Forum Activity for @Matt Carter

matfer choco 15R

Posted in: Opinion

has anyone used a matfer choco 15R?

http://www.matferbourgeatusa.com/catalog/part3.htm

http://www.jbprince.com/chocolate-tempering-machines/chocolate-temperer-machines.asp

It is listed most places as a tempering machine, but I understand that it has manual temperature controls, which makes it a dipping machine really

I have not had good luck with the chocovision machines, I don't find that it gives a good temper at all.

comments?

updated by @Matt Carter: 04/10/15 02:13:37PM

Cleaning Molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Suddenly my health department wants me to clean and sanitize all my molds between uses.

Do you guys do that?

Does anyone know of any regulations from any health department anywhere that covers cleaning chocolate molds?
We have in the past cleaned them when there is cross contamination or anything other than chocolate on them,

and I have always been told never to put them in the bleach water.

I've seen some employees sanitizing a few molds before I stopped them, and I don't see anything going wrong with those molds. Is that an Old Wives Tale?

updated by @Matt Carter: 04/09/15 06:23:22AM

kitchen aide panning machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

we also have a hair dryer in the shop, maybe that will work for heating

to polish... can we achieve shine with my regular couverture?

kitchen aide panning machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

here is a good conversation that I found on the topic. **

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/121548-panning/

apparantly it does take a lot of temp control, and it seems that each batch takes a considerable amount of time.

It is hard to imagine that much investment in equipment and labor paying off.

** Jeff, I just notice that you are involved in that conversation, and that you know MIchael Recchiuti. That's great!

AsI was starting out, I was told by a mutual friend of mine and MIchael's that I should look him up, so I went to his shop at the Fisherman's Terminal and of course I was very impressed. Love what he does.

I did not get to meet him though.

kitchen aide panning machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

thanks for the reply.

that looks like the same machine, but the best price I have seen so far.

from what I understand, you put in your coffee beans or nuts, and slowly pour in tempered chocolate as it turns?

kitchen aide panning machine

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

hi folks.

I am wondering if the kitchen aide panning attachment is worth the 575 they want for it ?

I understand that it is not made by kitchenaide, but by a French company, and I would like to make sure that it will work on my model, and make large enough batches that it is cost effective to spend the money on the equipemt and labor,

also I have never used a panning machine before, i'd ike to hear people;s experiences.

thanks.

updated by @Matt Carter: 04/11/15 01:02:54AM

HI, from the new Guy

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

I started Carter's Chocolatesabout three years ago in a small town in Washington State.

I had gone to a pastry school back in the 90's, then worked as a pastry chef, managed a bakery, then was a restaurant server for a few years before doing Sales for 4 years. Then I decided to stop working so hard, and set out to create my own chocolate shop, where I could work for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, and make just enough money to be happy...

Three years of 12 hour days later... I know better ! I was getting part of a day off maybe once a month, although I am trying hard to take one full day off every week now. Hopefully that will keep me from being too hard on the staff.

I started out just making truffles.Customers insisted that I make Caramels, so I started doing them, and then my own pecan caramel turtles, then Crunchy Frogs, and a few more fun things like that. Peanut butter cups, Smores bars... chocolate dipped Candied Ginger flies off the shelf.

Going to Farmer's Markets in the summer and having to packthe chocolatesback into the coolers about noon when things were starting to get melty, was when I started making Ice Cream as well. That first summer was when I learned that Ice Cream and Chocolate are a great compliment to each other. My Chocolate sales are strong all winter, with one Chocolate Holiday after another. Then in the summer, all you need is a good location and a sign for Homemade Ice Cream to fill up your store with customers. And in the new location, Ice Cream customers coming in are increasing the chocolate sales as well.

I have a small staff, and very little machinery. From the little time that I have spent so far on this wonderful forum, it seems that everyone else is using tempering machines.

I don't have a budget for expensive equipment, so I can't afford a Hilliard or Selmi, and the Chocovision that I bought, well, I just don't like the results, and the attempts I have made to use it took up lots of my time. We manage to get several hundred truffles dipped in a day just going in and out of the microwave inpyrex bowls.

I have done little Tasting Nights at my old shop,using a conference room in the Mall. We would sample several single origin chocolates, (chocovic's three single bean, maybe a Pralus and always a couple of Amano) drink a glass of red wine, then pair some of my truffles with some dessert wines ~all while talking about history, growing and production of chocolate, etc. I even did that presentation in front of 200 people at a Chef's Association meeting one night. I always feel out of my depth, as I have never been to visit a cacao plantation, I have only seen maybe three pods, and the closest thing I have done to production of actual chocoalte is take the tour of Theo in fremont.

All my education other than actually making truffles, has come from books. I have as many books as I can find, but the best ones that I like are Maricel Presilla's New Taste of Chocolate and the Cohen's True History of Chocolate. Fortunately for me, 99% of the people have a very limited knowledge of chocolate, so for them it is still educational.

One day I will be able to afford a trip to some chocolate producing islands in the Caribbean. I would love to visit the genebank in Trinidad, for instance.

I will be in awe of the knowledge contained in this group of people, and plan to get lots of ideas and technical assistance here.

Now that I know this group exists, I am sure that I'll be here asking stupid questions all the time!

updated by @Matt Carter: 04/13/15 08:32:37AM

Chocolate going down the drain

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

I would have thought that with all the experienced people on this forum, if this is an actual problem someone would have spoken up!
I will continue to degrease occasionally, just in case.

Chocolate going down the drain

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Question about potential for drainage problems:

I have been in business for three years this coming October.

I moved my location recently, and when I went back to the old Mall, someone told me that the drains had backed up, and they blamed me.

The City inspectors did not require agrease trap, and so of course I didn't spend the money on one.

Should I have?

Or should I be putting some sort of drain-degreasing liquid down the drains monthly or quartlerly to keep the pipes clean?

I certainly don't want any big expenses down the road!

updated by @Matt Carter: 04/20/15 04:13:39PM