Tips for clearing a chocolate-clogged drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Thanks for the tips, everyone! Very helpful
Forum Activity for @Malena Lopez-Maggi
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
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: 04/10/15 01:38:12
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Thank you for the in-depth response, Clay! Very helpful and informative. I agree that organization is key; I don't have much space at my shop for storing shipping supplies, so sometimes I have to drive all the way to my house (a 20 minute commute) to complete an order. It can take half a day to mail one package!!!
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Hi all,
It's getting to be melting season again. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for keeping summer shipping effective and affordable?
I'm looking for insulated shipping supplies that ideally collapse down to save storage space. Is there a space age solution I should be aware of?
Also, are certain carriers better than others at handling perishables?
Any input is appreciated.
Thank you,
Malena
http://www.idreamofchocolates.com
updated by @Malena Lopez-Maggi: 04/09/15 14:02:52
Chocolate, language, and thought: A pilot study
Posted in: Opinion
Funny all the mentions of Chuao...must be a pretty magical place.My favorite chocolate is a Valrhona 2002 Chuao, 70% cacao. I first tasted it in 2007 and it was my first experience with "aged" chocolate. I remember it being gloriously smooth, fruity, tangy, with lots of citrus & raisins. I tasted it again in 2008 and found it to be even more citrusy than I remembered.I was at home, nowhere specialWhat was memorable was the mystique surrounding it--my supplier at Chocosphere told me about his stash and it was the first I'd ever heard of someone aging chocolate in a wine cellar. I love fruity chocolate, so when I tasted it I fell in love. So flavorful, the taste explodes & unfolds in your mouth. Yum.
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Thank you for the insights about donations--I had a feeling they weren't paying off (and I have noticed the increased mail from charities wanting handouts)Brad, you are soooo right about education. I teach "the chocolate snob's guide to tasting" and "single origin chocolate" through a local community ed program, and it is a nice side gig. My problem is that our shop is TINY, so I haven't been able to host classes there. Your success encourages me to figure something out.Clay, thank you for your in-depth response. Many of your suggestions are in line with what we're already doing, but the co-marketing idea was new to me and I had forgotten about the farmer's market option. I'll try it. I do want to point out Facebook Ads to you (cheebs wrote about them too). You can make them ridiculously targeted now (i.e. resides within 10 miles of your shop, specific age range, education, interests, marital status etc.). I just started my ads, so I'll tell you a couple weeks down the line if I get any business from them.THANKS!
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Thank you for your feedback...here's hoping it works!
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Fellow shop owners, what have been the most effective and cheap/free ways to get customers to your store?It's time to pay rent and I'm feeling the pinch!Things we have tried: Craigslist, Facebook fan pages, Constant Contact email marketing, various business networking groups, advertising in small local papers, donating to silent auctions, showcasing at events.............am I missing something?
updated by @Malena Lopez-Maggi: 04/10/15 15:42:12
Seeking New, Innovative or Unique Food, Ingredient, Retail Products
Posted in: News & New Product Press
This sounds fabulous. We at The Xocolate Bar have several products we would be interested in showcasing. I will email you for more info. www.TheXocolateBar.com
Total Travesty
Posted in: News & New Product Press
OMG this video is hilarious! I'm surprised the tempered, molded chocolate bars they were eating didn't have the Cadbury logo on them. So, so wrong in so many ways!
Total Travesty
Posted in: News & New Product Press
EEEWWW!! This looks much less attractive than the real thing!
Corn Syrup
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Don't use it! It's completely unnecessary and just sounds cheap when listed on an ingredient label. The high fructose variety is definitely bad for you. If you're worried about binding active water to extend the shelf life, invert sugar is a confectioner's secret weapon and so are culinary antioxidants like rosemary extract. But you can get by without either of these as long as the chocolates are eaten within a week or so. The fresher the better anyway...
Weird Flavors and Inclusions in Chocolate
Posted in: Tasting Notes
It's taken a while to perfect our Kalamata Olive Caramel, but by jove I think we've got it. It's our second-bestselling flavor now. www.TheXocolateBar.com