Get Inspired

Inspiration can come in the oddest of places. Sometimes from that thing someone says in passing, an outrageous hair do or a classic canadian radio host. I wake up every morning to CBC radio one. I love, love, love talk radio.Well not all talk radio, sports and me never really got along. O.K. I know this makes me a huge nerd but I love me some CBC. So, when I met someone who's inspiration for chocolate was Andy Barry I knew immediately we were kindred spirits of the Anne of Green Gables variety. Leyla, owner of Art Square Gallery and Cafe moved to Canada from Istanbul and first started listening to CBC to get a sense of Canadian culture and help improve her English. Her love and devotion grew from there. She confessed, "We are kind of addicted to CBC". For anyone who listens to the same individual, daily, talk about culture, politics, and your city you start to befriend that person. I know I sound crazy but hear me out. For Leyla and I, Andy Barry is and sadly was that person you trust for your information every morning. And of course also someone you admire. "I like Andy Barry. He makes us laugh and sometimes cry." Leyla was so inspired by Andy, she made a truffle in his honour. She named her vodka, pure lemon oil and roasted lemon truffle the 'Andy Barry'. She even went to his farewell party with her daughter and brought him some personally.

Below: the Andy Barry.

Leyla has other truffles named after people who inspire her, the Sara Diamond (the President of neighboring OCAD) for her bubbly and curly hair- like champagne. See below:

Or the Frank Gehry, who despite what some people may think is actually born in Canada. So Leyla made sure to let people know it, with a classic Canadian chocolate pairing of maple syrup and organic Ontario wine. There a story behind most chocolates and I am beginning to learn behind most of the chocolatiers as well. Suddenly, I am getting a hankering for some chocolate with my morning talk radio.