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 wokushisisa 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 efakwe i-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 adlise kumshini wakhe wokujula isitimu, futhi enze ibhotela lakhe le-mint esikhundleni sokuthembela ekukhishweni okuthengwe esitolo akuthola kuvaleke kakhulu.

Lapho i-caramel enosawoti iba i-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 ejwayelekile 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 ovuthayo, 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 uHoepfner.“Kunebhizinisi lapha ndawana thize!Futhi okungenani kungenza ngiphume enkingeni okwamanje.”

suzy@lstchocolatemachine.com

www.lstchocolatemachine.com