Orillia chocolatier takes on the world
In the heart of Orillia sits a chocolate shop that is taking on the world.
DWN Chocolate submitted its Old Fashioned bar to an international competition in New York City in September, and it impressed the taste buds of a panel of judges.
"My old-fashioned chocolate bar won a bronze in the craft maker competition," said Nita.
The head chocolatier has been immersed in the confection scene in Ontario for over a decade and decided about five years ago to tackle a new challenge and open her own chocolate factory in the sunshine city.
Over those years, Nita has been perfecting her recipes to separate her products from the pack.
The award-winning Old Fashioned bar is inspired by the classic drink and has a Canadian twist.
"It starts with infusing cocoa nibs in an old-fashioned whisky cocktail which is made by BarChef in Toronto," said Nita.
"The other unique ingredient is sea buckthorn berries, so traditionally old-fashioned drinks are garnished with an orange slice, but instead, we chose to use sea buckthorn."
Since opening the DWN Chocolate brick-and-mortar store in 2021, Nita and her team have been working to fill orders and the shelves as her creamy concoctions have growing in popularity.
Nita attributes her success to her team's focus on local, naturally sourced ingredients that she says begin with the cacao bean. Her attention to detail has led her to help educate local students on the chocolate-making process.
"I'll be hosting my second class with Lakehead [University] in January, and what we do is go through the process of how chocolate is made from being a pod on a tree to a chocolate bar and of course, there will be a lot of chocolate tasting as well," said Nita.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Pastrnak scores winner, Bruins down Leafs 2-1 in overtime in Game 7
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
King Charles III’s openness about cancer has helped him connect with people in year after coronation
King Charles III's decision to be open about his cancer diagnosis has helped the new monarch connect with the people of Britain and strengthened the monarchy in the year since his dazzling coronation at Westminster Abbey.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
The American paradox of protest: Celebrated and condemned, welcomed and muzzled
Americans cherish the right to assemble, to speak out, to petition for the redress of grievances. It's enshrined in the first of the constitutional amendments. They laud social actions of the past and recognize the advances toward equality that previous generations made, often at risk of life and limb. But those same activities can produce anger and outright opposition when life's routines are interrupted, and wariness that those speaking out are outsiders looking to sow chaos and influence impressionable minds.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
A driver dies after crashing into a security barrier around the White House complex, authorities say
A driver died after a vehicle crashed into an outer perimeter gate of the White House complex, and the incident late Saturday was being investigated as a traffic crash, police said. U.S. President Joe Biden was spending the weekend in Delaware, and the Secret Service said there was no threat to the White House.