CleverRoot

1 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t MEET YOUR MAKERS Introducing the people across the country behind the food we love to eat by Jessie Birschbach PASTRY CHEF JOCELYN GRAGG, owner of Atlanta-based Jardí Chocolates, readily cops to being a workaholic—in fact, she says that's "a very nice way of putting it." "I joke that I quit restaurants so I can spend more time with [her husband] Jacob, but that didn't end up happening," she admits. "I spend more time here than I ever did at restaurants." Gragg, who comes from a scientific-minded family from Long Island, says her parents were not "super keen" when she decided at age 7 that she wanted to become a chef. "They really wanted me to do something differ- ent. My mom is a chemistry teacher, my sister has her Ph.D., my dad owns his own business, and my brother is in robotics," she explains. They did, however, help pay for her education, and after Gragg obtained her degree in baking and pastry arts from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, she began working as a pastry chef in fine-dining establishments like The Georgian Room on Sea Island on the Georgia Coast. In addition to selling Jardí's products at farmers markets, Gragg also offers her chocolates online while customizing orders for clients like Santa Margherita wine company and Castle & Key Distillery in Kentucky. The tireless pastry chef, who also offers chocolate-making classes at Jardí's production facility, opts to use naturally colored cocoa butter for her con- fections. "Very few chocolatiers use natural coloring because they're much harder to work with," she explains of the unconventional choice. "I don't like eating a lot of artificial stuff, as do most people. Also, I didn't want to be inhaling it all day!" Opening a box of Jardí chocolates is akin to revealing the contents of a gem-filled treasure chest: They're vibrant and bright with the flavors to match. A random selection will likely exhibit Gragg's propensity for drawing out the savory side of sweets. "I work mostly with dark chocolate because of its ability to carry flavor," she says. "It's a better blank canvas." The Herbs de Provence, for example, immediately intrigues with its strik- ing marbled-white-and-clover-green hue. Its dark-chocolate shell, filled with a white chocolate, thyme, and lemon ganache, is finished on the bottom with a dried-lavender-and-thyme salt. "When you first put it in your mouth it's an explosion of salt, then once the chocolate and the citrus start melting into that salty component, it comes together really nicely on the palate right as the herbal, floral top notes kick in," Gragg says. Despite their initial reticence, Gragg's parents are now very much onboard with her career. "My dad likes to say that he loves everything I've ever made with the exception of basil ice cream, which was just too weird for him!" she says. tireless pastry chef, who also offers chocolate-making classes at Jardí's production facility, opts to use naturally colored cocoa butter for her con- fections. "Very few chocolatiers use natural coloring because they're much harder to work with," she explains of the unconventional choice. "I don't like eating a lot of artificial stuff, as do most people. Also, I didn't want to be inhaling it all day!" Opening a box of Jardí chocolates is akin to revealing the contents of a gem-filled treasure chest: They're vibrant and bright with the flavors to match. A random selection will likely exhibit Gragg's propensity for drawing out the savory side of sweets. "I work mostly with dark chocolate because of its ability to carry flavor," she says. "It's a better blank canvas." The Herbs de Provence, for example, immediately intrigues with its strik- ing marbled-white-and-clover-green hue. Its dark-chocolate shell, filled with a white chocolate, thyme, and lemon ganache, is finished on the bottom with a dried-lavender-and-thyme salt. "When you first put it in your mouth it's an explosion of salt, then once the chocolate and the citrus start melting into that salty component, it comes together really nicely on the palate right as the herbal, floral top notes kick in," Gragg says. Despite their initial reticence, Gragg's parents are now very much onboard with her career. "My dad likes to say that he loves everything I've ever made with the exception of basil ice cream, which was just too weird for him!" she says. PASTRY CHEF JOCELYN GRAGG, OWNER OF JARDÍ CHOCOLATE, PREFERS THE SAVORY SIDE OF CONFECTION Bitter Sweet An inventive riff on a Mai Tai, the Jardí Chocolate Bar #5 features Valrhona Almond Inspiration chocolate filled with lime-and-rum white chocolate ganache and finished with a touch of orange flower water. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICHARDSON MEDIA HOUSE ■cr

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