Join This Logan Square Chocolate Shop For The Sweetest Valentine's Day Event In Town
By Anthony Todd in Food on Jan 31, 2017 3:38PM
Hot Chocolate at Katherine Anne Confections. Photo via Facebook.
Still looking for Valentine's Day plans? Not looking for the traditional fancy sit-down dinner? Consider joining Katherine Anne Confections for an awesome chocolate, wine and charcuterie party on Feb. 12 that is guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Katherine Anne Confections has been cranking out some of Chicago's best chocolate for more than ten years (last fall was the big anniversary). We recently sat down with owner Katherine Duncan to talk to her about business, delicious chocolate, and her awesome Valentine's Day event.
On the event: "Last year, it was a blast. We do eight wines (from Candid Wines) paired 16 sweets for only $70. There are only 16 seats. It sold out very quickly last year. I’d recommend people not do dinner; people had dinner reservations afterward last year, and they ended up being full." There will also be charcuterie from Danke.
On Chicago's chocolate scene: "There is so much great chocolate in other cities. New York has 10 really good chocolatiers. We have what, 3? There’s a lot of room for growth." That's why Duncan is constantly coming up with new products to grow her product line.
On their amazing, decadent drinking chocolate: "The drinking chocolate has been an unmitigated success from the beginning. People absolutely love it. . . . Shockingly, the margin isn’t as good as you would think. Our large drinking chocolate sells for $8, and the cheapest type costs $2 for just the ingredients. When you use really high quality chocolate instead of cocoa powder, plus Kilgus Farms milk and cream, it turns out it costs a lot."
On being a mother and a business owner: "It’s hard and not hard at the same time. It feels like I’ve always been this way, because it’s been two years now. She was born Nov. 1, and I had two weeks off before I did my first 8 hour day in the kitchen, and we bring her everywhere with us! She hangs out with us, we [Katherine and her husband] take turns being parents, and she spends an hour or two of her day at the shop. I didn’t expect it to work out as well as it is, but that’s definitely one of the biggest perks of having a business - you can bring your daughter to work."
On the occasional failure: "There were many things I thought would be a giant success that weren’t. I launched a s’more kit, and people were super exited, and i think we sold literally 4. Abysmal failure."
On the future: Duncan has thought about getting the shop a liquor license, about keeping it open for late nights, and about introducing more savory options. This year, they'll be introducing a small patio, and trying to expand their after-dinner business.
Tickets for the Valentine's Day event are available online, and will sell out quickly, so if you and your sweetie like chocolate and wine (and who doesn't?) buy them now.