Forum Activity for @Felipe Jaramillo F.

Drain Frame for wet grinder.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Nice! A clever idea to get the last bit of chocolate from the stones. I usually remove the stones and put them on the marble slab as the there may be some slightly rough, unground nib pieces in the top that will drop when scratching.

Drain Frame for wet grinder.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for the tip.

Drain Frame for wet grinder.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

There is a small delrin piece known as batter cleaning system (because it was developed for the batter). You place this piece on top of the grinder vessel. Place the roller stone on top of it, use one hand to hold the top of the roller holder and with the other hand manually rotate the conical stones. The batter cleaner cleans the chocolate stuck to the stones and the chocolate falls into the vessel. This simple device reduces the wastage of chocolate. Batter cleaning system is included with the CocoaT melangers. If you need to order just the batter cleaner, you can order it from http://www.innoconcepts.com/grind+parts.htm

Drain Frame for wet grinder.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

A simple angle steel frame bolted together to hold the grinding stones above an Ultra wet grinder. This can help when cleaning the finished chocolate off the grinder stones. You might think of it as being a third hand.
updated by @Frank Schmidt: 04/11/25 09:27:36

New York

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Greger:The SoHo area where Kee's is located (and I heartily second Carol's recommendation, btw) is one of the neighborhoods in the city where it is possible to hit a number of different chocolate shops on foot in close order.On Broadway (corner of Spring or Prince) is Dean and Deluca's where you'll find one of the better selections of bars in the city. Not far from there is Vosges. Kee's is on Thompson just south of Spring (#80) and if you head down Thompson away from Spring and turn left on Broome in a block or two you'll find Marie Belle's.From there, it's a 10-15 minute walk to Jacques Torres on the corner of Varick/King.Down in the financial district you'll find Christopher Norman and further uptown (on 49th I believe) is a Food Emporium that boasts a wide selection, including being the only place to purchase Coppeneur bars at retail in NYC.In Rockefeller center there is a Teuscher store and a La Maison du Chocolat boutique.On the Upper West Side it sometimes pays to wander in Fairway and Zabar's. I once saw bars from Oriol Balaguer in Fairway. They were under a checkout counter, not in the aisle where the chocolate was displayed so it really does make sense to explore.Please let us know what you find out on your trip and post photos and make a photo album.Thanks!

New York

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Thank you very much for your replay. I will let you know if I like them as soon as I have tasted them.Merry Christmas,Greger

New York

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

http://www.keeschocolates.com/ Above is a link to Kee's Chocolates which I think are the best in NYC.She makes them fresh daily.let me know if you go and let me know if you like them.Carol

New York

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

My name is Greg and I am going to New York. I would like to know where I can buy some good handmade chocolate. I have read about vasges.chocolate are they any good?Marry christmas,Greger
updated by @Greger N: 04/11/15 01:36:04

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I've been told by some sellers of bicolor seeds (unfermented) that they are also used in tejate, though I have yet to find a tejate vendor who admits to using it - cacao blanco they call it here.

A few weeks ago, I had occasion to "discover" this cacao blanco when I asked about at the Sunday Tlacolula market. I bought some and roasted it, then bought more later at the central de abastos. They make a wonderful nutty tasting roasted snack, that, if roasted right, you can sometimes peel by hand. They require more roasting than theobroma cacao, and the skin is thicker.

I also ground some up using my champion juicer. This works great with cacao, actually turning out a decent liqueur through the fine screen, and pushing what remains of the skins/husks (I'm still not very good at winnowing) through. With the bicolor, the fat seems to be denser and with a higher melting point. Running it through the champion juicer was much harder than with cacao. It would not go through the fine screen. Maybe I needed to run it through a couple more times, I don't know. Anyway, I've been making a delicious hot chocolate with some fine "almendra blanca" criollo beans from Tabasco, and in my latest pot, I included about 15% bicolor. It's delicious! Very buttery and creamy, and mildly nutty. I've also tried making a "hot chocolate" with only bicolor, and that's also delicious, though it tastes not at all of chocolate.

So much fun experimenting!...

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi! I am a fellow chocolate lover traveling to Oaxaca in a few weeks. I read that you stayed with a host family while you were there....I would like to do the same thing, but I am having difficulty locating one over the internet. How did you locate a family? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

The raw beans would be the ones that they skewer. Once they turn chalky they pulverize if you squeeze them and they would not be suitable for eating. I will send you the recipe for making chocolate atole if you write to me.The raw beans are easy to spot in the market. They resemble regular cacao beans but they are flatter and wider, similar to lima beans. The ones for sale are washed, not fermented per se. The fermented ones are the chalky ones. I do not know of a source for purchasing them outside of Mexico.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I have heard of bicolour seeds sold as macambo, the seeds are skewered on sticks and roasted then served salted.I would probably have no chance of getting to the places you mention as I am in Australia. Know anyone that would ship? My interest would be in making the drink, I make a lot of chocolate drinks from the bean using a Spectra 10 to grind the beans.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

The bi-color cacao beans are buried in a deep hole in the ground. This is done under certain astrological conditions by a few chosen women who, for six months, daily pour water into a hole alongside the covered beans. The beans ferment during that time, the shells turn black and crack open to reveal the chalk white transformation of the meat of the bean. The beans are then dried in the shade for several days. These beans are traditionally used to make the enormous head of foam that is placed on top of a cup filled with atole. Making the base for the foam on a metate is a laborious task but the results are amazing--a large bowl heaped with foam capable of staying "alive" for 7 or 8 hours. It is the most revered ceremonial drink in Oaxaca.You can sometimes find pataxtle (spelled many different ways) for sale in the Benito Juarez market as well as at the abastos market in Oaxaca city. You'll also find them in the village markets of Tlacolula, Teotitlan del Valle and others throughout the state of Oaxaca. I don't know of any purpose for using them other than for making foam for chocolate atole. Sometimes this drink is sold in the markets but I would not recommend drinking it there. The queen of chocolate atole making is Abigail Mendoza in Teotitlan del Valle.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Please tell more about the 'white cacao' drink I am very interested. Are the beans from bicolor washed or fermented? Where could I get some to try?

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I have conducted chocolate tours to Mexico (including Oaxaca) since 1990. Unfortunately, my last tour was a year ago. Oaxaca is a hot bed of chocolate in Mexico, one of the few areas that still practice many of the chocolate traditions handed down to them by their ancestors. To get a real feel for the place, do as the locals do and have breakfast at Fonda Abuelita, one of the oldest stalls in the 20 de noviembre market. We traditionally order chocolate de agua and pan de yema. Then we cross the street to the Mercado San Benito Juarez to shop for chocolate pots, molinillos, traditional metal chocolate molds (used tor shape patties), jicaras (gourd drinking cups), and cacao beans--lavados (washed), beneficiados (partially fermented), and fermentados (fermented). If you're lucky, you may see someone selling pataxtle,"white cacao" which comes from the Theobroma Bi-Color trees. These beans are really special and are used to make perhaps the most revered chocolate drink of all--chocolate atole.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

That's great to hear, thanks for letting us know, we're really looking forward to going back again someday.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

The usual. Almost always cinnamon and almonds are there. Sometimes, nuez (pecans) are there also. No chiles in Mayordomo chocolate.I had both the hot and the cold. I wouldn't say the taste was incredible, but it was pretty good. But the experience was unforgettable.If anyone is interested, there's some really cool places in Escondido (north San Diego) which I recently found which have Oaxacan food, bread, and chocolate. I was going to post earlier, but slipped my mind.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Any unusual spice mixes, or just the usual like cinnamon, chilli, vanilla, almonds etc? Did you have one?

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Yes, they have several stores throughout Oaxaca. While I was there, I saw that they were selling hot chocolate (water or milk based with slightly different spiced chocolate mixes) and a cold chocolate slushie (I think it was a frozen milk slush that they used).Their hot chocolate was served with sweet bread.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

So is Mayordomo a cafe chain? If so do they sell chocolate drinks - what sort?

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

It was quite safe. I stayed by myself with a host family (I was actually taking some classes there) close to Llano park and mainly walked around the historical district. I was there during the holidays and whole families were out in the parks and the Zocalo late at night.While I did get some odd stares and maybe the odd gringo comment or two (pale and 6'3" really sticks out), most everybody was very friendly.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi James, we are very interested to hear that you were just in Oaxaca and obviously had a good time. We were there in 2002 and loved it, and then had planned to go back in 2007, but were warned by a friend who had lived there that because of the social unrest it was too dangerous for tourists to visit. It broke our hearts, both for us not to be able to go and also to think about the people there who depended upon tourism for their livelihood. But it sounds like things may have gotten better. Did you ever feel uncomfortable walking around the city? Were you on your own or there as part of a tour group? Did you feel free to stroll around places like the central square in the evenings?

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Yep, champurrado. Have you had it, also? I can still taste it. Yum. Oh and always con pan.I also had Tejate in the mercado. It was an experience. I'll just leave it at that. If the cacao is fermented it is washed of any fermentation byproduct, because I picked up a handful and smelled it and there was no smell but cacao shell/husk. Oh and in Mayordomo there appears to be 2 ways to get your ground chocolate: with shell and without. And of the couple times I saw the chocolate being ground the bean was put in whole.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Really they use only unfermented cacao?Is the drink you made the champurrado?

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Sure, Clay. I'll give it a try soon.It's really amazing how pervasive chocolate is here. I had a cooking class in which we made a drink from corn and chocolate (atole con chocolate) and I went to a house where the mother served hot chocolate and was sure to let everyone know her "secret" recipe for the ground spices (almonds and less sugar - i think 1kilo cacao to 1kilo sugar).I highly recommend anyone to travel here.

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

James:Thanks for the notes. Any pictures to go with them? Post them in Photos - don't forget to geotag them - and if you don't want to create an album for them I will.:: Clay

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I've visited La Soledad and Chocolate Mayordomo on Mina st as well as a number of stalls in the market. They all sell the Oaxacan coarse ground chocolate and mole paste from the chocolate. Interestingly, those vendors that sell raw cacao (La Soledad) or have it displayed (Mayordomo) use unfermented cacao. Also interesting is the cacao is always ground with something. The "100%" (no sugar) at Mayordomo is actually ground with almonds. The other Mayordomo recipes contain either cinnamon, pecans, and/or vanilla. And the sugar content is always greater than cacao content. Mayordomo is very big down here. Always busy and several stores all within walking distance of each other (seems similar to Starbucks back home).

Oaxaca

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I'll be travelling to Oaxaca. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to see, food (chocolate!) to try, or things to do? Thanks!
updated by @James Cary: 04/13/15 12:04:19

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I, too, must echo Debbie's comments as she just reminded me I haven't seen any new Chocolatier's in a while. Perhaps as a group we can encourage the new publication to extend a subscription to their magazine.Bob

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I was a lifetime subscriber and I did notice that I didn't receive any issues but then I got busy and forgot until I saw this post. In it's lifetime Chocolatier was a wonderful resource and enjoyable to receive and read but I felt that the quality of the articles and even topics were declining in recent issues. Still it is sad to see it end. I suppose I got my "money's worth" but as with my favorite dark chocolate, the end is bittersweet.Debbie

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I had so many problems with them. Ipaid through paypal and yet never recieved the magazine. After numerous long distant calls and messages left, I finally found out that they never got the payment, even though I sent them the proof of payment from paypal. To make a long storyshort, I was eventually promised a free subscription (!!) even though I paid. Then all of a sudden I started receiveing two magazines 8 months later. I notified them that I am now getting a double. So now I get single of the new merged magazine.

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Sounds like the concept of a "lifetime" subscription is the main problem then. Talk about letter of the law, not spirit of the law.

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I am not a subscriber personally, but that sounds like a pretty shabby way to treat customers to me. And a great way to poison your reputation for the future.

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

And of course, I neglected to mention the name of the new magazine: Dessert Professional and you can find them at DessertProfessional.com

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Pastry Art & Design and Chocolatier Magazine and frozen desserts have all merged, it seems. It's a nice magazine; I like it.However, if you have a lifetime subscription I'd think that the classy thing to do would be to honor that purchase and allow you to continue to receive the new publication.I tried to order a subscription to Chocolatier magazine a couple of times but their customer service was so poor, I never ended up getting it. And I've heard folks complain about not receiving their copies of PA&D.

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I have a lifetime subscription, but I didn't receive any notice that they have ceased. I think I received a recent magazine, I will check the date when I am at home sometime (give me a few days, Christmas is bearing down on me) but if I remember, it was pretty recent. I will look at it to see if the name had also changed, don't think it had, but I will pay more attention now. I save them all, it is just a matter of finding it, whether it has made it to where I store them or still in the living room to look at. Thanks for posting and bringing it to my attention.

Any Chocolatier lifetime subscribers reading?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I noticed a while back that I stopped receiving my Chocolatier magazines, but have only just gotten round to enquiring why. I was told that "the lifetime subscriptions have ceased" and it appears that has something to do with the name change. Seems to me that it should not be possible to sell something on a lifetime basis and then get out of delivering it by changing the name.Is anybody else here in this situation? Would welcome any insights.Thanks,Sima
updated by @Sima Fishman: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Chocolate prices

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Things have been going pretty good for the last little while--save for one problem: Bulk couveture prices.I'm a big fan of Lindt, and buy it in 100 kg shipments from a pastry supplier here in Vancouver. These shipments usually last me 2-3 mths. Every time I need to order in a new shipment I get the ol' "Uh, prices just went up" routine from the rep.. I take full advantage of the Lindt food service rep, who has an office here, and am assured that prices have stayed the same since Feb of this year and no prices are scheduled for another year. So I call the supplier's bluff--have been doing it now 3 times--they never learn, and it's starting to really irritate me.I do a fair amount of workshops and charity events, and for this I use a cheaper couveture, a Calle. 70-30. I get this from two different suppliers, both large pastry suppliers with several branches in Canada, we'll call them "X" and "Y"."X " came banging on my door in early November trying to flog a very cheap brand of couveture--sounded too good to be true, and I managed to weasel out of the rep that it was past expiry date, tell him no-go. So then he gives me a decent price on the Callebaut line. Decent enough for the first order, when I order again, I get the ol " Uh, prices have increased" schtick. Something to do with the falling CDN $ and head office in Toronto. When the shipment comes in I check the batch codes and the expiry dates--same stock as last shipment. So I send it back, tell them either send me stuff with a pristine expiry date or stuff the "prices have increased" schtick down the septic tank where it belongs. I try to order again, but now I get "Uh, we have no stock left, and don't know if we'll be bringing in that item anymore. Right....."Y" has been increasing his prices on the Callebaut line very steadily since late Sept. Now it's gotten to the point where the 70-30 is only $1/kg cheaper than the Lindt. I do know of places in Vancouver bringing in their own Callebaut at 1/3 the price of what "Y" is charging. These are med. to large chocolate guys, and bring it in by the pallete.Yeah, I know, suppliers have to mark up, but what's fair? 35% ? 40%? Certainly not anything over 100%. O.K., Christmas, you want to mark up and gouge a bit, then do it, but don't B.S. me, it's downright insulting.Maybe I should negotiate a price with Lindt, but don't know if I'll make their minimum requirements. Worth a shot though....
updated by @Edward: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Favorite Chocolate Products

Posted in: Opinion

A lot of people here are very focused on the chocolate itself but our shop comes at it from the pastry angle per-say where we enjoy the products just as much as the quality chocolate that is used.We started our adventure (to the public) making truffles and have evolved into covered brownies, tortes, mousse, pate, and cakes.What do you like to see covered in chocolate or made with chocolate as a forefront ingredient?Right now I've been melting bars/nibs/bits down so I can do shavings for some hot drinking chocolates with homemade marshmallows. I can't wait for valentines where we can do heart shaped ones.-andy
updated by @Andy Ciordia: 05/09/15 08:14:13

The Fine Art of Chocolate ... Criticism

Posted in: Opinion

On a side note, in Savannah, there's a candy store that sells fudge in the shape of a cow pie. I had to get one for my brother. >:D The fudge there was pretty tasty ( but a bit nutty .. sorry

The Fine Art of Chocolate ... Criticism

Posted in: Opinion

"Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."For purely altruistic reasons, I am giving this post a review of "crap." (Yes, I'm critiquing the critique of the critique of ...) Hopefully, someone will be able to save their 15+ minutes of time and find something else to do with it. Unfortunately, mine has been given and can't be refunded.

The Fine Art of Chocolate ... Criticism

Posted in: Opinion

[QuoteAnd, if I may respectfully direct this to FTonly: far from hiding behind metaphors, the flavor progression was amply laid out before any metaphoric references were noted, in addition to an explanation of how it might have arrived there. I ask earnestly and humbly, what more would you like in a review, mindful that were a species hard-wired to narrate in metaphors and, cacao, endowed with personality, feeds this penchant?Quote]Mark (or Samantha or whomever),My question is who were you writing the review for? Who is your audience? While you did describe the flavour progression, I am curious to know how many of us know what tuberose & sisal, camacho plant and groaning vines taste like? These are not even close to common taste notions (are they?? maybe I'm the one lacking culture here...). Without a common point of reference, the information is useless. This and the fact that you had to be so verbose in the defence of your own review style cements my point that you are trying to be clever. Don't get me wrong, you are succeeding quite well at this. However, if you want your message/opinion to be useful to a greater number of people, it needs to be clearer. Just because we like chocolate, does not mean we are all as smart as you might hope we are.Your point about not liking the chocolate did come through, but the specifics are a little confusing.