Former attorney leaves the courtroom to craft luxurious chocolate.
By Barbie Perkins-Cooper

Stepping inside the aromatic setting of Askinosie Chocolate Factory tempts the taste buds of anyone who craves chocolate. Located at 514 E. Commercial in a building that dates to 1894, the Springfield, Mo., chocolate factory is the new passion of Shawn Askinosie, a former criminal defense attorney who chose to leave the courtroom scene to become a chocolatier.

Above: Shawn Askinoise creates chocolate from cacao beans grown in Mexico and South America. Barbie Perkins-Cooper photo Below: The Askinosie Chocolate Factory is in the commercial district of Springfield. Askinosie Chocolate Factory photo

Askinosie picked up cooking and later baking as a hobby in 1999. As time progressed, he discovered he wanted to learn more about chocolate, especially the art of roasting cacao beans and the art of chocolate making.

Researching his newfound passion, Askinosie chose to learn all he could about the chocolate industry. He found a new calling while traveling to meet with farmers in Mexico and South America. Askinosie Chocolate Factory now is raising the bar to a new standard for the artistry of chocolate making.

Askinosie works diligently, roasting chocolate beans, grinding and melting the chocolate until it meets his high standards. The artistry of making chocolate requires time and patience. Cacao beans are stored in a climate-controlled environment. The beans are cleaned and roasted at a high temperature, a process to roasting coffee beans. Askinosie wants to create the perfect, most delectable flavor he can to the chocolate beans.

Tempering, a delicate procedure of melting chocolate at just the right temperature, is one of the most difficult procedures.

“If the temperature is one degree off, the batch of chocolate is ruined,” said Askinosie. “The art of making chocolate is a lot harder than baking cupcakes.”

Askinosie chocolate has a gloss and snap, one of the secret qualities of pure chocolate artistry.

After reaching professional burn out, Askinosie said he’s blessed to find a new passion in baking and chocolate artistry. During school tours at the factory, he stresses the importance of education and goals to students, encouraging them to follow their passions. Tours are held every Tuesday at 3 p.m., and cost $3 for adults and $2 for children 5 years and older. All of that revenue is put back into Chocolate University, a program with Drury University for the children at Boyd-Berry Elementary School. The factory is near Springfield’s largest homeless shelter and many of these children in need attend the school. The students learn about business and different cultures.

Giving back is part of Askinosie’s business; he also shares profits with the cacao bean farmers in Mexico and South America. In fact, the factory is the first outside of Mexico to make chocolate from the Soconusco bean in more than 100 years.

Askinosie demonstrates daily that following a dream and believing in yourself is a great recipe for success and happiness.

Barbie Perkins-Cooper is a new contributor from South Carolina.