What is a Mother?

The dictionary defines "mother" as: bearing a relation like that of a mother, as in being the origin, source, or protector.  

I'm sure you've seen the e-mails or articles about the kindergartners who say a mom is someone who mostly cleans the house, or is the only person who knows where the scotch tape is, or was made just like them, but with bigger parts.  As Mother's Day approaches, you are affected in one way or another by a mother.  Whether it's your biological mom, your adopted mom, a mom you have recently re-connected with, or a mom who is considered your best friend.  

I've always been lucky with the parents I have grown up with.  My mom is simply amazing. As I've grown older, I realize just how much she did for us kids when we were growing up.  She was at every soccer, baseball, volleyball games and dance recitals.  She was there to help us with our homework.  She was the person I went to when something was wrong with my friends at school.  Among the many other untold stories and "hidden mom talents" she has, she is perfect in my eyes....she is everything!  

As I am approaching my own first Mother's Day (due September 30th!!), I am realizing how important a mom can be.  It's scary to know that I will soon have a child of my own and have to live up to the definition of "mom" that my own mother has set for me.  I only hope that I am half the mom that my mom was to me...I'll be in pretty good shape then! 

In honor of Mother's Day, we asked some of our staff to create their own definitions of what a mother meant to them. 

- A mother is the woman who brings you life, always there for you in times of need, and has unconditional love. She is the one who teaches you life lessons and most importantly exemplifies how to be the best mother you can be.--Jill Wyss (employee since 2010)

- A mother is a part of you.  You are made up of half of her genes and physical attributes.  It is a special bond you can only share with a parent. A mother is one person that will love you unconditionally no matter your flaws.  The person you call when you are in trouble or need advice.  A mother is the woman who will try to buy your clothes for you till you are 60 years old.  I was blessed with an amazing mother who always sees the bright side of life and lights up a room when she walks in.  She is my only mother in life and I treasure her for that every day of my life.--Ali Deering (employee since 2010)

- I think to me a mother is someone who's on your side no matter what. A person who's unique job is to take care of you. No matter how old you get, what you do, who you date, where you live, or what you break and get messy, your mom is there for it.--Kylie O'Connor (employee since 2009)

- To me a mom is more than just a person. She is someone to laugh with, cry on, and enjoy the little things in life with. Without my mom I don't know where I would be. She is my rock and I know she is always on my side through thick and thin. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's and Mom's to be! You all have the most important job of all and I can only wait for the day I will have the honor of being a mom!--Paree Dilkes (employee since 2008)

- A mother is loving, kind, and strong and would go to the end of the earth and back to protect her children!--Kelley Collier (employee since 2006)

- A mother to me is a strong-willed woman who wants the best for her children and will do anything and everything to provide for them!--Taylor Kruse (employee since 2009)

- My definition of a mom is being there no matter what decisions are made, being strong for those who can't, giving hope to those who fear and worry, and fighting for what is right for her babies. Also, giving to those who are truly in need and sacrificing for those who are in desperate need. To sum up....my Momma Bear :)--Sam Baker (employee since 2008)

- A mother is an angel in disguise, a provider and a friend, a shoulder to lean on, and a supporter until the end.--Aubrey Jones (employee since 2011)

-A mother is hard to write a definition for, but the first things that come to my mind are they must be empathetic, strong, wise, supportive, thoughtful and a good chef! --Amber Travis (employee since 2006)

- A mother is someone who shows compassion and support in her kids. She is welcoming and shares stories or jokes to help with any issue you might be going through, whether good or bad. And of course, makes delicious dinners!--Amelia Taylor (employee since 2009)

- Mother:  the beginning of everything, the source of life.--Beth Tully (owner) 

-A mother is someone who cares and bears the weight of loved ones without being asked. --Katie Anderson (employee since 2009)

An Honor to be Nominated....

In the nearly 7 years of business, we have been nominated for several different awards.  We have been lucky enough to win some of these awards in the past too.  This year, we have been named one of the Blue Ribbon Finalists for the Dream Big Small Business Awards through the U.S. Chamber and Wichita American Marketing Association Category Winner.  

We are also honored to be one of the Top 5 Finalists for the Wichita Chamber’s Small Business Awards.  This local award has been a great honor to be a part of.  We have been really excited, as an organization, to pull together through the application process, finalist announcements, panelist activity and soon the award announcement in May. 

For those of you that don’t know the process of this particular award, we thought it would be fun to see the award process through our eyes.

The nominations were due in December.  Someone took the time to nominate us for this award based on the criteria of the contest.  Thank you! Applications were due at the end of January.  This was fun!  We didn’t realize how much you have to put together, and being perfectionists, we were constantly changing and editing our application.  Such a perfect time to be doing this application too…since Valentine’s was right around the corner!  But, we made the deadline and delivered our application to the Chamber. 

From there, the Chamber held a Metro Mingle.  All the applicants, were able to exhibit.  We brought our “dog and pony show” to the Mingle and showcased some of our signature Cocoa Dolce flavors.  And, we had our whole Management Team attend as well.  It was great to get to know the other businesses and network.  Towards the end of the event, the top 10 Finalists were named.  There are two tiers (under 25 full time employees and over 25 full time employees).  We were all so nervous during the announcement and were SO excited when we were named one of the Top 5 Finalists (for the under 25 employee category)!!!!

Angie Gonzalez, Aimee` Schumacher, Amber Travis, Kelley Collier, Lisa Mickey, Beth Tully, James Tully, Jay Tully (not pictured)

Profit Builders, Inc.
Ruggles & Bohm, P.A.
Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates
Armstrong Shank Advertising
Xenon International Academy Hair-Skin-Nails

The next event was held at the Hyatt.  A representative from each business sat on a panel and answered a question about their business.  Luckily, everyone knew their question ahead of time.  Beth was excited to talk about our process of creating new chocolates and innovation in our field.  There was a little roar of the crowd when everyone realized the chocolates on the table are a new addition to Cocoa Dolce’s line.  The chocolates are from a rare chocolate that is thought to be lost for over 100 years old. 

Now we just wait until May 9^th for the big announcement.  The Chamber will feature each business with a short video.  There is also a lunch served at this event too.  We are all really excited about this whole process.  We have been honored to be nominated!  But, we are all very competitive…..so a win would be really nice too!! 

Ever Wondered Where Our Chocolate Comes From?

       As most of you know, we get the majority of our chocolate from Belgium. It arrives in solid form, and then we melt it down to the right temperature to make all our delicious creations. But it all starts out solid. So a question I get asked fairly often is how our chocolate gets to us. How do we get Belgian chocolate and what do they do to it in Belgium that we don’t do at our store?

       The process from turning cocoa from a bean into the smooth, solid form you’re familiar with is a very long and extensive process. The truth is that it requires special (expensive) machinery, a very technical process, and lots of knowledge, all just to get it to it’s bulk chocolate form. It’s basically an entirely different process from making confections, which is what we do. So most confectioners aren’t going to be able to run what is essentially two businesses. There are only a limited number of places that do have all the requirements to make bulk chocolate, one of them being Callebaut (pronounced cal-a-bow) which is the Belgian supplier we chose. 

So what do they do over in Belgium?

        Actually, it all starts in the tropics. If you’ve never met a convincing enough reason to save the rain forest, here’s one: it gives us chocolate. Cocoa starts out as a pod growing on a tree. The trees can grow all around the world, but they only grow in tropical regions 10 degrees above and below the equator. There are many different kinds of cocoa trees that can give the cocoa a distinct flavor and aroma. 

Once the cocoa pods have been harvested (a challenge in itself), the pods are carefully broken open to reveal the pulp, which contains the beans. The beans then have to ferment, which usually takes around a week. This process removes excess pulp, as well as enhances the aroma of the chocolate. The beans are then spread out in the sun to dry for about six days. They are turned regularly during this period to even out the small retained moisture content. When the beans are dry, the farmers collect them in sacks and take them to be graded. 

There are different grades of cocoa depending on the quality of the bean, usually having to do with the care during the fermentation and drying process. Then they are put in sacks on ships, and we finally arrive in Belgium.

The cocoa beans are cleaned and crushed. This releases what is called the “nib” from the outside shell. The nibs are then roasted, which releases chocolate’s signature aroma. Then the nibs are put into large grinders. 

        The heat created by the process melts the nibs down into what is called, “chocolate liquor,” but no, it’s not that kind of liquor. It’s the first and most raw liquid state of chocolate. There are two “pieces” to chocolate liquor--cocoa solids, and cocoa butter. Cocoa solids are what you might consider the nibs, although at the cocoa liquor state, they’ve become so mixed with the cocoa butter that they don’t look like anything solid. Cocoa butter is the natural fat that gets released from the nibs during the grinding process. To create the different types of chocolate (levels of dark, milk, etc.) you have to separate the cocoa solids from the cocoa butter, and then reintroduce them in the quantities you want to make the chocolate you need. 

To do this the cocoa liquor has to be pressed through a microscopically fine sieve using high pressure. The cocoa butter is fine enough to go through, leaving the solids in what looks like a flattened cake. Then the cake can be removed for further grinding to make it finer for uses such as cocoa powder. 

Finally, the recipe for chocolate comes in. Depending on the type, high or low amounts of cocoa solids will be added to cocoa butter, along with vanilla, sugar, and milk. Not all ingredients are used for all types of chocolate; the needed ingredients will be added, except for the cocoa butter, which comes later. Altogether it creates a kind of chocolate “dough.” This dough is then pressed between rollers to form a powder. This is not powder you can see, however. The particles are so small they are smaller than the spaces between your taste buds, which is why you only taste smooth chocolate when you’re really eating very, very, fine particles. This power is then kneaded in specially designed machines called “conches” for hours. The kneading friction creates heat, which then turns the powder into paste. The cocoa butter is then added to make the chocolate liquid. Once chocolate is in its liquid form, the hard part is over. It can then be poured into any mold desired, including eleven pound blocks convenient for shipping. This is how our chocolate comes to us from Callebaut. Once it’s in block form, it’s packaged and shipped (chilled of course) across the ocean and halfway across a continent, to Kansas City, MO. Then a refrigerated truck brings it to us. 

Before we ever get to touch it, our chocolate has had a journey. Then comes the roughly eight hours we spend on each batch of truffles, or the many molds we have to fill, or the bars we stock with nuts, caramels, and fruits, along with all the other many items we create in our kitchen. That’s a lot of hands, over a long distance, and finally, a complicated confection. All to satisfy the seemingly universal craving that we humans have for that little delicious bean from the rain forest. 

"How To": The Making of the Easter Dino

There are many steps to creating one of the beautiful chocolate dinos in the Cocoa Dolce kitchen. Lets watch as we walk through step by step…

Step One: We always polish our molds with a cotton cloth before we put any chocolate in them. We do this to remove any possible “left-over” cocoa butter that might prevent the final product from releasing from the mold properly. 

Step Two: Some of our molds, including this one, have design indentions in them. We use these indentions as the dino’s spots and paint each of them individually with chocolate.  Since the dino is going to be filled with a different kind of chocolate, you will be able to see the spots in the end.

Step Three: After the spots have dried, we can start creating our shell. We use metal clips to hold both sides of the dino together and this allows us to pour our chocolate into the mold. We then rotate the chocolate filled mold around until the entire inside surface is covered with chocolate.

 

Step Four: Once the mold is covered with chocolate, we must get the excess chocolate out. We tip the mold over and hit the mold with an off-set spatula, letting the chocolate flow out. 

Step Five: After our chocolate shell is finished, it must sit and air dry. This completes the first cast of our dino. Once it is completely finished drying, we repeat steps 3 and 4 and let it dry and harden into a shell.

Step Six: Once the drying is done, we must create the base for the dino.  We spread a small amount of chocolate on a tray, creating a thin layered bottom. Then we take the mold and place it in the center of the chocolate base. We put it in the refrigerator to finish the shell mold.

Step Seven: After about 10 to 15 minutes in the fridge, we remove the mold and break the excess chocolate off of the bottom. We also take off the metal clips holding the mold together.

 

Step Eight: The final step. We carefully remove the chocolate dino from it’s mold. If we did everything correctly, it should come out with ease! And you are left with a beautiful hollow DINO!

Isn't Dino so cute?

Here is the Dino in it's finished state...with eggs and all!

Meet the Staff: An Interview with Angie

For those of you familiar with the Cocoa Dolce family, you can’t have missed Angie. She was Beth’s very first employee when this little shop got started, and she has been a huge part of it’s success ever since. In the six years we’ve been open, her job has changed dramatically with the needs of our store. So how did it all get started?

Angie was in nursing school at Newman University and looking for a little something to do with her spare time, when her good friend Jacob told her about a chocolate shop his step-mom was opening. What could be more fun than spending your free time working with chocolate? So she signed on. Her first day was a three hour shift, spent behind the counter helping customers and making hot chocolate with a small machine that heated and frothed the mixture for two minutes. Beth was having a “Friends and Family” meet and greet that evening to introduce the store to the area and celebrate the opening. It was right after her shift, so Angie (wanting to look cute) wore boots with a small heel, which she says she will never do again. Making chocolate might be fun, but we are on our feet a lot. So after that experience, she decided fashion would always take a back seat to comfortable shoes. 

After a while Angie decided nursing wasn’t for her, and she wanted to go full-time. Beth was more than happy, and began giving her more responsibilities, the first of which was creating the schedule for the other employees. 

Now, things have changed. She’s now our Manager of Business Development, and most days, you won’t find Angie behind the counter. She’s still at the shop, but she also has a brand new office located at our production facility to give her a “more quiet” place to get the job done. She also takes care of all of our custom ordering. If you’ve had a wedding or party and wanted custom chocolate for it, you’ve talked to Angie. She then, has ordered your boxes, tags, cocoa butter transfers, ribbons, cellophane, and anything else you’ve needed to get exactly what you were looking for. Finding all that stuff isn’t always easy, but Angie somehow comes through. Now she has a list of vendors, and go-to guys for any occasion we might run into. 

She also manages all of our corporate customers. We now do quite a bit of wholesale, all of which Angie keeps track of. Whether it’s logo bars for Chester’s Chophouse, candy bars for the Warren Theatre, or wholesale truffles for our vendors in Kansas City, it all goes through Angie first. She has also organized our shipping department to facilitate our customers who wish to send chocolate to their grandmother in Florida without it melting. 

There are about a million jobs Angie now does that she didn’t in the beginning, but some things haven’t changed. She still loves what she does and the people she works with (although that number has grown considerably too!), and the family oriented atmosphere we try to hard to maintain. Her favorite chocolate is still the Maple Cream, her favorite drink is a Raspberry Peach Italian Soda, and she says her favorite thing about watching us grow is watching the world around us grow too. We have the best customers, some of which have been there from the very beginning. She has watched a married couple become a family of five, has made personal friendships with the faces we see most often, and the staff even receives birthday cards from customers that started out with us in the very beginning, just like Angie. 

As we continue to grow in the future, we know that Angie will continue being a part of what makes Cocoa Dolce great.