I love research. And when it’s about food, even better.
Living the writer’s dream for me is about delving into subjects I’m interested in and absorbing a mass of information and, preferably, sensory experience. And it really doesn’t get any better than researching one of the greatest things on earth: chocolate.
Chocolate features heavily in my next book and this weekend just gone my lovely (and exceptionally talented) sister and I headed into Brisbane for an afternoon of making chocolates and ganaches by hand. I have to say, though, that they worked us extremely hard. Amanda and I thought we might have a fun afternoon indulging in chocolate. Not so much. More like five hours on our feet, with no breaks, no chairs and (gasp!!!) no coffee!!! I felt like a galley slave.
But I am really glad I went. I learnt many a savvy chocolate making skill for my main
Belgium chocolate ganaches
character to use in her story. And during the two-and-a-half hour drive home I came up with my top line novel plot.
Not a bad day’s work. Not bad at all.
