It is not uncommon that we spend time and money enjoying a fine tea, great coffee, well-aged distillate, or local cheese, so why shouldn’t we do the same with the world’s most beloved food: chocolate.  On a beautiful southern, winter morning, H&F staff enjoyed a cappuccino and some of the best chocolate west of the Atlantic at Tempered, a small shop on the north end of Nashville. The owner and resident chocolatier, Angelica Clark provided insight into the passion and craftsmanship that elevates chocolate from a utilitarian candy to a culinary masterwork. As we enjoy the shorter days and cooler nights of winter let us take a moment to appreciate the gift of chocolate. 

H&F: Let’s start with perhaps the least thoughtful question of the interview: Why chocolate?

AC: Why not? Who doesn’t love chocolate? It’s like a puppy, we innately love it. I am… coming from an art and design background. I have a creativity and passion for bringing things together in unique ways and it applies to how I make chocolate. [Previously] I worked as an event planner bringing people together for events and to share an experience. Chocolate is unique because as a food it has always been connected to giving people an experience.

H&F: How would you describe the difference between crafting chocolate compared to just mass producing it?

AC: Chocolate is really an emotional food. You don’t eat chocolate because you are hungry, but because you want to feel a certain way. There are all sorts of reasons for this, but the more your put into creating and crafting the chocolate the better and more complex the taste and experience. We source ingredients from places and vendors that pour themselves and their region into the food they produce. Our Callebaut cocoa comes from Belgium, you can taste the cows roaming the mountainside and overlooking the deep valleys. A lot of the bourbons we use in our truffles come from local distillers whom we know well and work together to create new pairings.

H&F: What goes into making the perfect chocolate?

AC: First, you have to have a good base. Good quality ingredients, from quality vendors who you know and trust. Most of my ingredients come from people I personally know and whom I have worked with … for the past 10 years in Nashville. Something about quality ingredients and friendships that come from knowing your source makes a difference. You can’t start with a bad base.

Second, you have to have the skill. Chocolate making is a craft, and knowing the right temperature, and the look and feel of the chocolate is key. You need to know how to perfectly temper the chocolate and how to properly prepare the molds, which I have learned requires a lot of polishing.

Lastly, you have to be creative. Since chocolate is such an emotive food, your tastes and preferences change. You have to respond by being bold and creating new flavor profiles until you find one that really works.

I keep a journal on my nightstand and I write down inspirations from dreams, different places, scenes from books that I am reading, and the foods or drinks that I enjoy, and we try them out in the shop. Recently we discussed what flavors remind us of Christmas and integrated gingerbread, mulled wine, peppermint into a series of Christmas truffles.

H&F: (Taking a bite of chocolate and momentarily speechless) How does chocolate bring people together, how does it form culture, so to speak?

AC:
As I mentioned on the craft side, our chocolate is sourced from a Belgian company that selects beans sustainably and ethically sourced from small growers all over the world; our coffee, our alcohol, and other ingredients are local and reflect the flavors of the places they come from. This, in itself, provides a connection between a lot of different vendors and people, many of whom I know well.

On the eating side, chocolate brings people together. The rest of the world is more experience-based when it comes to food. They eat not only for physical nourishment but for emotional and spiritual nourishment that comes from being together and savoring the moment. Chocolate evokes emotion, memories — and connects people in a way.

One of our favorite things at Tempered is pairing a cocktail with a chocolate, which always starts a conversation and demands some interaction with what you are eating and drinking.

H&F: Some people say that chocolate is medicine. At the expense of being utilitarian do you ever prescribe chocolate to people based on their symptoms?

AC: Yes. Let’s do it.

H&F: New Job?

AC: Something celebratory: Champagne Truffle, definitely!

H&F: Bad Break Up?

AC: Uncle Nearest Whiskey Truffle. Or if the break-up is a good thing: Champagne Truffle.

H&F: Bitterly cold day

AC: Hot Cocoa or Mulled Wine Truffle.

H&F: What advice do you have for picking chocolate

AC: Picking chocolate is not logical, it’s more emotional — very mood based. Sometimes our pistachio matcha truffle suits me perfectly, later it may be the Bourbon praline truffle that is my go-to.

Be open to trying new things, chocolate can have a lot of different flavor profiles. I am passionate about bringing my interests to the chocolates we create and working with local artisans to figure out combinations and pairings that work.

You can learn more about Tempered Chocolate and order online, or stop by their quaint shop in the heart of Germantown. We highly recommend the Hot Cocoa Bombs, Bourbon Praline Truffle, and Maple Almond Bar.