LOCALadk Magazine

16 Winter 2020 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Shelby Connelly, owner of Five Elements Living and Apoth- ecar y Chocolates, lives in Colton, New York. Shelby has a degree in psychology from SUNY Potsdam and a master's degree in acupuncture from the Traditional Acupuncture In- stitute. She has been in private practice in the North Countr y since 1998. As a certified acupuncturist she specializes in ad- diction treatment and cancer care through Claxton Hepburn Medical Center and Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Five Elements Living is a beautiful space that has a calming effect as soon as you walk in. The boutique inn offers intimate luxur y accommodations, acupuncture treatments, wom- en-centered functional medicine workshops, health-driven cooking classes, and small-batch-made Apothecar y Choco- lates. "I started Five Elements Living as a way to bring people together to laugh, love, and learn. As an extension of my personal practice, I wanted a beautiful space that envel- oped Healing, created Joy, and inspired Creativity. With an idea to use chocolate in ways that would nurture instead of causing guilt, I was blessed to find two of the most creative, innovative chocolatiers in the North Countr y. Together, we designed a line of chocolates that taste uniquely incredible, indulgently luxurious, and strengthens our commitment to local curators who share our philosophy." Apothecar y Chocolates creates handmade chocolates that will leave your mind, body, and spirit sated. It brings togeth- er delicious chocolates combined with the taste and scent of the Adirondacks. Chocolates are made using ingredients such as locally produced maple and birch syrup, har vested chaga, hard cider, and extract from balsam. This is a choco- late you experience with ever y sense. Chocolatier Angela Ballou has over 10 years' experience making chocolate. Each batch is made by hand, ensuring their uniqueness. Ever y bar is hand-poured and wrapped individu- ally in creative and well-thought-out labels. The bars come in four collections and carr y names unique as the chocolates themselves. The Apothecar y Collections include Beauty, Immunity, Composure, Brain and Sex. These bars feature adaptogenic herbs, which are nontoxic plants that can help your body adapt to stress and fatigue. The Colton Collection uses premium Fair Trade Belgian Chocolate. The three coffee crunch bars are made with St. Lawrence Valley Roaster's cof- fee that is turned into a crunch and blended with the choc- olate. The Wildwood Collection is my personal favorite and includes many Adirondack ingredients. The Woodsman is a milk chocolate with r ye whiskey, coffee, and real maple syr- up —yes, all that in one bar. The Ruby Collection is probably the most unique, as it gets its name from ruby cacao beans and presents in a beautiful pink color and one-of-a-kind fla- vor. The line includes A Wink of Pink, Desire, Apology and Grace Under Fire. It is apparent that as much thought goes into each bar as into the name and presentation of the label. Spending an afternoon with Shelby and Angela allowed me to see, and of course taste, how passionate they are about delivering quality chocolate. Their truffle line is a combina- tion of satisf ying sweetness with an artistic presentation. If you are looking for a special gift for someone throughout the year, a box of these truffles would make a lasting impression. The line includes Artisanal, Maple, Maple Bourbon Cream and (my favorite) Sea Salt Cayenne Caramels. The chocolates are sold online and in a few local shops in the Adirondacks, including the Adirondack Store and The Good Bite in Lake Placid and Oil Well and ADK Home in Old Forge. To order on- line visit www.apothecar ychcolates.com. To learn more about Five Elements Living, visit www.fiveelementsliving.com Treat Yourself: Apothecary Chocolates and Five Elements Living By Anne Brewer Owner Shelby Connelly

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