Forum Activity for @Sarah Hart

CSI - It's not Just for Crime Scene Investigator Anymore

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Hey all, thanks for the support and nice words. I was not too discouraged by the curmudgeon at willamette week. Some people are just unhappy and want to spread the gloom. I will always consider legitimate critiques but that was neither substanative nor on the mark, so I let it roll off my back!We sold out shares in 3 days and I was able to order the machine right away! I am in R & D now (what fun, thoug it means I am going to have to up my mileage on daily runs--ha ha!).So far- Coeur de guanaja both plain and with santander chocolate coverd nibs mixed in! Excellent. The best chocolate ice cream I've had.Vanilla bean custard- came out like soft serve- so creamy! We tried it with our housemade habanero caramel sauce! Sooo good.Today- Coconut sorbet with marcona almonds and cru savauge 68% chunks!Tomorrow- vegan coconut, rum, chocolate sherbet and a fresh cherry sorbet that we'll serve in a glass of prosecco for an artist reception friday night.Juliana- you could totally do it as an ice cream of the month club! What a cool gift that would be! I'd love to get ice cream every month personally!Yay!

CSI - It's not Just for Crime Scene Investigator Anymore

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Wow. How fantastic is that? We talk about economic depression and people are still willing to give themselves a treat. I heard the chocolate business is not just about chocolate, but about gifts and rewards -- things people don't want to give up and WILL NOT give up even during a recession.Sarah totally deserves it -- and so do the people who signed up for it. What a fantastic idea! (Too bad I am not in Portland.) She is a good example of someone very talented-- a great chocolatier with a very creative entrepreneur/business mind. Very inspiring.I have a question: wouldn't this work like "the-ice-cream-of-the-month-club" type of thing? I had thought about throwing that out there since many of my friends ask me about my chocolates or if they can buy it somewhere...Woo Hoo for Sarah!

CSI - It's not Just for Crime Scene Investigator Anymore

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Lana -I heard back from Sarah yesterday after I posted this -- she's already sold more than 75% of the shares!Woo Hooo!- Clay

CSI - It's not Just for Crime Scene Investigator Anymore

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Willamette Week announced today that ChocolateLife member Sarah Hart of Alma Chocolate in Portland, OR has started a sweet alternative to a CSA (community supported agriculture program) - CSI, or Community Support Ice cream.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Custom Boxes

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I like to change up my packaging for seasonal runs, and could not afford money or space wise to have so many different boxes printed up in large enough quantities to be cost effective. I went to ebay purchased a second hand (actually two of them) hot foil printers. I now run what ever boxes, bags, gift cards, and my own ribbon all to match in whatever size run I like. It has become quite profitable, since I can now do custom runs for special clubs, private business's ect. I can run about 50 yards of ribbon and 50 boxes in less than an hour, this includes setting the type. These machines are old (early 1960's,) I have had no problems with either one and paid complete less than 100 bucks. Hot foil is cheap and easily available at most print shops in every color under the rainbow. I also use some high end leather covered boxes and some wooden jewellery boxes for my chocolates as well and this hot foil device works just as well on these items.

Custom Boxes

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Thank You both for answering, I'll have to keep looking for a box maker that will do cost effective short runs.

Custom Boxes

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I have custom boxes. 6 piece cost about .90, 12 piece about the same. The 24 piece was 1.70. I think I ordered 2000 6 piece, and 1000 of the other two. Most places will do small runs, but the price is prohibitive.

Custom Boxes

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I can't say what it would cost, but most places that do high end custom boxes have a high minimum. The places I checked into had a 1000 piece minimum on each size. I've looked everywhere, and have had no luck finding a company that will do small quantities. You may have better luck with custom printing on a stock box. Nashville Wraps has a better selection, and they do custom printing and labels.

Custom Boxes

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I'm really not happy with the selection of stock chocolate boxes out there.
updated by @George Trejo: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Just bought my first tempering machine, any advice or tricks?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Well, for starters, Chocovision was supposed to be working on the "holey baffle" for the Rev 1/2 (not sure what the status is on this). That in itself will almost double the machine's capacity. Another good way to increase capacity is by pre-melting. Have your melted chocolate ready to go into the machine as close to holding temperature as you can have it. Once you've used about 2/3 of the tempered chocolate, add that part back from your melted chocolate. Give it 5 minutes or so to properly "seed" the new batch and continue working.I also like to use seed cocoa butter instead of chocolate. Pretty much the same method Chocovision uses with seed chocolate, only much less (1% by weight instead of 10%). The thing is of course this requires tempered cocoa butter!

Just bought my first tempering machine, any advice or tricks?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Just bought the chocovision Revolation 1, yes I am just starting out and don't have a huge budget. Any advice, tricks or tips you can provide on using this thing? I haven't even taken it out of the box yet, that will be tonight for it's first run. Any tempering tricks our how to increase output more then 1.5 pounds.

Anything would be helpful. Thanks in advance.


updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Under-counter heating instead of refrigeration?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Many people know that I advocate using under-counter refrigeration in chocolate kitchens whenever possible because work space always seems to be at a premium. If you are using smaller, counter-top tempering machines it even makes sense to consider using a low-boy chocolate crystallization cabinet like one from Irinox so you can put your molds in for cooling without having to move from the work counter.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for the tips, everyone! Very helpful

Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I imagine a blast of steam could also be helpful, just take care not to overpressurize the pipe!

Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

When putting a sink into my factory the plumber rigged up a very simple trap in the outlet pipe from the sink. He glued a simple aluminium baffle half way across a small plastic tank. Basically, the waste water goes in, the chocolate floats to the top and is held out of the waste outlet by the alluminium.It's his version of an expensive fat trap and cost almost nothing to rig up. I haven't explained it very but if you look at professional ones you will see what you need to try and do.Duffy

Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I wonder if putting in one of these would help in the future? http://www.bigceramicstore.com/supplies/gleco-trap.htm Sorry I can't offer any better suggestions for you.Tracy

Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The trick is to warm the pipe itself.You could use wire tape that you wrap around pipes to keep them freezing in winter. Another solution is to use a heat gun directly on the pipe.

Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Our kitchen sink has started backing up on a regular basis. I try to get as much chocolate as possible into the trash so it doesn't wash down the drain, but inevitably some gets in there and builds up. We have no garbage disposal.

Boiling water, enzymes, baking soda, etc. did nothing. Sulfuric acid and a snake finally did the trick, but even the acid doesn't seem to do much to chocolate.

Has anybody tried dissolving chocolate clogs with an alkaline solution, like lye?

Any other tips, tricks & techniques for keeping drains clear?

Thanks!

updated by @Malena Lopez-Maggi: 04/11/25 09:27:36

jet black cocoa seed extract

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Thank you. Amazing that there are that many varieties!

jet black cocoa seed extract

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Barbara:There is only one species of cacao used to make chocolate - theobroma cacao cacao, also t. cacao cacao. What we call criollo, forastero, trinitario, etc., are varieties of t. cacao. The phrase "jet black cocoa seed extract" probably refers to the color of the extract, not the color of the cacao seeds (I tend to use cacao for fresh/wet and cocoa when referring to dry) from which the extract is made.Doing a simple bit of research on Google (where this conversation is #1 already - even above the site(s) from the manufacturer, salespeople) for the phrase "jet black cocoa seed extract" we can see that it is a proprietary ingredient in a nutritional supplement marketed by the network marketing (e.g., MLM) company Xyngular. It turns out that "cocoa extract" is an ingredient in several herbal vitamin supplement products.It is possible to extract the antioxidants from ground cocoa beans and it makes some sense that this is what they're talking about. But - the only place that "jet black cocoa seed extract" exists is in this one supplement. I won't say outright that it is a scam, but I would be skeptical of the claims made for the product. MSRP for a one-month supply is $44.95.

jet black cocoa seed extract

Posted in: News & New Products Press

The seed is the same as the bean. I've catalogued a little over 600 different varieties of theobroma cacao genetically - others may have different #'s depending on what they've done. There are companies making cocoa powder out of the 'whole pod' (including the husk), but i'd steer clear of them, as that's where the abundance of pesticides and mycotoxins are going to be present. Plus they don't taste very good 8-)

jet black cocoa seed extract

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I guess so . It is an ingredient in something and I had never heard of it and I thought it was not called a seed but a husk. But that is the bean and not the seed. I wonder how the the seed be different nutritionally then the bean. Also how many different species of cocoa plants are there?

jet black cocoa seed extract

Posted in: News & New Products Press

jet black is a name of an industrial manufacturer's black cocoa powder... is that what you're referring to?

jet black cocoa seed extract

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Does anyone know anything about jet black cocoa seed extract? Thnaks

updated by @Barbara Forshay: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Looking for wrapping solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Easiest shift from foil/paper wrap is to a pouch/box system. Look for metallized barrier pouches, many manufacturers carry them, and those can be made and printed to your specs. It's a much faster procedure to slip the bar in the pouch, seal and box. I'm right in the middle of doing exactly that switch. I sourced my materials locally.

Looking for wrapping solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

We currently do all our packaging by hand and our demand is reaching the level where we are unable to meet it using our current methods. Looking for any advice on what others have done to solvesimilarissues. We currently use a foil wrap with a paper cover.
updated by @Tim Moore: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Type of Bar Foil

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Thank you Cheebs! I will check it out!

Type of Bar Foil

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

It's called Paper-backed Foil, and can be bought at Revere Group and others

Type of Bar Foil

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi Everybody!

I am looking for a foil that has a kind of parchment style paper lining or backing on it. I have seen it on other bars and really want to get a hold of some to see if it is a fit for us. Unfortunately I cannot seem to locate any. Does anyone know the name of this foil or where I am maybe able to find some?

Thanks!

Cheers,

Nick MacPherson

updated by @Nick MacPherson: 04/07/25 13:00:14

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Chocolates-Great-Experience-Extending/dp/9020990209/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363789337&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=greay+experiences+fine+chocolates+3

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

sounds stressfull , I could use some help , on panning , I bought a new machine ,steve

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

What about coconut oil? I make a nice vegan filing with it and fondant and coconut...you can make it as firm or as creamy as you want and the oil is mostly tasteless...just a thought.

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

Pipe into chocolate shells and recover with a funnel and scrape.

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

Cream fondent based, citric acid to cut the sweetness.

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

The gelee/pate de fruit idea is very good. Combine it with a pralin/chocolate/feuilletine layer and you have a 6-month shelf-stable product with a great flavor/crunch combination.

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

Nut pastes (gianduja, marzipan) are good but you have to watch out for fat migration which will soften your shells over time.

Butter based ganaches are good, for even less water content you might try using clarified butter (you can buy it off the shelf from many restaurant suppliers).

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

Sounds like my type of operation........

You gotta go back and look at stuff 100 years old when there was no refrigeration

Candying

Drying

perserving

nuts

Caramel

Nougat based (including croquant)

Butter ganaches can be quite shelf stable if you remove the 18% or so water in the butter....

Now for instance, honey is a partial inverted sugar

Dried fruits last for years

Pate de fruits are very shelf stable

Nuts and nut pastes/marzipans are good for 6 mths

Am I giving you enough information without "giving away" my farm?

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

European-style butter ganaches have longer shelf life . . . worth a try?

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

It will always be hard, and over time it will harden further. If it's a meltaway type center you're after, cocoa butter alone isn't going to do it for you (unless you fractionate, then MAYBE, but you'd only get about a 2% soft fraction that *might* work, so it'd be hugely expensive)

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

i tried some samples with cocoa butter..its not bad except i found the bonbon a bit hard.what would be the pecentage of cocoa butter versus chocolate or is there a way to make the filling smoother?cherry i wish my last name was forastero

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

btw, is forastero really your name? if so, too cool!

long shelf life fillings

Posted in: Recipes

Cocoa butter is a saturated fat that oxidizes slowly. Depending on the application, you could use either deodorized or undeodorized cocoa butter. Eastbluff Trading (look up ChocolateLife member Patrick Pineda) sells some very aromatic undeodorized cocoa butter made from Venezuelan beans.Anhydrous ("no water") butter fat is another option.