The Curious Chocolatier business is for sale.  There is so much potential here for a small home or shop business.  All the ground work has been done with an established chocolate bar range in established high end retailers and an online store. Included in the sale would be the recipes and packaging for the Curious Chocolatier designer chocolate bar range, our famous sea salt caramel truffles, brownie mixes, and hot chocolate.  The potential for this business is astounding.  The business can be extended to high end farmers markets and extended into boutique chocolate bon bons, gift hampers or your very own store.  I can teach you what you need to know and a brand new chocolate tempering machine takes all of the hard work out of tempering chocolate.  If this sounds like the small business you are looking for or you want to extend your own product line,  Contact me on Heidi@curiouschocolateshop.com.au with your details and I will be in touch. Read More

Wow,  It has been some time since I have written on this blog.  As many of you know I started making french macarons to sell at the market while I was there to promote the new online business.  Well.  Didn't that take over my life.  Read More

Hand Made Market Read More

If you have not heard about the macaron revolution, then I can only say that you are really missing out.  Labeled the "new cupcake" and made famous by Master chefs Adriano Zumbo, the Macaron has taken over my life. Read More

Forest Gump's mother told him life was like a box of chocolates and that you never know what your going to get.  My mother told me that life was like a roller-coaster with lots of ups and downs.  When I think back on my life I see some obvious highs and lows.  High- going to Disney land as a child. Low- divorce of parents.  High- gaining a stepfather ( lets call him 'M') who enriched my life beyond measure. High- graduating from university. High- great career in the air-force. High- nursing lovely people back to health. High- getting married and having two healthy kids.  High- starting my own business online shop and blog.  Who said life had to have lows?  I like the view from up here! Read More

Autumn in Canberra is my favourite time of the year.  The mornings are crisp but the days are sunny and still warm.  The leaves on the trees change to a beautiful array of orange and red colours.  

The best thing about autumn though is the Ross family pilgrimage to Bungendore just outside Canberra to pick a couple of bucketful's of chestnuts.  

The kids love donning the protective gloves to protect against the prickly burrs but usually they just stand on the spiky balls and the chestnut pops out to many squeals of delight.



Sometimes I feel guilty, because despite starting this business so I could work around my children's needs, I would say I still work more then the standard working week.  So to take some family time out, drive to the country, show the kids where their food comes from is a really important part of our family time.

I would like to encourage everyone, children or no children to get out there to explore where food is coming from.  Go to the farmers gate and buy directly from them.  Buying food fresh from the producer is not only nutritionally better but makes for a great day out.



After our big day out we came home and showed the kids how to roast the chestnuts.  Simply cut a cross through the shell down to the nut at the top of the chestnut and place in a hot oven for 10minutes.  While they are still warm wrap them in a tea towel and then start peeling.  This can be a labour of love but again it is the whole experience of picking and preparing your own food.

We used a recipe for chestnut soup given to us by the producer and it was fantastic.  I can't wait for next year. Read More

I can't say I have ever been one for self-promotion.  It does not seem to be the Australian way. However, I have quickly learnt that in order to survive in business in a global economy promotion is increasingly important. After all, there is not much point having everything ready to sell if no-one knows your there!

 Read More

So here I am.  Heidi Ross Chocolatier.  Living the dream.  Or at least the owner of the fabulously chic The Curious Chocolatier.  You can read all about me on the "about us" page on the Curious Chocolatier website, but here I will be filling you in on the not so fairy-tale like experience of starting your own micro business

 Read More