Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Brothers Bloom
Dj and I watched a movie a couple of weeks ago, Brothers Bloom. It is one of those movies that turn out to be a little deeper than expected and kind of sticks with you. Rachel Weisz plays Penelope. When she was a kid she got tested for allergies and came back positive for everything. Her parents sheltered and protected her, never letting her experience life. When she was an adult she discovered she was not really allergic to everything, she was just allergic to the metal alloy in the needles used to test. She then spent years taking care of her invalid mother, again staying isolated. Her response to this is amazing:"This was a story about a girl who could find infinite beauty in anything, any little thing, and even love the person she was being trapped with. And I told myself this story until it became true. Now, did doing this help me escape a wasted life? Or did it blind me so I didn't want to escape it? I don't know, but either way I was the one telling my own story..."
I really like this quote because so many uncontrollable things happen in life, really unavoidable crappy things. Take those things, find some beauty in them, and don't let them hold you down. So, here's to telling my own story.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
All You Can Eat Chocolate
One of our favorite places in the world is located in a small Pittsburgh subburb called Trafford. Hidden on a one way street is the gem of all gems--the chocolate factory Sherm Edwards. We stumbled upon this place by accident a couple years ago. They offer free tours to anyone, anytime. And every November they hold the "All You Can Eat Tour", which is WAY better than it sounds. This year, possibly our last year of the tour, we decided to share it with Hannah and the kids--calling to claim the last 3 adult and 2 child tickets. Whew! The factory is very small, a main floor for selling and a basement for making. Everyone gets a hairnet.
Hannah, Caleb, and I enjoying the trays loaded with goodness--chocolate covered pretzels, meltaways, carmels, creams, cordials and jells in milk, dark, and white. My stomach is growling!
A table lined with almond, cashew, and pecan bark, again in milk, dark, and white.
Not only do you get to sample all of their goods, you can also watch them at work. This is the owner of Sherm Edwards-- he makes all the peanut brittle, carmel and toffee himself. In this picture he is cutting toffee for the almond butter crunch (kind of like an almond roca but much, much better).
Dj loves asking this guy all types of questions, trying to figure out the secret to his amazing skills. He answers them all.
After the toffee is cut, it gets loaded onto a conveyor belt. All of this is done by hand, each square lovingly placed.
Ready for the chocolate!
Once it leaves the other side, now covered in chocolate, an almond is placed in the center of each square, perfectly of course.
I could eat it right now!
But back they go, for another layer of chocolate.
The finished product, ready to be enjoyed.
My favorite fall treat is their carmel apples. The BEST thing ever. I order at least a half dozen every October, then buy more the day of the tour. The apples are always perfect and the carmel is perfection. I love these things!
They buy there chocolate elsewhere, melt it down, and use it for all of their treats. Two kinds of milk, two kinds of dark, and white. Samples for all.
Hannah, Caleb, and I enjoying the trays loaded with goodness--chocolate covered pretzels, meltaways, carmels, creams, cordials and jells in milk, dark, and white. My stomach is growling!
A table lined with almond, cashew, and pecan bark, again in milk, dark, and white.
Not only do you get to sample all of their goods, you can also watch them at work. This is the owner of Sherm Edwards-- he makes all the peanut brittle, carmel and toffee himself. In this picture he is cutting toffee for the almond butter crunch (kind of like an almond roca but much, much better).
Dj loves asking this guy all types of questions, trying to figure out the secret to his amazing skills. He answers them all.
After the toffee is cut, it gets loaded onto a conveyor belt. All of this is done by hand, each square lovingly placed.
Ready for the chocolate!
Once it leaves the other side, now covered in chocolate, an almond is placed in the center of each square, perfectly of course.
I could eat it right now!
But back they go, for another layer of chocolate.
The finished product, ready to be enjoyed.
My favorite fall treat is their carmel apples. The BEST thing ever. I order at least a half dozen every October, then buy more the day of the tour. The apples are always perfect and the carmel is perfection. I love these things!
They buy there chocolate elsewhere, melt it down, and use it for all of their treats. Two kinds of milk, two kinds of dark, and white. Samples for all.
We can not say enough positive things about this place. We spoil ourselves a couple times a year, driving up to Pittsburgh to pick out our favorites to enjoy. Check out their website--they deliver, too!
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