foundation for the active Summer days.
Filling up baskets full of Springtime goodness!
Many of us take care to fill this time with anticipation, bringing forth glimpses of the bounty to come. We hold the first feast with our loved ones since the coming of the New Year. We engage in outdoor games and hunt for evidence of the blossoming season, including that which has been hidden by the Easter Bunny. We indulge a bit in delicious treats and revel in the sweetness of the revival. It is a very special time indeed.
So fill your hearts with eagerness and fill your baskets with provisions! Summer is officially on its way! Yet, take the time to enjoy the masterful glory of Spring’s changeability. She will show you all that is possible, if you know just where to look!
Join us Saturday, March 28th at 10am for our annual Easter Egg Hunt!
Note: Our beautiful cover image for this post is the masterful artwork of Emily Balivet.
“Time is measured not by the passing of years, but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves.” ~ Jawaharlal Nehru
The flipping of a calendar page seems just as fitting a moment as any to reflect upon the time gone by and plan for the time to come. The declaration of a new year on the horizon gives us motive to share our insights, our accomplishments, our challenges, and our gratitude to all those who have been there for us – with us – throughout this past calendar year.
Fare thee well 2014, and welcome, with open arms and open hearts, 2015.
Valentine’s Day Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Looking back on the events of the past year is both exciting and somewhat bittersweet. We have introduced so many new things into our little chocolate making universe. We have shared so much with our visitors, with great pride and love.
Earlier this year, we shared the meaning of Divani with an artist friend and asked her to convey it through her art. What came out is nothing short of a marvel; for the first time in the history of our business, we finally had a logo that conveyed fully, the spirit of our vocation.
Our new logo radiating the spirit of Divani!
With all of this activity, naturally, there comes growth. And with growth, comes change.
We are running out of room here in our quaint little shop where we, up until this point, have lovingly crafted our delicious confections. Like a well that overflows into a fountain, we are going to have to spill our divine love of chocolate creation on yet, another town.
2015 marks the transition for our chocolate making arrangements to relocate to the Crawford building in Emlenton, PA.
Emlenton is picturesque little hamlet reminiscent of a town from a Dickens novel…it will truly be a joy to make chocolate there!
View from Chocolate Kitchen in Emlenton
It has been an extraordinary year. Our dedication in conveying what we all love so well – chocolate – in a responsible, delicately balanced manner, has been well received. You all have come to see what we’ve been up to, some many times over, bringing new light and new energy to our cause. We thank you wholeheartedly. Your love and support reminds us that when hard times come to call, we are not alone.
And now, with the grace of an angel, 2014 takes her final bows and leaves us with our next host… the gracious new year and all the possibilities he holds.
As we shared recently, in our previous blog, in our home we celebrate 12 Days of Yuletide and the 13th day of Christmas. This means a slew of festivities filled with love, family, presents, music, movies, and of course, extra special meals.
Being who we are – we do our best to inject a little “chocolate love” into all of our desserts, especially during this time of the year. We know that many of you enjoy preparing delectable treats for your loved ones, so we thought we’d share a few variations on old favorites for your musing – and indulging – pleasure! Santa’s Secret: A few old stand-by’s done up with special style for the holidays!
Extra Nutrients: Feeling a little guilty about over-indulging? This recipe packs some serious protein to help steer you gently back towards the land of healthy living.
Remember – You may substitute our chocolate morsels for cocoa powder to add that divinely creamy dimension to your recipes.
And if you still need any last minute goodies for your holiday table, feel free to take advantage of our offer of a free $10 gift certificate with any online order over $49 (good thru December 19th).
The time when we hustle and bustle to make everything just right for the holidays. We are starting our days early, before the sun makes its debut, working hard all day and into the night. We’re busy making Christmas boxes, holiday truffles, stocking stuffers, and gift baskets galore!
This time of year is exhausting as a small business! And yet also – so exhilarating! It is such a joy to think that the dedication and love we pour into our craft – our hand-crafted chocolates – will be shared in the homes of our customers – our friends.
In this small calm before the storm of holiday gifting, greetings, and – of course – gourmet delights – we wanted to pause for a moment to reflect on and share some of our small practices which have become tradition to us over the years.
“Christmas Nuoveau”
Ever intrigued by various cultures, we recently decided to switch up our celebration style a bit. Just last year, we started celebrating 12 days of Yuletide and the 13th day of Christmas which, equals maximum glory of the season!
Historically, Yuletide was an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples to mark the return of the Sun – as in the sunlight. In Old Norse poetry, the word “Yule” is often employed as a synonym for ‘feast’. Traditionally, Yule is celebrated with gatherings that often involve a meal, caroling, and gift giving.
So for us, each night beginning on the 13th of December, we give a gift and spend time together doing activities of the children’s choosing. Then, come Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we visit with our extended family and share food, laughter, and talk of the year gone by and plans for the year to come! It makes for a long, relaxing, and joyous season of holiday splendor – rather than an upheaval of holiday mayhem!
Inside our shop, a blend of playful tinsel, twinkling star lights, and strands of colored faux bulbs on silver strings make the atmosphere sparkle! This year, we even brought in and decorated a live Christmas tree which compliments the delightful aromas of coffee and chocolate! Everything is starting to feel so warm and cozy and we just can’t help but rejoice in the spirit! We are so grateful for family, for our work, and for all of you!
Gifting in a ‘chocolate’ shell!
Seems like we’ve got it all figured out, right? Well, in terms of holiday gift-giving – let us help you figure (at least part) of it out, and make it a relaxing and wonderful holiday!
We have reintroduced our Gourmet Belgian Fudge Truffles in a delectable assortment this season. Truffles are one our most beloved products. They make a fantastic holiday gift for almost anyone on your list – or maybe for yourself as a special indulgence! In fact, as one customer recently shared in the note below – they are so popular in his home that they have trouble keeping them from disappearing!
“I think this will make you guys do a little LOL.
After dinner, I made a little french press coffee and went to enjoy one of your cinnamon truffles. When I picked up the box, it felt too light. My heart sank a little. I opened it up to find 1 left. I guess one for 9 isn’t too bad. Haha! The house really loved them. Thank you for the chocolate artistry.” Scott G.
We’ve added sampler platters to the mix this year, creating chocolate arrangements suitable for “grazing” situations, such as buffet or dessert tables.
If you are anything like me, as I suspect you may be in this matter, you try to merge chocolate with everything in your life – and holidays which traditionally don’t focus on the inclusion of chocolate, are no exception.
That being said…. Thanksgiving. You know what I’m thinking? I’m super grateful for chocolate!
Not only has chocolate come a long way from its humble beginnings as a bean in a pod on a tree all alone in a jungle full of wild animals…
…*pause for dramatic effect*…
It now plays a very important role in the fate of the universe!
*Duh-duh-duuuh!!!*
Yes, without chocolate, the entire fabric of existence could unravel, flinging the globe helplessly into mindless, tasteless, oblivion! Or, so it seems on those really hard days when none is to be found, such as Thanksgiving.
Ok, so maybe the holiday energy is going to my head a bit here – but seriously, what good is a holiday traditionally focused on food, without our favorite treat???
So what’s a chocolatier to do? Why, come up with clever ways of sneaking chocolate on to the Thanksgiving Day table, of course!
So here it is folks, a perfect plan to bring Thanksgiving and chocolate together, forever. Simply follow the recipes below and you too can save the world!
Of course you will need raw materials to create these delicious concoctions – here’s a suggestion to get you started: You may substitute our chocolate morsels for cocoa powder to add that divinely creamy dimension to your recipes.
We’d love to hear about your favorite Thanksgiving recipes (chocolate or otherwise) in the comments below!
Marketplaces have always intrigued me. Having grown up in India, it’s quite nostalgic to see a variety of vendors, from near and far, come together in one place, featuring a myriad of curios wares as people traverse through rows of booths, stopping now and again to investigate their prospective buy. Such markets intrigue me even more when they are attuned to a certain theme. I’ve been through many markets in the past, however, had the pleasure of participating in one of its kind recently. With the dual theme, the annual German Christmas Mart was held for the 136th time in the historic town of Harmony, PA.
Chocolate Making Demonstration
We decided to bring our best offerings for this holiday season. With boxes of chocolate adorning our table, we were pleasantly surprised to recognize some faces. However, what was even more delightful was when people recognized us and the town of Foxburg. Visitors to our table not only enjoyed the variety of chocolate samples being offered, but also the consistent demonstrations of our craft. Rows of rice cakes, freshly dipped in chocolate lined up two medium sized cookie sheets and those who got a chuckle out of the irony, were subjected to our favorite slogan that accompanies Naughty Rice, which is, “They make them healthy, we make them edible!”
A Piece of German Craftsmanship
It was a two day market with some vendors set up outside under tents, and the rest, including ourselves, set up inside a hall which is part of the Harmony Museum. It was a joy to take an opportunity to browse through and check out some of the other displays, out of which I had to bring some of the craftsmanship home.
Thousands of visitors come through the market every year and this weekend was no exception. We had a great time participating and hope to return to the German Christmas Market in the town of Harmony PA in the years to come.
A brisk spring morning greeted our egg hunters on the morning of March 23rd. The snow took a break from falling and the sun decided to shine, shedding an extra bit of warmth to the occasion. Several cheerful children arrived promptly at 11 am, ready to scour the Faerie Garden for hidden treasure! Children under five had a minute to get a start on the action before their quick and lively rivals broke loose and we had a nice, well rounded search. Every one got plenty of eggs and even the special silver and gold eggs were well distributed. Some lucky kids even found butterflies, colorful caterpillars, and frog princes along the way!
At the end of the hunt, some of our explorers cozied up in the chocolate shop for hot victory drinks, at which time we had the opportunity to chat with the father of three of our young hunters. He told us, “This was the best hunt we’ve come to!”, and we happily accepted the compliment.
So glad you all could come. Until next year everyone!
A brisk spring morning greeted our egg hunters on the morning of March 23rd. The snow took a break from falling and the sun decided to shine, shedding an extra bit of warmth to the occasion. Several cheerful children arrived promptly at 11 am, ready to scour the Faerie Garden for hidden treasure! Children under five had a minute to get a start on the action before their quick and lively rivals broke loose and we had a nice, well rounded search. Every one got plenty of eggs and even the special silver and gold eggs were well distributed. Some lucky kids even found butterflies, colorful caterpillars, and frog princes along the way!
At the end of the hunt, some of our explorers cozied up in the chocolate shop for hot victory drinks, at which time we had the opportunity to chat with the father of three of our young hunters. He told us, “This was the best hunt we’ve come to!”, and we happily accepted the compliment.
So glad you all could come. Until next year everyone!
March often proves to be an interesting time of year. Everyone is waiting to see if it comes “in like a lion and out like a lamb” or vice versa; there’s St. Patrick’s Day, a favorite among all with or without Irish ancestry, and this year, even Easter is in the month of March. Soon the crocus and tulips will begin reaching toward a sunshine filled sky and bright forsythia will fill in where the sun does not reach. Spring will commence its orchestra of colors and a flourishing season for man and animal alike.
Naturally, celebration will be in order for such grandeur. If not to marvel at the timeless glory of nature, then at the very least to shake those few remaining snowflakes off our boots and put the ‘spring’ back in our steps! At this, we often feel magnetized to garden-like settings to bask in the gentle grace of the budding branches and the embrace of a stone wall pillared by tall trees. What magic might one find there? Well, if it were the Faerie Garden in Foxburg, one might find plenty of mystery and antics afoot, especially the weekend before Easter, when everybody will be getting ready for spring and playing games in the brisk morning air.
On the morning of Saturday, March 23rd join us for the annual Easter Egg Hunt where the Easter Bunny will have hidden 100 colorful, goodie filled eggs for children ages 10 and under, in the Faerie Garden behind Divani Chocolatier & Barista. Be sure to keep your eyes and ears open for faeries, gnomes, and the like that may be playing hide and seek or making mischief in the morning mist!
March often proves to be an interesting time of year. Everyone is waiting to see if it comes “in like a lion and out like a lamb” or vice versa; there’s St. Patrick’s Day, a favorite among all with or without Irish ancestry, and this year, even Easter is in the month of March. Soon the crocus and tulips will begin reaching toward a sunshine filled sky and bright forsythia will fill in where the sun does not reach. Spring will commence its orchestra of colors and a flourishing season for man and animal alike.
Naturally, celebration will be in order for such grandeur. If not to marvel at the timeless glory of nature, then at the very least to shake those few remaining snowflakes off our boots and put the ‘spring’ back in our steps! At this, we often feel magnetized to garden-like settings to bask in the gentle grace of the budding branches and the embrace of a stone wall pillared by tall trees. What magic might one find there? Well, if it were the Faerie Garden in Foxburg, one might find plenty of mystery and antics afoot, especially the weekend before Easter, when everybody will be getting ready for spring and playing games in the brisk morning air.
On the morning of Saturday, March 23rd join us for the annual Easter Egg Hunt where the Easter Bunny will have hidden 100 colorful, goodie filled eggs for children ages 10 and under, in the Faerie Garden behind Divani Chocolatier & Barista. Be sure to keep your eyes and ears open for faeries, gnomes, and the like that may be playing hide and seek or making mischief in the morning mist!