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"It is dark as the AlChemist walks along the corridor, rough stone under his feet, air warmed from well smoldering hearth fires stirring his cowl. He opens a hewn timber door, worn smooth at the threshold over years of use. He breaths deeply the comforting smells of this laboratory. Hints of wood and smoke linger in the air from the last time he roasted raw materials for his elixirs. Another smell, heady and almost intoxicating, brings a smile to his face as he remembers the smell wafting up as he was last grinding his pastes and powders. He looks about. Everything is in place. The roasting drum is cool in the hearth. The mortars and pestles are laid out neat and tidy, only a small amount of deep brown paste marring their finish. The cracking mill is sitting ready, waiting for the next batch to be crushed fresh out of the roaster. It is time to begin his magic, his devotion, his passion, his Alchemy, yet again. He prepares himself for the work ahead. The roasting, the cracking, the winnowing, the grinding, the mixing. The transformation of base materials into something more than they were. The transformation of cocoa beans to chocolate, the work of Chocolate Alchemy."
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A new beautifully prepared Criollo from Peru is in. It’s also available Wholesale, by the bag or even MT if that’s your need.
As far as the winnower is concerned, some beta units are being built. Right now aluminum and PVC. I have some pricing for Stainless steel and the first numbers coming in are looking […]
Filed under: Cocoa Beans, What's new & Updates, Cracking & Winnowing | 1 Comment »
A picture is worth a 1000 words…and I’m just not up to a thousand words right now.
That is the official working model. 40 lb hopper. Husk bin to contain that and more. All neat and slip fit with no guess work for assembly. It breaks down easy for shipping. It processed 40 lbs of roasted […]
Filed under: What's new & Updates, Cracking & Winnowing | 10 Comments »
It has come to light that a few clarifications are in order.
Very first off. The use of the Champion. The Champion is being used as a cracker and feeder. The screen holder needs a little minor modification. It comes with a grid which needs to be clipped out, and it needs to be attached (left […]
Filed under: What's new & Updates, Cracking & Winnowing | 3 Comments »
Okay, for those of you completely chomping at the bit, here is the first draft of an easy to build and operate Do It Yourself (DIY) winnower. It’s made from 2″ and 3″ PVC fittings and pipe, a Champion Juicer and a common Shop-Vac. You will need to work out a support structure for it […]
Filed under: What's new & Updates, Cracking & Winnowing, Alchemist's Musings | 6 Comments »
Could the timing be any better? For what you ask? Let me ask you a couple questions.
1) Where is the bottle neck in the chocolate making process currently?
2) How much do you love winnowing by hand?
3) How much do you want to spend $5000 on a winnower?
You have all heard how much and for how […]
Filed under: What's new & Updates, Cracking & Winnowing | No Comments »
A few more bags of Venezuelan Chuao have made it in. Right now I have a single ’spare’ bag available for wholesale. Multiple bags (50 kg) are available. Please contact me directly if you would like pricing and more information.
Also, Soy Milk Powder is back and makes a GREAT dairy free “milk” chocolate. Combine it […]
Filed under: Products, Cocoa Beans, What's new & Updates, Alchemist's Musings | No Comments »
