An Interview with Annika Pfluger of Red Thread Confections

web site: http://redthreadconfections.com/

What will you be bringing to the Albany Holiday Studio Sale?
Annika Pfluger: I'll be bringing a selection of my hand painted artisan chocolates as well as my old fashioned peanut brittle, chocolate covered espresso beans and my double chocolate and spicy Aztec hot cocoa mix.

What is your process and/or inspiration?
Annika Pfluger: Red Thread Confections is a unique artisan handcrafted chocolate business. I hand paint each chocolate with organic all naturally colored cocoa butter. I trained at Ecole Chocolat based in Vancouver, Canada and studied artisan chocolates and confections at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. I got the inspiration for my company from the ancient Chinese Legend of the Red Thread: “At birth, an invisible red thread connects us to everyone in our life who will become important to us. That thread may stretch and shrink over time, but it will never break." As an adoptive parent, the red thread legend is very close to my heart. I believe that my son was connected to me by the invisible red thread at birth and that he will also be forever connected to his birth family and birth country by that same red thread. Red Thread Confections honors the red thread legend by donating a portion of the proceeds from each sale to orphanages in Guatemala, Ethiopia and China. Another part of our mission is to create red thread connections with each of our customers – once you try our chocolates, you’ll be forever connected as well!

What else would you like us to know about yourself?
Annika Pfluger: In addition to owning and operating Red Thread Confections, I'm also a professional classical cellist - my website is http://albanycellolessons.com. I have more than 20 years of performing and teaching experience. I have a Master of Music degree from Boston University, and was a Fulbright grant recipient for study at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. I formerly taught chamber music at Harvard University Mather House, competed with the chamber ensemble “Kammerton” in the International Festival Van Flaandern competition in Bruges, Belgium and has recorded for WGBH Boston. In addition to an active private teaching studio, I teach cello at Woodland Hill Montessori School in East Greenbush, NY and at the Bethlehem Children's School in Slingerlands, NY.