Ayako Ogino, who lives in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, often visits her beloved aunt with her children. Her aunt's fireplace showroom "Woodpecker" in Kanazawa City is a place where Ayako feels at ease.
"The coffee my aunt brews when the fireplace is lit is so delicious. I'm busy with work and childcare on weekdays, so I feel so relaxed when I come here on weekends. Time just flows by slowly. Sometimes she even bakes pizza in the fireplace. My younger daughters probably think it's a cafe (laughs)."
One day, as a thank you for her usual kind hospitality, she brought "Colorful Chocolat Bucket."
"The biggest size is perfect for my daughters. We have three sisters, ages 7, 3, and 1, so they're always fighting over snacks. So I thought something party-like would be fun for a souvenir. With this type that has a lot, they can choose without fighting. On this day, my eldest daughter liked kinako, my second daughter liked white, and my youngest, who made her chocolate debut with Chocolat de Familia, surprisingly liked Earl Grey tea (!). Her taste is quite adult, isn't it? (laughs)."
"Welcome! What flavor would you like?"
"I'd like the milk flavor."
"Sorry, it's sold out!"
The three sisters' little play (laughs) suddenly began. As they watched this exchange while picking at the chocolates, the two got so engrossed in conversation that Ayako ended up staying longer than usual.
"My aunt said, 'There are a lot of flashy chocolates out there, but these are simple and cute, and they make me feel so warm.' Hearing that, I realized that today's comfort was thanks to these."
The atmosphere and taste of the chocolates contributed to that cozy feeling.
An-chan, the eldest daughter who loves chocolate so much that she collects it from all over the world, also has Chocolat de Familia chocolates as one of her favorite collections. She selected "Colorful Chocolat Bottle," which is compact and easy to mail, as she wants to share it with her childhood friend in Hawaii with whom she exchanges letters. She's also preparing a card to send with it for Valentine's Day.
"My recommended flavors are white and kinako. After you eat them, tell me which one you like. Please reply."
"My daughter chose these, saying, 'They don't have these chocolates in Hawaii, do they? I hope she likes them.' She thought the whole family could eat them. My daughters are still pen pals in this day and age. Isn't it wonderful that modern kids are connected by letters? I'm really looking forward to seeing how long their seven-year-old correspondence lasts. Knowing my daughter, I'm sure she'll patiently write letters (laughs)."
Profile
The Ogino Ayako family lives in their hometown of Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. They are raising three sisters aged 7, 3, and 1. They practice "Tabiiku" (travel education), enjoying childcare through travel, and the information they share from their various domestic and international trips is a great reference for parent-child travel.
Instagram:@ayako.ogino
