Family Game Night Tonight!

Our famous Family Game Night is Back! Tonight from 7-9 PM we will be having all of our games available for everyone to use and there will be 10% Off all purchases, including drinks and pastries.

So, grab the kids and come on down to start a family tradition, Bittersweet Family Game Night!

If it is successful, maybe we will add the discounts to Sunday Night as well.

Coffee and Chocolate Tasting Postponed

I am sorry to say that the Coffee and Chocolate Tasting that was scheduled for May 16th has been postponed. When I can I will reschedule as soon as possible. Please update your schedules and keep an eye on us for any other changes.

Thank you for your understanding.

Great music, good times this Friday night!

Just wanted to remind you all that my dear friend Joshua Pinkston and his band "Jefferson Street" will be here at the shop from 7-9pm singing his wonderful tunes for all of you to enjoy. He will have CDs to hand out and during those hours I will personally take 10% off the price of our "Classic" hot chocolate drink (which by the way is GREAT over ice)!

Come join us this Friday night, April 24th 7-9pm!

... for the love of chocolate...

I have a new love.

My new love is a set of triplets, but I'm particular to the "middle" one.

The 70% one, in fact.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Bittersweet Danville now carries chocolate bars from Patric Chocolate in Columbia, MO, in 67%, 70%, and 75% varietals. These AMAZING bars have no emulsifiers or vanilla in their recipies-- only cocoa beans, sugar, and cocoa butter-- which means there is nothing hindering your full chocolate experience. Every single nuance, aroma, flavor profile, and characteristic of these bars comes straight from the bean itself; a result of the careful fermentation and fastidious craftsmanship of Alan McClure, the mastermind behind this spectacular company.

Each bar is made from the same beans grown in the Sambirano Valley in Madagascar. This line of bars makes for a great tasting; come on in and try them side-by-side to experience how this extraordinary chocolate maker can develop varying flavors from the same bean!

(image courtesy of Patric Chocolate)

Event Just Added!

So for all of you keeping track, mark another event in your calendar!

Saturday, May 9th, 12:00-4:00 PM - Absolutely Divine Chocolate Tasting!

Mark Mager will be here from Divine Chocolate, bringing tastes and answering questions about the company.

Divine Chocolate is the world's first farmer-owned Fair Trade chocolate company, founded in the UK in 1997. Divine is a leading Fair Trade brand in the UK and a pioneer in the world of socially responsible enterprise. Divine founded the US company in 2007.

The 45,000 members of Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union in Ghana co-own Divine, guaranteeing the farmers meaningful input into decisions about how Divine is produced and sold. In addition, Kuapa Kokoo receives a share in the profits from their ownership shares and in 2007 celebrated the first distribution of dividends from Divine UK. Divine's ongoing success means that, in addition to the benefits brought by Fair Trade, the farmers also have a secure source of income from their brand ownership that continues to grow year on year.

This is a great opportunity to talk to a chocolate producer on a large scale to find out how it is done and taste the Divine results.

Grab the family and swing on by to taste the Divine!

Customer Appreciation Night Tonight!

Hello fans of Bittersweet!

One Night Only, Tonight, is our annual Customer Appreciation Night from 7:00-9:00 PM. Come by and try the specials, say "HI", and enjoy the treats. Take advantage of our generosity and bring the whole family.

We can't wait to see you!

Something to try at home.....

Just an idea...

In the spirit of collaboration, we got our act together to write this up for Chocolate in Context's Sugar High Friday #29: Raw Chocolate We haven't done this for a while at Bittersweet, so don't expect to find it at our wonderful stores, but feel free to play with the idea!

Gulf Coast Mocha

6T (25 grams) ground coffee
2T (15 grams) roasted chicory
1/2 Cup (80 grams) cocoa nibs
1T (8 grams) dutched cocoa powder
2T (30 grams) sweetened condensed milk
1 Cup (235 grams) boiling water
1 Cup (240 grams) steamed milk
1 French Press

--Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl
--Pour the dry ingredients into the french press and top with the sweetened condensed milk
--Add the boiling water and steamed milk, and stir briskly with a spoon until well blended
--Put the top on the press and allow the mixture to steep for 4 minutes
--Slowly depress the screen on the press until all the solids are collected at the bottom
--Serve in a cappuccino mug and top with cinnamon or whipped cream (or both!)

Aspirin or Chocolate?

Sometimes science advances in that strangest ways. In an article released a few years ago scientists reported that frequent ingestion of chocolate had similar effects on blood clotting as daily aspirin. Hooray! The really great part is that the 'participants' in this study were in fact just folks who got kicked off the aspirin study because they couldn't adhere to the dietary regimen. Why not? They just couldn't stop eating chocolate--even for as little as 24 hours.

We know how they feel...

Here's another reference from NPR, in case you like your news in audio format :-)

The Easter Bunny Arrives This Weekend!

Bittersweet has been waiting all spring for this time. We are so excited to see the Easter Bunny here at the Rose Garden Shopping Center this Saturday, April 11th, from 10:30 AM-12:30 PM.

In the midst of all of this excitement there will also be an Easter Egg Hunt that can't be beat. If your little one finds the Golden Egg the Grand Prize is a basket full of goodies for the entire family.

Come join the fun this Saturday here at the Rose Garden Shopping Center and don't forget to bring the kids.

Breakfast Specials!

If you haven't noticed, we have been running weekly breakfast specials for those of you who don't have time to choose from our vast menu of drinks and morning pastries!
This week we have our wonderfully spiced Chocolate Chai partnered with a Morning Glory muffin for low low price of $4.95!

If you're in a hurry, Bittersweet is the place to go for your morning bites... no long arduous lines here!

Spring Fling Events at Bittersweet!

Here we go! This is what we have planned for this spring. Mark your calendars now, you won't want to miss a thing. Don't forget that the Chocolate Tasting has limited seating, so reserve your now!

There is a downloadable flier in the left column under Events for you to print out.

Thursday, April 16^th, 7:00-9:00 PM – Customer Appreciation Night

Our way of saying Thank You for helping us make Bittersweet the place to be, join us for tastings, treats, and surprises!

Friday, April 24^th, 7:00-9:00 PM – Jefferson Street Performs

A big hit from our last event season, your favorite local band plays acoustically for your pleasure!

Thursday, April 30^th, 7:00-9:00 PM – Family Game Night!

A chance to mix games and chocolate and bring the family together, we will have specials and great games for the whole family to play!

Thursday, May 7^th, 7:00-9:00 PM – Chocolate Tasting with Seneca Klassen

Theme yet to be determined, but the highly requested chocolate tasting is back! Don’t miss out! Save your place with just a $5 fee, signup now!

Saturday, May 16^th, 2:00-4:00 PM – Coffee Cupping and Chocolate Pairing

Discover why Bittersweet is what it is with a coffee cupping and chocolate pairing in one! Learn what makes great coffee and what flavors to pair with a good cup.

Thursday, May 21^st, 7:00-9:00 PM – Gear Up for Summer Ice Cream Social!

Bittersweet is getting ready for summer with special on all of our Ice Cream Treats! Help us celebrate thelonger days and warm weather to come.

Join us This Spring for all the fun in Danville!

This Friday Brush Up Your Shakespeare!

This is a reminder to joi us this Friday for a Special Event from 7-10 PM we will be hosting a thoroughly enjoyable cultural phenomenon.

Sponsored by the City of Danville, we are happy to host a cultural event, which includes a participatory reading of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." Bring your friends, family, and a copy of the play to this free event. No theatrical experience necessary! Rookies, experts, and kids welcome! Plays are a lot more fun when they are read aloud.

We will be staying open an extra hour just for this event!

You don't want to miss the fun that is educational too. A great way for budding young actors to test their prowess.

See ya here!