Chocoholic's Dream Job: Helix High Grad Brooke Feldman Savors it

Monday may have been a big day for chocolate, but for La Mesa native Brooke Feldman, chocolate is a hit every day of the year.

Feldman (Helix High class of ’97) is the marketing communications director at San Diego-based Chuao Chocolatier, a nationally recognized brand built by two UCSD alums—Michael and Richard Antonorsi.

“I was introduced to Chuao Chocolatier because it’s sold at Whole Foods Market, where I worked in marketing for a few years. I fell in love with the products because not only were they all natural and made with ethically sourced cacao, the flavors were unlike anything I’d ever heard of,” Feldman said.

Chuao’s sales director tried to recruit Feldman then, but Feldman told her she wasn’t looking for a job. After going on a tour around the factory, however, Feldman realized it was an opportunity she couldn’t resist. “Let’s just say it was so amazing that I started working there two days later,” she said.

Feldman recommends Chuao newbies sample the Firecracker, which she describes as a “must-try”—dark chocolate with chipotle caramel, popping candy and salt. “It makes grown-ups act like children,” she said. “Their eyes get all big and they start giggling with every pop and sizzle. One of my favorite things to do is offer a Firecracker to someone without telling them what it is and just sit back and watch them.”

Her favorite flavor? She said it changes all the time. “Right now it’s the Fragolina, which we only have for Valentine’s. It’s a port-drenched dried strawberry enrobed in dark chocolate ganache. It’s so rich and luscious and is best enjoyed with a glass of red. Another fave is our Spicy Maya hot chocolate. Nothing compares. It’s like the Mexican hot chocolate I grew up with, but even more decadent, and the chiles tickle the back of my throat on the finish.”

THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY: Young civic-minded La Mesans who want to be involved with the city’s future have their chance with the recent vacancy on the Environmental Sustainability Commission.

The panel advises the City Council about how the city’s actions and policies affect the quality of the environment and assists in identifying measures to improve La Mesa’s environmental sustainability. Applicants must live within La Mesa city limits and be 21 or under. Applications are on the city’s website or can be picked up at the City Clerk’s Office in City Hall. Commission meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the city manager’s conference room.

THERE’S A PARTY IN THEIR TUMMIES: Want to dine La Mesa-Spring Valley School District-style? Shoot for these stats when piecing together breakfast and lunch: A meal must contain less than 30 percent fat, less than 10 percent saturated fat, 450-588 breakfast calories and 600–783 lunch calories.