Fusing Chocolate and Bee Pollen: One Truffle at a Time

Not too long ago, David Griffin oversaw the manufacturing of car transmissions for major car companies. 

But last summer he dived head-first into something else that revved his engine - chocolate.

"I spent time as a manufacturing engineer, so I understand the process of making 'things,' and I just utilize that expertise," he said. 

His new passion - and business - comes inside a thin, dark chocolate shell that infuses not just a variety of flavors into a ganache, but a variety of nutrients.

"There is actually a science to it. You get a good chocolate experience if you can melt the outer shell and the inner ganache at the same time. When that happens, you tend to get a very pleasant chocolate experience," Griffin said.

That's right. Griffin's new store located in Legacy Place, , gives shoppers a unique combination of satisfying a desire for exquisite chocolate and ingredients like cayenne pepper, Earl Grey tea and pomegranate. 

Some infusions don't raise an eyebrow - take pomegranate and peanut butter for instance - but others, like bee pollen and hops, might never make it into a Hershey bar.

"That is the plan, to include a lot of the things that have therapeutic ingredients," said Griffin, adding the product line will change continuously. 

"It's the right combination of dark chocolate and whatever the nutrient is - and it is very good for you."

For the peculiar combinations and help baking the chocolate, Griffin turned to a pastry chef, Clarissa Madden, who works out of Jamaica Plain preparing the product, Griffin said.

Griffin, along with his wife, opened the store in May with a selection of hand-made chocolates. When he isn't dipping the goods in the store or describing the benefits of his products, he bounces around ideas for new combinations - including a ganache with mushroom.

"When I stand there and show [customers] there is a truffle with olive oil in it, it really gets their attention, because they've never seen or heard of anything like that," he said. 

Griffin prepared for his switch from transmissions to chocolates by not just researching how to make a high-quality treat, but by taking a culinary class as well. 

After exploring franchise options, Griffin ultimately decided to go the independent route, taking lessons-learned from when he and his wife owned a Chicago coffee shop in the 1980s.

"That was our first foray into the retail business. That was another reason why I felt comfortable with chocolate, because I had done retail before," Griffin said. "This is the type of setting, where, if successful, it will allow me to do other things."

Griffin first balked at moving his independent shop into , fearing the rent would exceed what he wanted to spend - but after looking more into the location, he found a spot that would suit his needs and not break his budget.

"I looked at the total rent, and it was a little above my budget, but I figured the traffic would offset any increase in the budget," he said.

His original business plan called for not just chocolate, but coffee and gelato as well, but the limited size of the space will put those plans on hold, he said. Chocolate Therapy will serve hot and iced hot chocolate as well as espresso though, he said.

"Chocolate is a multi-billion dollar industry. I just want a very, very small sliver. That will do me very nicely," he said.

Admittedly, it may take many "therapeutic" sessions to realize the full benefits of the nutrients, but Griffin said he isn't trying to tell people they will do so from just one of his chocolates.

"It's just that it tastes good, and there are healthy, therapeutic ingredients to go with it - versus what is out there on the market, which are loaded with sugars and loaded with preservatives and just not a good chocolate experience," he said.

"Compared to transmissions, it was not that difficult of a task to make chocolate."