OK, here's the skinny: I love the Catskills and chocolate. (or not so skinny if I eat too many sweets). So, how can I not love Shokan, New York based Fruition Chocolate? It's located on Rte 28 in Ulster County, right on the way to Woodstock Village. Their chocolate is made from fair trade and organically grown cocoa beans. With meticulous attention to detail, Fruition slowly roasts and stone grinds carefully selected cocoa beans to accentuate their inherent flavor.
Rachel Ray said about the founder of Fruition Chocolate: "Bryan Graham is one of a handful in the U.S. who roast, grind, and liquefy their own beans. To see how good the bean-to-bar movement can taste, try his chocolate-coated toasted almonds with smoked sea salt."
To get a taste of Fruition check out the video below.
This summer, Fruition hosted their first annual Chocolate Makers Summer Camp in the Catskills. The 2017 camp kicked off the fun weekend with a brunch and tour of Fruition's flagship factory store. Chocolate makers and cacao sourcers traveled from as far reaching places as San Francisco, Brazil, and Sweden, Besides eating lots of chocolate and perhaps trading techniques and secrets, sounds like the campers had fun with boating, hiking and swimming, all taking part of the Catskills' healthy, laid back, country mix.
So, if anyone is looking for a fun road trip idea for Summer of 2018: contact Fruition about the next Chocolate Makers Summer Camp. Maybe they'll let inspiring chocolate makers, or just plain old chocolate lovers come and be part of the experience.
Pictured above is Team Fruition (from left to right): Eden, Nicole, Laura, Becca, Chris, Bryan, Dahlia + baby Zoey, and Emma
Thanks Fruition for being part of the burgeoning food and farming movement happening north of the great city of New York.