It's been 10 years since I hung up my toque as a professional chef and began my journey as a full-time Chocolatier.

I had been fascinated by chocolate since making my first truffles and pastries as a young student at the California Culinary Academy. That enchantment continued, often making delicious chocolate treats as part of my work in country clubs, boutique hotels, and fine dining restaurants. My passion for cuisine served me well over the years and I developed a repertoire of techniques and recipes, yet somehow I desired something more.

You could say I was bitten by the chocolate bug. You could also say my entrepreneurial clock went off. I was ready for a new phase in my culinary career to begin.

In the spring of 1996, with a nod of approval from my wife and closest friend Christine, I began creating a specialty chocolate company. I explored traditional confectionery methods and discovered contemporary techniques for formulation, flavor, and presentation. We converted our home kitchen and living room into a miniature chocolate lab to develop recipes and make samples. In the following months a company name, image, and business model came to be. In June of 1997, B.T. McElrath Chocolatier was incorporated and leased space at the former Minnesota research labs of General Mills in S.E. Minneapolis.

The transition from chef to chocolatier went smoothly and, as interest in the chocolates grew, Christine joined me full time. Together we set out to build on what I had started. Over several years, our company has grown to serve a national market for super-premium chocolate candies.

So, here we are in a new century. The times still "are-a-changin’ " and America's love for chocolate has taken a meteoric, upward trajectory. Dark chocolate has become the new "it food" of this generation. My approach to flavor, which included savory items from the very beginning, is now imitated by artisan producers across the country.

In 1996 there weren't a lot of us out there. I used to get some interesting looks when offering samples of truffles infused with herbs, chilies, and balsamic vinegar but currently, every region of America now has dedicated artisans satisfying the desires of true chocolate lovers. Large established producers are getting in on the action.  School children often prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate, and some want to know the cocoa percentage and origin!

Changes indeed and I'm all for it.

Aficionados of my chocolates have seen them evolve over the years. Recently I’ve made adjustments to the assortment that reflect the developing tastes of chocolate aficionados in the modern era.  B.T. McElrath fans will discover a few refinements to old favorites and the introduction of some exciting new items.

But certain things have not changed and simply stated, my commitment to you my consumers remains the same:

• Innovative flavors and unique presentations that create a WOW! experience for you each time you taste them.
• All-natural ingredients, no hydrogenated fats or oils
• Fresh dairy products from local creameries, pure cane sugar
• Higher cocoa percentages in both milk and dark covertures
• Sourcing of ingredients and chocolate products with socially responsible policies
• A balance of shell-molded and enrobed pieces

Thank you all for your continued support of B.T. McElrath Chocolatier!

Warmest regards,