UChocolatier uPete Hoepfner unesidlaliso: "indoda kamaskandi."Amanye ama-confectioners angathola lesi sidlaliso sithopha.U-Hoepfner akakwenzi.

Njengomnikazi wePete's Treats, ama-truffle kashokoledi akhethekile kaHoepfner.Njengesikhunta esiyindilinga esiqanjwe ngaso, ama-truffles adinga isikhathi eside ngokumangalisayo ukuze abumbe.Ukusebenza ngeqoqo lama-truffles angu-2,400 kudinga u-Hoepfner ukuthi ame amahora angu-30 ngesikhathi phezu komshini wokushisa ushokoledi - bobabili umphathi nesisebenzi se-sweatshop yomuntu oyedwa.

Phakathi nesikole se-grad, u-Hoepfner wathola umsebenzi ezindaweni zokudlela.Uqhubekile wasebenza njengosokhemisi, wenza ushevu wamagundane weBell Laboratories, futhi njengomshini ende, odonsa izinhlanzi nengwane ephuma oLwandle iBering.Ukukhuthala kompheki, ukunemba kososayensi kanye nesineke somdobi: bobathathu kudingeka baguqule ushokoledi oluhlaza, ukhilimu nebhotela kube ithreyi lama-truffles.

"Ngingabekezelela noma yini ngemuva kokulinda iminyaka eminingi," kusho uHoepfner.“Njengoba ungumdobi, isikhathi sakho asibalwa… Konke engikwenzayo, kufanele nginikeze othile inhlanzi noma ngimnikeze ibhokisi lama-truffle.Yileyo ndlela kuphela engikhokhelwa ngayo: kufanele nginikeze othile okuthile ngokomzimba.”

I-truffle ngayinye iqala njengesigaxa se-ganache esilingana nebhola legalofu, kungaba ushokoledi ovamile noma enongiwe nge-mint, i-jalapeño, i-Kahlua, i-champagne, i-caramel noma i-concentrate yeberry.Nalapha, futhi, u-Hoepfner ukhetha indlela eshesha kakhulu ngangokunokwenzeka, ukufuna amajikijolo asendle ukuze adliwe kumshini wakhe wokujula isitimu, futhi enze ibhotela lakhe le-mint esikhundleni sokuthembela ekukhishweni okuthengwe esitolo akuthola kuvaleke kakhulu.

Lapho i-caramel enosawoti iba yi-flavour du jour, u-Hoepfner waqala ukufaka usawoti kuma-truffles akhe, okokuqala ngosawoti wasolwandle ongenalutho, kwase kuba ngokhuni lwe-alder olushunqa usawoti, enikeza i-tang evamile kunoma ubani oke waba ngaphakathi kwe-smokehouse.U-Hoepfner uphinde wahlangana nosawoti we-truffle fungus, nakuba ama-truffles ane-flavored flavour engakaveli kumenyu.Amakristalu kasawoti kufanele abe makhulu futhi asicaba, kusho u-Hoepfner - ama-flakes ancibilika ngokushesha kunokuba alenga olimini lomuntu.

Ngeshwa u-Hoepfner, ukuthanda kwakhe ukuphelela akudluleli emisebenzini yakhe yebhizinisi.Ushesha ukunikeza izaphulelo futhi ujabulela ukwamukela ama-IOU, u-Hoepfner ngokusobala akakhululekile mayelana nombono wokukhipha imali kumakhasimende akhe.Ama-truffles avamile we-Pete's Treats athengiswa ngo-$3.54 lilinye.U-Hoepfner uzibiza ngokuthi “usomabhizinisi omubi kunabo bonke emhlabeni,” ingxenye yokuntela.

"Izintengo zami zonke ziboshiwe," kusho uHoepfner.“Ngiqonde ukuthi ubiza malini ngalezi zinto eziwudaka?Inkinga ke leyo.Akufani nokuthi ngifuna ukwenza inqwaba yemali ngama-Cordovans, kodwa-ke, uma uya kunoma iyiphi enye indawo, ibhokisi lamane liyi-$10, kuyilapho mina ngikhokhisa u-$5.”

Kukho konke ukugxila kwakhe ekukhonzeni amaswidi, u-Hoepfner utholakala kalula ekhishini Lesikhungo Sezempilo Somphakathi sase-Ilanka.Okuwukuphela kwezinto ezibonakala zimcasula kakhulu ukuzenzisa noma ukwehliswa amanani ngabanye abashokoledi.I-confectioner eyodwa yase-Seattle ethandwayo ikhipha ushokoledi ophuke waba izingcezu ezingajwayelekile: bawubiza ngokuthi i-rustic, u-Hoepfner uwubiza ngokuthi uyavilapha.

"Insizwa ithengisa izikhwama zikashokoledi, ama-ounces angu-2.5 ngo-$7," kusho u-Hoepfner.“Konke lokhu okwenziwa yinsizwa wukuthatha ushokoledi opholile, uwuchithe bese uphonsa amakinati kuwo!”

Ngosizo lwabasebenzi abathathu basemathinini, uHoepfner ukhiqiza ama-truffle angaba ngu-9,000 unyaka ngamunye.U-Hoepfner uyasibona isidingo sokwandisa amamajini akhe enzuzo, futhi mhlawumbe nokuvula isitolo sangaphambili.Kodwa angathanda ukuhlehlisa lezi zinqumo, futhi ahlale elahlekelwe yinjabulo yomsebenzi, isikhashana.

“Kungenzeka lapha,” kusho u-Hoepfner.“Kunebhizinisi lapha ndawana thize!Futhi okungenani kungenza ngiphume enkingeni okwamanje.”

suzy@lstchocolatemachine.com

www.lstchocolatemachine.com