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Post by iskak on Nov 12, 2011 23:50:59 GMT -5
Dear all. I am very pleased with the existence of this forum, I'm an Indonesian, Indonesia is the largest producer of cocoa beans to three in the world, and I has 10 years working in the chocolate factory, and I aspire to create their own small company, Thank you for sharing your experience. and with this forum I will continue to learn about the processing of chocolate. I hope my dream come true.
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Post by voltaire on Sept 23, 2013 17:43:58 GMT -5
I like working with things hands on, crafts and the like interest me greatly. While I was unemployed I got bored, one day I decided I wanted to try making chocolate! (kinda outta the blue)
Said and done, 2 weeks later I had beans and sugar handy. Quickly rosted them. (no problem!) I started with the oh so romantic pestle and mortar. I liked the results, albeit a bit grainy.
A while later I sat looking for grinders, in Europe. Settled on one and have since a couple of months been making chocolate regularly. Been tempering with a double boiler and am soon hoping for an upgrade - tempering machine.
Well, that's a short introduction!
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Post by chadmart1076 on Jan 13, 2014 14:03:42 GMT -5
Good morning all. My name is Chad and I may be getting into the chocolate hobby... with aspirations towards potentially turning it into a business.
While researching this site is the primary one that I kept finding and seemed to have a lot of great information on it, so it's the one I keep coming back to. I notice that the boards are a little traffic-lite, but that seems to be true for any niche hobby site.
Anyway, I had initially planned on obtaining a Santha machine as offered on this site, but in reading through some of the threads in the forum category specifically for it, I'm noting that many people have problems with the machine, and that the company may or may not be the most responsive in terms of support... so I think I am going to look into alternate devices.
So, that's where I stand at the moment. I'm just entering into the great world of chocolate, and can't wait to get started on my first batch!
Oh, does anybody know of any places to buy used equipment? I wouldn't mind spending less now on a used machine and if I truly get into the hobby then forking out the bigger money for the better machines!
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Post by Randy on Jan 17, 2014 11:23:42 GMT -5
I got into this thing in September of 2013 and have been doing little else since. My interest came from being an entrepreneurial learning-eager sort of person, I suppose. I like to know how things are done from their most elemental level. One day I asked the Internet how that works with chocolate. With a mortar and pestle, that was the answer. Well. I have that on my shelf now, looking quaint. (It is nice looking, isn't it, Voltaire? ) I've rapidly moved from hobbyist to chocolatier. I'd welcome any of you to visit me at my website, www.TwoRavensChocolate.com , or at my Facebook page by the same name. I'm loving the adventure, and owe a debt of gratitude to this forum for giving me my modest but happy start. I'd like to give back in whatever way I might. I've engineered a couple of very effective tools for small-scale operations like mine -- a winnower that costs about $30 if you have a few woodworking tools, and a vibration table that ran about $100. Anyone wanting details, just ask. I'm most responsive to my email, Randall@TwoRavensChocolate.com To Chadmart, the Santha has proven very reliable for me, with a couple dozen runs under its belt. Speaking of belts, be sure to take it apart and TIGHTEN its belt immediately upon receipt, or you will find it can't effectively turn a full bowl. (Belts are only $5 but I burned one out almost right away before learning this.) But mine runs more than it stands still, and has worked flawlessly since I learned about the belt-tightening concern.
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Post by victorsaxon27 on May 31, 2014 0:04:55 GMT -5
Hi Everyone. Chocolate is something which nobody can resist. I have seldom seen anyone not liking chocolate unless it is restricted for someone having diabetes. My tryst with chocolate actually started when I got married and my wife is real chocolate freak. Post marriage we always used to go different places and have chocolates. I still remember as surprise came to me when I had Rum chocolate. There are myriad types of chocolates to try.
-Victor Saxon
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eg
Neophyte
Posts: 47
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Post by eg on Jul 24, 2015 18:02:55 GMT -5
Hello all,
I have been scouring this website to learn as much as I possibly can, and I think I can say that I've officially caught the chocolate bug. I'm continuing to practice making tiny batches, as I explore the feasibility of starting a small bean-to-bar business. I really appreciate how generous John and others have been with sharing information on this website. Thank you for maintaining this resource.
Cheers!
Enna
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Post by chonette on Oct 12, 2015 23:15:27 GMT -5
I got into making chocolate after buying some cocoa beans at a farmers market in Punta Gorda, Belize, Central America. The funny thing is I thought I was buying almonds and just hadn't looked carefully. I was camping at the time so took them and roasted them in a frying pan over a campfire and then peeled off the shell, ground them (or tried to) with a glass bottle into the bottom of my coffee mug and put them back in the frying pan with milk and sugar. I made some great hot chocolate but was dying to figure out how you can actually refine this stuff for real at home. A year later Chocolate Alchemy showed me the way. Now I have some land in Belize with a couple dozen cacao trees and am planting 2 acres (another 700 trees) this year. Hope your trees are doing well, I got a friend from Tapachula growing coffee.
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Post by Chip on Jan 15, 2018 17:26:10 GMT -5
Hello, Just joined the board after a long, long time of lurking. I want to learn as much as possible and I thank all of you for these past 2 years of interesting reading, advice and ideas! Chip
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Post by Ben on Jan 16, 2018 8:21:06 GMT -5
Welcome, Chip!
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Post by eanbean on Apr 4, 2018 11:29:33 GMT -5
Just realized I didn't have my introduction posted. This is a great Forum that I've been using since 2008. So much great information and many helpful people. John Nanci has done a great service to the chocolate making community. Thank you!
I started Cotton Tree Chocolate in Belize with Jeff Pzena (intro earlier in this post) in 2008.
In 2010 I started indi chocolate in Seattle.
Since the early days of chocolate making in Belize back in 2008, I had a lot of frustration with machines. I now sell the upgraded Premier Chocolate Refiners and Commercial Refiners (available at http://indichocolate.com). I have one of the first Aether Winnowers and it's still in use.
indi chocolate is located in Pike Place Market in Seattle and our chocolate factory is behind glass. We offer classes too. If you're even in Seattle, please come on by and say hello.
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Post by subrosa on Apr 16, 2018 11:53:11 GMT -5
Hello, all. I'm a low carb dieter on the hunt for my ideal low carb chocolate bar. I found the site from looking into allulose as an artificial sweetener, and I've learned a tremendous amount about so many subjects. I also think I have issues with A1 beta casein, and I'm excited about realizing that whole goat milk powder is an option. It's nice to find answers to questions I would have eventually had before I actually had them. I'm not particularly interested in doing full bean to bar, more likely using commercial liquor / butter along with allulose and goat milk powder. My melanger I ordered from indi chocolate should be here tomorrow, and I'm excited to get started.
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Post by Chip on Apr 16, 2018 19:05:44 GMT -5
Hello, all. I'm a low carb dieter on the hunt for my ideal low carb chocolate bar. I found the site from looking into allulose as an artificial sweetener, and I've learned a tremendous amount about so many subjects. I also think I have issues with A1 beta casein, and I'm excited about realizing that whole goat milk powder is an option. It's nice to find answers to questions I would have eventually had before I actually had them. I'm not particularly interested in doing full bean to bar, more likely using commercial liquor / butter along with allulose and goat milk powder. My melanger I ordered from indi chocolate should be here tomorrow, and I'm excited to get started. Welcome! This place has so much to offer and you can spend months and months learning all kinds of stuff! Also, don't be afraid to ask questions!
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