It's hot chocolate season and while we may be chilly (it's just around freezing, here on Bowen) we're feeling warm and fuzzy: The folks over at Baker's Journal have a great article about our organic hot chocolates. A great way to start off the Year!

Vancouver Sun Biz section focuses on Cocoa West today

There's a great article about Cocoa West in today's Vancouver Sun business section, I'm very pleased to say and it's on the back of their Olympic guide! If you want to read it online check it out below, with video. We're a small business but we've worked hard to still be here 10 years later. Thanks to our wonderful customers, supporters and hard-working staff for keeping us going on our little island!
Joanne & Carlos

Cocoa West Fights the Battle of Survival - Vancouver Sun business

So as I count my bruises...14...15, 16 I can’t help but smile. There is one very large one on the underside of my left thigh, and it’s in the shape of a hand print. I’m not exactly sure whose hand, but it doesn’t really matter. I know when I got it. It wasn’t Saturday night in the Irish pub, but Saturday afternoon climbing over a twelve foot ‘Berlin’ wall at the Tough Mudder in Whistler. 

The Big Kahunas, our team of 16 men and women entered willingly into the 19.3 km challenge off road run with 22 military style obstacles designed by the British Special Forces. All but one crossed the finish line to receive the coveted orange Tough Mudder head band. The one who didn’t finish had a shoulder injury, and two who did finish had knee injuries. A few cuts a few scrapes and plenty of bruises round out the listing.

Someone asked me before the Mudder ‘why would I do such a thing?’ My answer was the challenge, and the goal. I am a person who needs a goal to work towards, and a challenge is usually something I can’t turn down, like learning to run last year to participate in the 10 km Vancouver Sun Run. Goals become reality when you focus on achieving them. The Tough Mudder was tough all right, but we had trained and we were prepared. The worst of it for me was not the waist deep mud in some places, the electric shock, the barbed wire, the steep slope climb next to the Olympic ski jumps at the 10 mile mark, when you thought you were almost done, but probably the ice water. Not the first one, but the second one in the frozen lake, and then the third one which was all muddy and went up my nose after I slid off a greased monkey bar and fell into and under the water. But, we all just kept on going, even Steve with his twisted knee from very early on, and Scott also with a twisted knee later on.

So was it fun? Yes! Would I do it again? Probably, since I am already planning costumes for next year.

Eight of these Big Kahuna’s are from Bowen Island, Fawn Gill, Scott Begg, Joanne Mogridge, Carlos Vela-Martinez, Melodie Mosier, Johnny Bacon, Tim Hausch, & David Kurt. Thanks to all of you for your help and team support.

Joanne

PS: Here's Tim's legs after the event, after being rinsed...

The Tough Mudder Challenge!

As we approach our 10-Year Anniversary of the opening of Cocoa West, I've been thinking a

lot about...

Goals
Every dream, every plan, every goal starts with some little seed of an idea. The idea seed 

blows in from somewhere,anywhere, who knows where, but it arrives. Sometimes it stays

as a seed for a long time, perhaps even too long, but other times it bursts forth immediately

and begins to grow. The plans begin to form.

Now there is of course a difference between dreams and goals. Goals are dreams with a 

deadline. Dreaming is fun, but we know most people's dreams will not come true. On the 

other hand most peoples goals can be reached. The challenge is knowing what the goal is,  

acknowledging it and helping it to germinate by setting a deadline.

Where am I going with this? 

Well on Friday June 22 Carlos and I are headed up to Whistler BC with 17 other people 

we know, and approximately 14,000 people we don't know. 17 of us are on a team, The Big 

Kahunas! We all have at least one thing in common: to reach our goal. To complete and 

survive The Tough Mudder. 

What is it? Look it up, watch the video and get the gist if you are unfamiliar with the Tough

Mudder. I believe this is the first time this Mudder will happen in  Whistler. In the Olympic

Park where it is being held, we have been told to expect winter conditions.  But back to the 

seed. Fawn, co-owner of The Gym on Bowen Island mentioned the tough Mudder to me back

in March, perhaps February. She had signed on with a friend's team and was all excited. I 

came home from my pilates class, looked it up and showed it to Carlos who at the time was

sick in bed and not the least bit interested in watching it. Carlos and I are active people, I 

have been going to The Gym for perhaps four years, Carlos has been doing Tae Kwon Do 

for nine years, and for the last six months he has joined me in my workouts at The Gym.   

His gym training began with another seed, the idea that he would test for his Third Dan 

in TKD. So when Fawn first mentioned the Mudder we were already training for the Third

Dan test.

Several days later when Fawn mentioned the Tough Mudder again to Carlos (who was 

feeling much, much better) he said "we're in". Two things I need to point out at this 

junction is one he said 'we' and two he had still not seen the Tough Mudder promotional 

video!

The Tough Mudder idea seed sprouted and grew, I started running again, Carlos also took 

up running, we have climbedup Bowen's Mount Gardner with Tim (fellow Mudder), and 

also the Grouse Grind (for me it has been 10 years, and for Carlos it was his first time). 

[Side note for anyone interested besides myself that my time was only 10 minutes off when

I was 10 years younger. Yay!]

We are as fit as we are going to be, we have worked hard, and now we face judgement 

day on Saturday. Often we tell ourselves, we cannot do something, or that we are now too

old, yet I am constantly amazed at those that are older than me doing impressive things. 

I think the weakest link in my training – has been not drinking beer for the party afterwards.

Wish us luck.
Joanne

The ULTIMATE Easter Gift.... SUN-SCULPTED EGGS!!!

Sun-Sculpted Egg in a chocolate nest

Chocolate is the preferred ingredient when it comes to Easter eggs, and this year, Cocoa West Chocolatier of Bowen Island offers a stunning and delicious alternative to the mass market eggs that seem to spill from every retail shelf.

These unique sun-sculpted eggs, made with all organic ingredients, are works of art in chocolate, using the master's techniques Cocoa West Chocolatier Joanne Mogridge has developed over the many years she's been making her exquisite chocolates.

Mogridge says she first saw these unusual eggs in Barcelona, Spain, where its creator, Enric Rovira – inspired by the sculptural qualities of Spanish master architect Antoni Gaudi – began making them several years ago. The process involves setting the chocolate eggs in the sun to let its heat do the sculpting. It's a precisely timed process that can only be done by hand. But Barcelona is likely sunnier than southern B.C. at this time of year, so even if the sun does hide behind the clouds here, Mogridge says she has other tricks up her sleeve to make sure the eggs develop into beautiful sculptures.

The sun-sculpted eggs come in 4-inch ($26.75) and 6-inch ($46.75) sizes, sit in a charming chocolate nest adorned with chocolate twigs and are filled with her shop's specialty, the Unbelievably Good Egg, a soft caramel and chocolate centre truffle rolled in toasted almonds, as well as foil-wrapped solid dark chocolate eggs.

Cocoa West truffles, chocolates and hot chocolate mixes have always been made with certified organic and fair-trade chocolate. They are also free of soy lecithin, a common emulsifying ingredient in many mass market and artisan chocolates, because of concerns about common allergies to soy, Mogridge says.

The special eggs are available at the Cocoa West on Bowen Island, at the Portobello West Market in Vancouver on March 24 and 25, and online at cocoawest.com. There is an additional shipping charge for online orders.

These beautiful sun-sculpted chocolate egg from Cocoa West Chocolatier is filled with its signature Unbelievably Good Egg truffles and foil-wrapped solid dark chocolate eggs.

 
For The Tradtionalists ;)

We will also be featuring an array of bunnies and rabbits to please the more traditional palette. Like all of our other chocolates, they  are hand-crafted with organic chocolate!

For those of you who just want our try our chocolates for "personal use" or simply get your Cocoa West fix, we will are bring our signature Eden's Harvest Truffle, The Unbelievably Good Egg, and 30 of the recently famous Lucky Brew!!! You don't want to miss out, see you this weekend!!!

Portobello West Market was created in 2006 by Carlie Smith and inspired by the famous artisan markets of Europe, Portobello West’s goal is to introduce Vancouver’s style-conscious shoppers to the creative artisans and designers working here. Now operating as a not-for-profit society headed up by a board of directors and a market manager, Portobello West remains Vancouver’s premiere fashion and art market. Portobello West Market, located at the Creekside Community Centre, launches its new season this weekend, March 24 & 25, 11 a.m. To 5 p.m.

For more information, please contact Joanne Mogridge at Cocoa West Chocolatier, 604-947-2996 or email her at joanne@cocoawest.com.

To see a demonstration of sun sculpting eggs done by Enrik Rovira in Barcelona for Anthony Bourdain, check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N4RS9ow9DA.

LIMITED EDITION ST.PATRICKS DAY CHOCOLATES!

Luck of Da Irish To Ya! 

Milk and White Chocolate Shamrocks

Since the #Irish and many other nationalities consider #shamrocks to be a symbol of good luck, we wanted to pass this luck on to those who don't have time to hunt for the illusive four leaf #clover. Well, and of course we knew it would be even better if you could actually EAT (and enjoy) your lucky #shamrock ;) This yummy treat is made from a combination of milk and white #chocolate which is then carefully hand painted with a green cocoa butter, making it the perfect little treat. Simple and delicious.

Beer ganache coated in milk and dark chocolate

Lucky Brew Chocolates!

Of course,  what would St.Patrick's Day be without #BEER!! We have created a unique recipe for deliciousness - BEER GANACHE!!

Winter Ale and Lucky Brews!

These designer chocolate truffles are a beer and dark ganache,  which is covered in a creamy milk chocolate and dark chocolate, then topped with a #lucky green #clover on top :). The Mission Springs Brewing Company's 'Mashing Pumpkin Winter Ale' beer used in these little gems was carefully chosen by Bowen Island Beer and Wine store's Paul Rickett to ensure the perfect balance between the two flavours.  We have only produced 144 of these delectable truffles, so come try them before they are gone!! Trust us, you don't want to miss out!!!!!


Check out this article in  the Bowen Island Undercurrent  to see more on how the "Lucky Brew Truffle"was born!!!

Joanne Mogridge, Kelly Miller and Paul Rickett @ Bowen Island Beer and Wine store.

A VALENTINES DAY TO REMEMBER

SAVE PAPER, EAT CHOCOLATE! This time of year rolls around and we are usually stumped for gift ideas and want to step it up a notch from the traditional box of Lindtt. Well, we've made it so that you can now actually eat the box! We are featuring our infamous #organicchocolates in an edible box!  Handcrafted for your pleasure, this gorgeous box comes with three of Cocoa West's famous truffles in a hand-crafted box of milk chocolate - perfect for sharing! Or, if they're more of a teddy bear lover, check out our ADORABLE "Be Mine" chocolate bear! We also have very tradtional foiled chocolates in pretty reds and shiny silvers! 

 

These creations are available only in our #Bowen Island shop and for a limited time, so if you need another reason to come to Bowen for Valentines, this could be it! It’s the perfect excuse to hop on the short ferry ride for a day! And, if you can’t make it over on #Valentines Day, give your significant other a weekend getaway in the romantic and luxurious chocolate suite! Not only is this beautiful suite located just around the corner from #CocoaWest, but it is also seconds away from the Bowen Island Spa, and many delicious restaurants!

It is the perfect time of year for a #romantic walk along the beach or a stroll through the lush trails with a mug of our delicious hot cocoa or go for a relaxing kayak adventure! And, as mentioned before we are having a special on – STAY TWO NIGHTS AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE THIRD! No excuses now. Come see us!!