Balancing Act

Owning your own business takes lots of balancing. And it's just so easy to become out of balance because there's just so much to do to keep everything going. There comes a time when you just have to step back and re-position everything to get it all back in balance.

That's what I'm doing now. When I'm out of balance it seems that there is chaos all around me and within  me. It is impossible to do what I'm supposed to do and be who I really am. I find that I'm getting in the way of my own progress.

Right now I have two amazing people taking care of the sweet needs of folks visiting Sweet Mona's. They are great. They greet everyone. They offer them samples. They are always smiling. They do what I ask them to do. It's comforting. They like people and they realize that the weight of the everyday operations of the business lies on my shoulders and they just want to help get this little business to the next level. This is absolutely marvelous.

So now it's time to let them do their job. This allows me to do mine-creating the chocolates and seeking out new and different ways to offer chocolate to the world. Right now our sea salt caramels are rated over the top on Amazon and the word is getting out there that they are absolutely the best sea salt caramels around. And I love caramel! So that makes this even sweeter to me.

Langley Oktoberfest is this coming weekend and we will be offering Beer Caramels covered in dark chocolate with a little bit of sea salt to spark the taste buds. Brats and Beer and Dancing and Fun. It will  be everything an Oktoberfest should be with a caramel bonus! Hope you'll be there. Thinking sweet thoughts.......Mona

Chocolate varieties include criollo, trinitario, forestero, and nacional. It is all coming soon at our chocolate tasting bar.

We made it! Hello Quito Ecuador!

The trip began with the red eye to Cincinnati. In Cincinnati we had a 1:25 pm flight to Atlanta and then we were scheduled on to Quito. The 1:25 pm flight had mechanical problems. Shelly T., one of the amazing Delta Reps worked tiredlessly to find us another flight. And we thought we were on our way. We ran to the gate of a flight heading for Houston. Just as we hit the gate the captain came off the plane and said this plane is grounded. There is bad weather in Houston. Ok. So it's back to Shelly T. we go. She worked so hard but finally we resolved we weren't going to get to Quito on Thursday.

Delta put us up at the Courtyard South and what a treat that was! We got an amazing Ribeye Steak for dinner and a great night's sleep. And there's was something else interesting that came with our meal. It was like a fried bread roll. I've seen these type rolls on Chinese Buffets but normally they are rolled in sugar for a sweet treat. These were covered in garlic salt. A nice little aside. And the people there were so nice and friendly. They even drove us over to the local Food Lion as we needed to grab a few things since Delta was still holding our luggage hostage. After a great night's sleep and another great lunch we headed again for the airport. This time the destination was Quito.

Tony is a Silver Medallion member so he's always looking for the upgrade to first class. I like first class. It's really nice but since I don't fly that often I don't expect it. But guess what? First class for both of us baby. First class is amazing.  First, you get to drink anything and it's all FREE. And then they bring you warm nuts. Who wouldn't love warm nuts? And then it's a warm towel. And then it's more FREE drinks. And then you can actually order off a menu. I had the chicken with capers. It's all served up like dinner at the Inn at Langley--linen, plates, silverware, and many courses.

The meal started with a dinner salad with blue cheese dressing. A side of seared tuna with a bite of pasta salad and some wasabi paste that was absolutely wonderful, and a dinner roll. The main course of chicken with capers came next. There was something on the plate that I just couldn't figure out. The flight attendant said it was capers but they were large and tasted more like a root vegetable. If anyone recognizes what it is, please tell me. After that there was a cheese plate. And then after that there was a chocolate sundae. It was all delicious and of course I had to try a little bit of it ALL. Stuffed and HAPPY!

Also in first class there are movies, shows, news, comedy, and more movies. I watched Rabbit Hole. Wasn't impressed. Each step of the trip there was some amazing person cheering me, helping me, moving me closer to my destination. This is how life is. This is how life should be for everyone. But I know it's not. There was a moment.

The moment I realized that there were many, many people that weren't getting a meal today and might not get a meal tomorrow.  At the height of my joy came the depth of the sorrow. That's life too. It's those that are riding high that have an obligation to help those who are riding low. We are the human race and we are all in this race together. Good night sweet Quito.

This is Mona Newbauer living the Sweet Life on Whidbey Island and beyond.   

Simple Truth #1

Tuesday was a lovely day at Sweet Mona's. The store was closed to customers but I, the chocolatier, was there in body, in mind, and in spirit.

When I first opened  five years ago my focus on the shop was outward. My energy was spent "wanting to be liked". I joined this, joined that, started this, started that, added this to the menu, added that. Let me tell you "wanting to be liked" has it's pitfalls, but it also has it's blessings. I think really most of us want to be liked. And to be liked I found that you have to be all to all different types of people--an impossible task even for someone as likable as me.

In February 2011 Sweet Mona's quietly celebrated five years in Langley. Each year I think about having a celebration/open house but I never do. I'm sure that this is fear based. Why am I sure? Because everything that  I want to do but don't do is usually fear based. So what keeps me from "celebrating" such a success? For me, it comes from the same perspective as I've noted above--"I want to be liked". This paragraph is an admission of one of my greatest fears... the fear of being disliked. This fear stops me in my tracks like a deer in headlights not knowing which way to turn, wanting to run, but knowing it doesn't help. So instead of moving forward, I stand there.... inside repeating the mantra I know so well.... "please like me, please like me, oh pretty please, like me.

In the last few months I've been re-focusing on Sweet Mona's from a different perspective. It's a focus that comes from within, from who I am at the deepest level. It's from the absolute truth of who I am. And of course I hope you like me and I hope you like Sweet Mona's. But if you don't, I'm sure that without a doubt you can find what you want, what you like, and even who you like somewhere else. I've finally realized I don't have to be every one's every thing. I just have to be me.

And that is one of the things that made Tuesday a lovely day at Sweet Mona's. The store was closed but I, the chocolatier, was there in body, mind, and spirit and I was doing what I do best.... creating, playing, and working with the person I like the most.......  me.

A Little Bit About Marzipan

Marzipan is a confection made with almonds. If you look up Marzipan on the Internet you find many different recipes. I first learned how to make Marzipan at a workshop at the French Pastry School in Chicago and it's the recipe that I use today.

Ingredients

• 500 grams almonds blanched
• 75 grams trimoline
• 125 grams water
• 250 grams sugar, granulated
• 3 grams bitter almond oil

Equipment:

• Robot Coupe Blixer or Heavy Duty Home Food Processor
• Small sauce pan
• Silpat mat

Process:

• Place blanched almonds in food processor and process to crush.
• Place water, trimoline, and sugar in sauce pan and bring to a boil.
• Pour the hot syrup into the food processor and blend for a minimum of five minutes. In the Robot Coupe Blixer this will bring the temperature to 185 degrees F and pasteurizes the mixture.
• Add the almond oil and blend again until oil is mixed thoroughly.
• Pour out on Silpat mat and allow to set.
• Turn mixture over and allow it to set again. 
• After marzipan sets it is ready to shape into confections. 

Of Interest

Almonds are the main ingredient in marzipan, a paste of sugar and almonds finely ground together and molded and dried into decorative shapes, a Middle Eastern invention that became popular in Europe during the medieval crusades. Leonardo da Vinci made marzipan sculptures for the Milanese court of Ludovico Sforza in 1470, and wrote that he "observed with pain that [they] gobble up all the sculptures I give them, right to the last morsel." 


--taken from On Food and Cooking The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee

Let's talk Peanuts!

This is the first step in my journey of researching ingredients. Yesterday I made Peanut Clouds (aka Peanut Turtles). Only dark chocolate ones so far but I'm moving forward to the milk chocolate ones today.

It made me think allot about peanuts. First, peanuts are not really nuts. There are a seed. And they come from a small leguminous bush with the scientific name Arachis hypogaea. Those scientific names get me every time. They grow in the soil. It is thought that they first came on the scene in 2000BCE most likely in Brazil or Peru. Today the largest peanut producers are China and India. Peanuts are used for all sorts of cooking. They are used for sauces, soups, oils, meal, candies, and snacks as a few examples.

In the United States there are four varieties of peanuts and they are all grown for different purposes. The large Virginia and small Valencia peanuts are sold in the shall. Virginia and small Spanish nuts are sold to be used in  mixed nuts and candies. Because the Runner peanut is higher in monounsaturated fats they are sold for baked goods and peanut butter.

Want to know some fun facts about peanuts? Go to http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/classroom-funfacts.php with the National Peanut Board website!

Find the following candies at Sweet Mona's: Peanut Brittle, Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Clouds (aka Peanut Turtles), and Peanut Butter Fudge. All yummy treats!

Effective November 1, 2010

In case you're not on my e-mail list, I'm posting this on  my blog:

Special Announcement!

Effective November 1st, 2010 Sweet Mona's will no longer be serving breakfast. Also our hours are changing. For the month of November we will be open Thursday through Tuesday from 11 am to 5 pm. We will be closed on Wednesdays.

You are my family and a good family has open and hopefully honest communication with each other. Breakfast was not a great idea. It doubled my cost for staffing and didn't really bring in that much money. So here I sit paying my quarterly taxes and having to make the tough decisions. The hours are being cut so that I can work most of the hours and not have as many paid staff. This breaks my heart.

I love being in the shop and if my body could take it I'd be there from 9 in the morning to 9 at night. But it's just not possible. So after taking a hard look at the business I've decided to scale everything down.

The good news is when you come in during the week you will find me there all the time. And I love spending time with you and sharing the sweet life with you. The bad news is I won't be open as many hours and you may come to visit and I'll be closed. Remember to stop by again when we are open as we love seeing you!