Chocolate blues

Followers of artisan chocolate maker Steve Lawrence were officially heartbroken this weekend after he appeared as a shopper and not a vendor at the Red Stick Farmers Market, and reported news that he and his family are moving to Austin, TX. For the last couple of years, a growing fan base has visited Lawrence’s indoor booth at the Saturday market to experience his hand-crafted, gilded bites made from French Valrhona chocolate in flavors like salted caramel, rosemary and hazelnut. At times inspired by the region’s bounty and culture, Lawrence themed chocolates around mayhaw, local honey and the Spanish Town parade (Key lime and white chocolate) and provided us a lovely expression of a meal’s last word. The rich, luscious little pavés presented balance and decadence at the same time. Alas, despite the world’s click-and-order sensibilities, chocolate isn’t the easiest thing to ship, so the jury’s still out on the enduring availability of his goods outside Austin. If anything, this is further evidence of the powerful exchange that develops at the market and elsewhere between those who produce hand-crafted goods and those who appreciate them.