Thanks Sebastian that puts a perfect perspective on it and a slight buzz kill to boot. 
I guess if we ever got into vacuum sealing or something close it might help but even then w/o an inert gas insertion I think it'd be limited usefulness.
Oh well. I guess I'll just keep that product at a low inventory item and also start storing my pecan inventory in the freezer or ordering less.
Many thoughts and many thanks for the lesson.
There's nothing you can do to stop oxidative rancidity in nutmeats, other than defatting them. Period.
There are lots of things you can do to slow it down. Generally speaking, if you put a barrier around the nuts that can block oxygen, that helps (ie candying provides a sugar barrier). The lower temperatures you can expose the nuts to, the better (ie roast lower for longer vs very hot for shorter).
A couple of things to note:
Chocolate is a terrible oxygen barrier.
Sugar barriers, if intact, are great. However it's quite challenging to keep sugar from getting cracks in it, which lets the oxygen through.
You will never. Ever. get 1 year stability in pecans, unless you keep them frozen. Or perhaps stored in space where there is no oxygen.
The only nut I have a problem with are pecans. After roasting them they seem to have a shelf life of about 3 months +/-. I use them in a bark and you can see the fat bloom slowly take over after its time period has elapsed and holding temps don't seem to matter much.
I started doing some digging and came across conflicting advice. One camp said to candy them and that would stop it, the other camp said candying them would not stop it but would increase the rancidity.
Is anyone here doing 6mo-1year stability of pecans or other nuts in their chocolate and know how to reduce if not eliminate the fat rancidity of the nut?
I would recommend against fixed cabinetry for two reasons:
1. Chances are you aren't going to be at that location forever, so you don't have to worry about losing a TON of money invested in millwork that you can't remove. and MORE IMPORTANTLY:
2. The health inspectors LOVE when you can move cabinets, and clean underneath them so as to eliminate hiding places for pests. All of our counters are moveable, and we never ever have issues with the health department.
Thanks for sharing your list, Heather! You mention cabinetry in your list: is most of your equipment and ingredient storage built-in? This is a point of contention for us right nowrolling racks are more versatile, but built-ins would protect equipment so much better. Thanks again!
Great question. I have an ongoing list:
- better located HVAC vents for even flow and avoiding drafts near crucial work areas
- counter height or ceiling/pull down electrical outlets
- great lighting for decorating (I did this right the first time and have loved it)
- cabinetry with drawers for organized and protected molds storage
- future possibility of an entire "cool room" instead of a wine cooler or walk-in
- space for a packaging station, if you're planning on shipping or doing retail
Hope this helps!
Heather
Questions for those of you that have gone through design and construction/renovation of a confectionery production facility: What do you wish you had known before you started? Are there things you would have designed differently?
Yes, this is normal. After running through the melanger, you'll need to temper your chocolate to get stable, bloom-free chocolate. There's a lot of information on tempering on this forum and on the CA site and forum, so I won't repeat it here.
Hello, Chocolate Lifers,
Im new to chocolate making, but not the consumption 
I recently got myself a small melanger, and I have run a few batches of nibs through it, and I see my temp hitting 170F. I have been following the guide on Chocolate Alchemy, its within the range that is mentioned.
When Im done with the refining I pour it onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and double it over till it is cool.
My question is this;
The finished chocolate has ALOT of bloom. Is that normal?
I find it ironic that the one quality we dont want is inherent in the manufacturing process.
Cheers
Al
I've just messaged on a similar thread, so thought i'd share the info here too.
I follow Ruth Hinks from Cocoa Black (UK World Chocolate Master 2012) on Twitter and she was tweeting about using your chocolate gun Krebsto spray, what looks like coloured cocoa butter, to make gorgeous little orange pumpkins, and there were some velvet effect pictures done using the gun,posted afterone of her chocolate school courses if you want to have a nosey...
https://twitter.com/Ruth_Hinks/status/518003583284162560/photo/1
Thanks Urs- you were very well informed. Have you bought one? If so, we`d love to get some feedback.
Actually, we did launch the KREBS heated chocolate spray gun under the name hotCHOC. Sales are going strong.
KREBS are actually launching a new HEATED spray gun called HOTSPRAY.
Here is the video they posted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAnJDw-UL3U
Really makes life a lot easier. Plug & Play, totally flexible, no compressed air needed AND keeping it at a constant temperature ... I like!
What is the best spray gun for chocolate? I heard that Krebs guns are good, looking for info from anyone who has used them or any other brand. Need to find the best gun for misting chocolate.
In my homecountry the cocoa bean are dried prepared at "barcaas". Its the name of a big roof where the farmerworker can walk around the cocoa and dry for real time. Also during a rain, the leads covers above helps barcaa to over umidity less.
Pé e rodo, o cheiro mais gostoso que já vi
Regard my language, because I do talk portuguese.
The cocoa also are productivity with in two products made from the liquid (cocoahoney) drained down in fermentation wood boxes:
They call jelly of cocoa, blanc of cocoa, the both are pure without necessity to add suggar or alcohol. And the blanc are alse called by cocoawine.
Apreciate for your discussion. I can make more videos and add for thechocolatelife.com
David
If you are interested in Lawrence's offer, please private message him.
Lawrence - commercial offers belong in the Classifieds section.
Hey all,
Thanks for approving my membership. I've had an idea for years of opening a small chocolate shop here in Los Angeles, and this board has truly made me think that I'll eventually do it...as my second act after I finish my writing career. But the reason I'm posting today? I'm selling my domain: BRAINCOCOA.COM.
Initially, I set it up as a title to a literary magazine (with cocoa being like info, good for the brain), but in the five or so years I've owned, I never really used it. It's a great domain for anyone who wants to tie cocoa/chocolate to being a superfood. And with the recent articles about chocolate being a "brain food:"
If you're interested in purchasing the domain, feel free to send an offer to [redacted]. I'll listen to all offers. Take care!
Lawrence
I a want to make a different ganache using strawberries and black pepper. Does anyone have a recipe? Any other flavors & combinations that go well besides the classic ones? I have read the thread about flavors and odd inclusions but I need a recipe to follow, please.
Thanks for your help!
At what pressure are you running?
Wow...
They tried selling me some too. I'm glad I didn't bite.
Hi Tom,
I Actually met with the group and bought some beans at the time you are talking about. there was a lot of excitement indeed!
I didn't have any problem getting the beans then.... only with Steve Brown who is a real nut! (not bean:)
The locals apparently pay a high price for those "cremated" beans!
As you say, "an opportunity to resurrect a countries cacao industry goes by." ....such a shame...
Best regards
thibault
I met David about a year ago when he came out to Australia(actually I think he is Sydney based, but originally from Samoa) with Steve Brown (exAdelaide boy but 20 years in Samoa)to promote and sell Samoan cacao. they seemed pretty legitiment, had stacks of cacao and RichardhadhisKoko Samoa product with him(essentially a Crio Bru type of thing).They looked the part.I believe you met with this group, Howard Frederick was with them in Melbourne I think. Imade somebars up from their beans and went with them to meet with Haigh's when they were here, as a consultant. Steve promised a lot but once the road trip was over, pretty much all communication was lost, they screwed over a local analytical chem place and they did promise to pay me for the bars I had made, but nothing. Steve did claim that the analytical chemistry thing was a 'miscommunication' and that paying me was dependant on obtaining some funding from the Samoan government. My take on it is that they didn't pick up enough contracts on the road trip, certainly not Haigh's,(which they took to the USA also, at least Howard did), the money ran out andno grants were forth coming. So that was the end of that. Samoan farmers go back to selling to who they can, doing poor post harvest practices, like washing beans after ferment, and cremating the cacao for the local market.......an opportunity to resurrect a countries cacao industry goes by.
That is my piece of the story anyway.
Hello Everyone!!
Thought I would share some issues I have had with a cocoa dealer called Richard david (actually a member of CL) from Samoa Or New zealand representing:
My PARADISE FOODS or PREMIUM COCOA ENTERPRISE.
Once the money was sent... no more news andcertainly no cocoa....and I am not the only one to have been ripped off by this fellow (Cravve from Queensland also) .
Must be more out there who have had bad experiences and would like to share names of dodgy dealers?
Cheers!
Hi, I wonder if anyone can help? We are a small start-up chocolate maker based in the UK. We're looking to source organic and fairtrade cocoa beans - but in small quantities to start with. Can anyone recommend a supplier that ships to the UK please?
Thanks Larry! I think to start, I will be purchasing a Rev X3210 and then in a year or two adding in the Hilliard Jumbo Hand Dipper with 6inch Enrobber. Right now, my store front (gourmet & specialty gift basket store) has over 500 different chocolates & candies that I purchase through about 20 different confectionery's nation wide. But to save on cost and overhead, I started dabbling in it and really found a love for it! Basically, I am thinking of hand dipping pretzels, strawberries, cherries, apples, s'mores, oreos, etc... creating nonpareils, truffles etc... Basically everything! But starting slow and working to that level. I will still be keeping a few of my confectionery vendors, but adding in us as well! Again, thank you for taking the time to write such a thorough and thoughtful response! It was much appreciated!!
Thanks everyone for all the input! I think to start, I will be purchasing the Chocovision Revolation x3210. It took a few weeks of pondering, but then I went to the RCI show this week and chatted with Joe Sofia from Cargill, who teaches the Chocolatier courses in Lititz, Pa and finalized my decision!
Again, THANK YOU Have a sweet week 
Hello Maggie! In my opinion you should buyHilliard Little Dipper chocolate tempering machine because you produced hundred pieces in a day . Best of luck
One more thought that I failed to mention.
If you'll be dipping apples I'd definitely go with the larger Revolation machines. We haven't tried dipping apples in the Little Dipper, but I'm sure it would be a bigchallenge.
We have worked with some used Revolation x3210s and an analog little dipper.
As you probably know the Revolation machines have a much higher chocolate capacity. (10 -17 lbs melted in the Revolation machines and only 4-5 lbs in the Little Dipper. If you are doing molded chocolates this may be a very important distinction as a larger capacity will help you fill more molds while maintaining temper.
There are two downsides I've found with the revolation machines. 1.They heat up my dipping room and2. ittakes awhile to melt all that chocolate. I've read in some reviews that the baffle on the revolation machines may become brittle if the chocolate is left in overnight. I cannot speak to this as we drain those machines after each use.
The little dipper is built like a tank.
I don't know enough about your projects to recommend one machine over the other, but I hope this helps.
Thank you Karen for the information It is much appreciated!
I've had a Revolation Delta machine for about 4 years now and can highly recommend it. If you have any questions on it at all contact Joe Crevino, he can be reached throught he Chocovision website. He's a great source of information on the machines and all things chocolate.
Good Luck,
Karen
Hi All!
I would love any advice on what tempering machine I should purchase for my business. I currently own a gourmet gift basket store for over 5 years now, and really enjoy working with my vendors with chocolate and creating attractive and tasty treats for my customers. I recently attended a few chocolate courses and am ready to start slowly with a few select pieces. I've read a few of the forums, but am still not sure if Hilliard Little Dipper of Chocovision Delta is the way to go. I am looking to make a few hundred pieces a day to keep up with demand. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks a bunch,
Maggie
Great to hear from you Heather! My experience with the city of Chicago is that our inspections are very much dependent on who our inspector is and what kind of day they are having! This discussion has really helped me a lot. I have decided to purchase the grease trap to be on the safe side. Not to mention, I really hate having to call a plumber so I hope this can help me prevent any problems. I look forward to seeing you on the Chicago chocolate circuit!
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
It's Heather, from Veruca. I went through the same question when I built out my place, and found it was easiest to call/visit the Food Protection Division (312-746-8046) and ask directly. They told me that I needed one because I use cream and butter in ganaches. The wholesale inspector for the state said I absolutely didn't need one at all. Go figure. Happy to talk over other experiences if it will help, and good luck!
heather
From my experience, Clay is right, your local codes determine what you need to have in place. The health inspector will tell you that your sink compartments must be big enough to accommodate your biggest item you will be washing so you must consider that for any size sheet pans you use. If a grease trap is required (after building 2 kitchens in 2 different towns, both towns required grease traps) it must be sized to your sink. With the 3 compartment sink, local code may require an air gap. This is indirect drainage under your sink. The reason for this is to prevent contamination of your sink if there is a blockage in the sewer system, to prevent back up into your sink. Plus everything must be properly vented. As you can see, it can be complicated. In my state (NJ), if you sell wholesale you must be inspected by the state inspectors as opposed to the local health department. If you sell out of state, you must be registered with the FDA. This must be taken into consideration for any systems you put into place if you plan to sell wholesale.
The grease trap may be a requirement of local code. A treatment like this will not be considered to be an acceptable substitute.
If you're looking for an inexpensive grease trap, try the ones from Canplas - http://www.canplasplumbing.com/plumbing.aspx?CategoryId=4
I specified one for a project that fit under a 3-compartment sink and the unit cost under $300 if I recall correctly, sourced through a local plumbing supply outfit.
Thanks Clay!
Your advice is incredibly valuable. I never knew such a product existed! Do you think I can get away with using just the enzymatic product once a week and not have a grease trap installed?
Daniel -
The fat in the chocolate is going to be no harder on the pipes than other fats. What you may want to institute is some sort of regular pipe cleaning with an enzymatic or similar product. Once a week, say as part of closing down on Friday.
Something like the following - http://www.ecos.com/earthenzymes.html
I have never actually used them, but I have used stuff like them. You need something to break down grease, not hair, and want something reasonably eco-friendly. I'd do something like this if I was using a grease trap.
Our local department just requires us to have a 3 compartment sink. I was just wondering if I should be concerned about the chocolate being hard on the pipes considering that it is rather viscous and has a high fat content.
This varies way too much county to county. You need to talk to your state Health Dept and your Agriculture dept, first to figure out who you fall under and that will give you some of your state rules.
Then contact your city health dept, which are the people who will be approving your plans and issuing your permits. Find out what you needs and requirements come from them.
We had to get a grease trap and in 2 years it has never needed changing out. Our municipality is silly, many are.
