Du Jour: Steven Lawrence

After a summer hiatus, chocolate maker Steven Lawrence returned to the Main Street Market last week to sell his hand-dipped confections. Lawrence, a transplant to Baton Rouge from the Northwest, says southern cocktail culture has influenced a number of his flavors since his move to Louisiana two years ago, including his take on the Sazerac, dark chocolate with rye whiskey, absinthe, bitters and lemon. “It went over really, really well,” says Lawrence. Mint Julep will make an appearance soon, assisted by fresh mint’s long growing season. And he’ll have Milk Punch, named for the holiday beverage Lawrence had never heard of before moving to Baton Rouge. It features bourbon, nutmeg and milk chocolate dipped in Lawrence’s standard formula of tempered bittersweet French chocolate.

Lawrence started in the pastry arts in his hometown, Denver, first at the Fairmont Hotel and later with a fine dining restaurant group. A move to Seattle later resulted in a job with the formidable confectionary, Fran’s Chocolates, which grew significantly over the course of Lawrence’s six years there.

Lawrence says he likes the intimacy of what he does today. His detailed, tiny finished products are the result of three days of focused precision. Steps include crafting the flavored fillings, or ganaches, cutting squares to size, and dipping each piece by hand into rich, Valrhona chocolate. Lawrence says he’s a shy guy at heart, but that he likes the interaction with customers at the Farmers Market. “It’s been great,” he says. “It’s one thing to talk about salted caramel or rosemary caramel. It’s another thing to give someone a sample and watch their reaction.”

Lawrence’s booth features 10 rotating flavors and will be located indoors at the Main Street Market on the first Saturday each month this fall, throughout the month of December and during peak downtown weekend events.

To read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.