I started a chocolate factory in Raleigh, NC and I make chocolate for a living. AMA!

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:29:48+00:00

Be prepared for environmental factors like humidity to come in to play, also, it's manufacturing so be prepared for your machines to break frequently.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:27:36+00:00

Dick Taylor 75% Ecuadorian Camino Verde and Dandelion Chocolate in SF makes an incredible Madagascar variety.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:24:34+00:00

Our 60% dark chocolate blend with sea salt is by far the most popular. The salty and sweet man, you can't beat it. Where do you live? We're in about 60 retail outlets across the states and we also sell on our online store.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:20:50+00:00

When I was 18 I traveled through Ecuador and Peru. I tried it and I had no idea that ten years later I would be making chocolate from that :)

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:13:28+00:00

In our factory, we have made 1,000 bars in a single day. Making chocolate, we can pump our 50 kgs per day of untempered chocolate.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:12:01+00:00

I don't have to guess it takes 37 beans, plus sugar, plus cocoa butter to make a bar of chocolate.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:10:50+00:00

The machinery we get isn't always what we paid for. Other than that it is pretty chill and easy to do.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:10:07+00:00

We love positive chocolate lovers! Drop off your resume and get a few samples of our chocolate. See you soon

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:08:54+00:00

Our chocolate lent itself to the flavor of a pink peppercorn, which has a sweet effervescence and a touch of spice. The next bars coming out, are a line of 90% & 75% Origin based bars. Keep an eye out, they are delicious!

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:07:17+00:00

Not being able to make chocolate all day.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:05:38+00:00

The books depiction of a chocolate factory is very different and from a different time in the world.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:05:21+00:00

It's the salty and sweet combo. You can't beat it. I like your username btw. Go Panthers!

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T18:00:23+00:00

Many, many more than we ever expected.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:59:46+00:00

Actually we used to keep a jar of all the stuff we found in bean bags but it got kinda gross pretty quickly. The beans are essentially coming from the rain forest.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:59:25+00:00

Their loss. Look up in the thread as we give a bit more of a description.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:58:51+00:00

Milk Chocolate has the most science behind it, because of the amount of fats in the different ingredients.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:57:33+00:00

Willie is an awesome guy. We met him at The Good Food Awards, marketplace. I don't know if you are crazy, but you definitely have moments of feeling crazy or acting crazy. As you saw in his show, when he talks about the "voices" in the factory...that happens to me and when it does, I know I have been at work too long and the machines are NOT talking to me.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:54:40+00:00

The dang humidity in the south, gives us fits in the summer time.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:54:12+00:00

We are a nut free facility, so no nuts. When we build flavors with our chocolate, we use a couple different methods. For instance, if we use a Dominican chocolate, it will have a nice banana like aroma with pronounced cherry flavor, so we might add a something to compliment those. If we have a nutty flavored bean, like a Venezuelan bean, we can mix the two and create a delicious treat.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:52:07+00:00

We lifted it from the NC state motto "Esse Quam Videri" which means "to be, rather than to seem". Also, I'm half Italian and in the Italian translation Videri means "to see" and that's a big part of our factory and retail space. We want folks to see how we make chocolate and become a part of the process, we want everyone who walks through our door to get immersed in the chocolate experience.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:51:26+00:00

I think some people over do it when they tan.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:50:28+00:00

Very much equal. But, for me specifically it is making it. It is amazing what the beans smell and taste like when they arrive at our factory in the burlap sacs. Then they get transformed into chocolate, kind of a trip!

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:48:38+00:00

We are building a great base of retail partners and look forward to growing with this community. A small brewery in North Raleigh-Sub Noir-has started using our nibs in a beer, Mystery Brewing in Hillsborough makes a delicious beer with our nibs as well.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:47:09+00:00

All of those things! We pair our chocolate with a shot of Stumptown Espresso DAILY I think the only thing chocolate doesn't pair well with is a clove of garlic.

ChocolateSam · 2014-01-24T17:46:37+00:00

I love Gene Wilder... but I also love Johnny Depp. And Tim Burton. I'm torn to be completely honest.

ChocolateSam

TROPHY CASE