Flower Mound - Highland Village - Argyle | March 2023

BUSINESS FEATURE The Touring Chocolatier Northlake sweet shop run by certied chocolatier K ay Thibodeaux’s journey to becoming a chocolatier led directly to her opening The Touring Chocolatier in Northlake. While working as an independent consultant with Dove Chocolate Discoveries—the home division of Dove Chocolate—Thibodeaux became the rst consultant to earn an incentive trip, where she traveled abroad to work with master chocolatiers. One trip led to another, and suddenly, she was traveling more and more. Besides working with top chocolatiers, she also learned about the science behind chocolate making, including specics, such as what ripe cacao pods should look like as well as what shape beans take when they are roasted and fermented. In 2017, Thibodeaux earned her chocolatier certication through Ecole Chocolat, an online school based in Canada. In 2020, her business plan for The Touring Chocolatier was to teach a weekly true-making class from her home; when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she pivoted to selling at local farmers markets. “By the end of the year, the hot cocoa bomb craze had hit, and my house was overtaken,” Thi- bodeaux said. “One room became all ingredients; one room became all orders ready to be picked up; and my kitchen, dining room and pantry were all production. And I was doing 12 true-making classes with 12 people each between Thanksgiving and Christmas.” In November 2021, Thibodeaux opened a brick- and-mortar location in Northlake. “My ‘why’ is to share my knowledge of choco- late—where the cacao is from, how it’s grown and how it’s turned into chocolate,” she said. In addition to teaching multiple choco- late-themed classes at the shop, using her own recipes, Thibodeaux makes and sells chocolate on site. She said 95% of her products are made with Belgian chocolate, and the remainder are made with French chocolate. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Texas pecans and sea salt caramel truf- es are always on hand as well as spirit-infused options, such as amaretto, Bailey’s and more. Thibodeaux added she also enjoys creating unique recipes, such as her raspberry cinnamon tru es. “Trues take three days [to make], because we make the ganache one day, roll it the next day, and we dip and decorate the third day,” she said. BY KAREN CHANEY

Join Us For Our Tastings

FOUR PACK The Chocolatier Bars Four Pack ($15.50) includes four prepackaged bars.

March 8th Reddy

Vineyards 4-7pm

(Photos by Karen Chaney/Community Impact)

March 25th

Manhattan Project Brewery 4-7pm

TRUFFLES Assorted avors ($3.35 each)

April 1st

Surprise Tasting 4-7 PM

April 8th

The Touring Chocolatier oers a variety of true avors.

Happy Easter WE ARE OPEN!

April 15th

Southern Glazers

Wines 4-7 PM

Family-run, craft beers, fine wines and local specialty vendors

Owner Kay Thibodeaux opened The Touring Chocolatier store in 2021.

www.lakesideurbangrocery.com 214-513-4000 Monday Closed

The Touring Chocolatier 8356 Thompson Road, Northlake 940-647-4882 www.touringchocolatier.com Hours: Tue., Thu. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wed., Fri., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun.-Mon. closed

Tues - Sat 9am - 8pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

2500 Lakeside Pkwy. Ste. 100 Flower Mound, TX 75022

N O R T H LA K E

407

Free samples of our new Draft beers

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