Sunday, May 4, 2008

Somerville Open Studios

I lived in Somerville for two years, and was never able to take advantage of the Somerville Open Studios, at which hundreds of artists with studio space in Somerville open their doors to the public. I finally ended up here because of a scheduled Boston Cooking & Baking Meetup at Taza Chocolate.


As it says on their website, Taza is a bean-to-bar chocolate maker located in Somerville, producing small batches of minimally processed bars of dark (60-80%) chocolate from organic, directly-traded beans. They are the only maker of 100% stone ground chocolate in the United States, and they have fit their inspiring business in a relatively small space—this is no big factory. And to prove it, here's where they hand-wrap their bars (apparently while wearing giant headphones—like mine!):


I listened to one of the founders speak about his small company (next to the red roasting machine), the start of which was inspired by a single trip to Oaxaca, Mexico and the stone-ground chocolate they make there. From great idea to tasty reality, I'm glad I was able to experience this company (and their chocolate).


In the same building as Taza is Albertine Press, a wonderful little letterpress studio at which I hope to take a class soon!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Erin Murphy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cami said...

Oh my mouth is watering. That's why I don't read your blog every day!!! Oaxaca is only a few hours from MexCity. I think we're going there kinda soon. They also make really good cheese. And I am drooling about your printing class. Remember our printing class in 8th grade? That was pretty awesome!

Erin Murphy said...

Cheese and chocolate! Sounds like a food field trip is definitely in order!

And yes! I think somewhere I still have a "Snoopy" notepad that I printed and flocked!