Farrel wrote:
> A few years ago I and my family enthusiastically signed up for a tour
> of a "chocolate factory." I was expecting to see roasted cocoa beans
> on one side of the factory and chocolate on the other. Instead I saw
> that the factory started with 5 kg or 10 kg slabs of chocolate
> purchased from chocolate wholesalers. Slabs were tossed into a giant
> cauldron of molten chocolate in the middle of the factory. Molten
> chocolate was then taken from there to make a huge variety of
> chocolate candies some of which were specifically designed for the
> local market.
>
> I told the owner of my surprise about not seeing chocolate being made.
> He explained that there were only about 12 chocolate makers in the
> whole world. Companies such as Hershey, Cadbury, Nestle, Mars and
> Ghirardelli fit into that category. However, companies such as Godiva,
> Sees and thousands of others make chocolate products but do not make
> chocolate itself.
>

> I thought the readers of this group would be interested in this
> knowledge. Can those of you in the know confirm it?
>
> Which other companies make chocolate as opposed to create and market
> chocolate products?
>


Try Scharffen Berger, I think they have a great show in Berkeley as
well as
a chocolate cafe. There is another SFBA maker beside Scharffen Berger and
Ghirardelli. Oh yes, Guittard and they most likely make their stuff
from beans.

Most likely Michel Cluizel does his own since I am sure that I have seen
pure varietals and 99% Chocolate bars at Fog City News, in addition to the
bourchons which are exquisite (when fresh) which are cork shaped bon-bons
with a center of Bordeaux infused ganache. Just to die for.

> So if one is a chocoholic who enjoys all chocolate products but
> particularly likes plain, neat unadulterated chocolate, wouldn't one
> only buy chocolate bars from the chocolate makers.
>
Well I buy stuff from retailers and even Trader Joe's has it own
factory which
was recently moved leading to supply problems. Maybe TJ's factory just
makes
the bars but I think it may be working on the chocolate production as well.
Last I heard it was in Belgium though.

> By the way the the factory I visited was Sherm Edwards Candies in
> Trafford, PA. The tour was lots of fun and the owner was friendly and
> enthusiastic.
>
> Where does one go to tour a chocolate factory that makes chocolate. A
> few years ago we went to Hershey, PA but that factory tour was not a
> factory tour instead it was a simulated factory a la Disney style -
> nice, very nice but not the real deal.
>
San Francisco Bay Area, www.sharffenberger.com to check the current
situation.

I you can find anything about tours of the other factories via
Google kindly let us know.

later
bliss -- C O C O A Powered... (at california dot com)

--
bobbie sellers - a retired nurse in San Francisco

"It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
It is by the beans of cocoa that the thoughts acquire speed,
the thighs acquire girth, the girth become a warning.
It is by theobromine alone I set my mind in motion."
--from Someone else's Dune spoof ripped to my taste.