MsRad

I don't think I'm going to get my toe knuckles tattooed, just looks kinda weird to me

i, on the other hand, love toe knuckle tattoos.

MsRad:

My goodness, something that I am not ignorant about, my lucky day :p

MsRad, you are certainly correct, there are two groups of chocolatiers, roasters and melters. Roasters, Steve de Vries being the most talented, in my humble opinion, are what you are talking about. Interestingly enough he once owned a glass blowing business and used his knowledge of that field to help inform his techniques in his new passion, making pure chocolate bars.

Then there are melters, which is what I was. It is here that we find ourselves in disagreement.

I was a bonbon specialist, meaning I took chocolate, from 'chocolate-makers,' which I melted to approximately 98 degrees F, then cooled down to approximately 89 degrees F, then raised again about 1 or 2 degrees F, all while agitating the chocolate, in order to temper it, forming the most favorable crystals, that create a stable product for shelf life, a smooth mouthfeel for customers, and a delightful snap, as the chocolate is bitten into, in addition to a beautiful sheen/gloss. So that is step one.

Step two: I boil cream and then let cool to match temperature of the chocolate I am going to use from step one, in addition, I bring to room temperature any flavoring I am going to use to make the bonbon unique and distinctive, perhaps a puree of blood oranges, a shot of cognac, scrapped vanilla beans, etc. etc.

Step three: I blended all of the above together, at the right ratios, of course, until I get a glossy pudding like consistency, while never taking the chocolate out of it's temperature range from step one, which would melt away the crucial crystals.

Step four: I pour this, what is called, ganache, onto baking paper that is held down with 1/4 inch bars atop a marble tabletop, which I then even out to a consistent height via the bars, being quick as you only get one or two passes to make everything smooth, before your passes start to break the ganache, making it a grainy mess.

Step five: I cover and leave over night to fully cool.

Step six: Cut into large panels that will fit into a cutting guitar, then spreading a thin coating of chocolate on top, which will be the bonbons finished bottoms.

Step seven: I cut, using a machine we call a guitar to make exact sized squares of ganache, separating and allowing to air dry during the day.

Step eight: While ganache is 'drying' I turn on my tempering machine, which I use to coat the chocolates. If you have seen videos of chocolates going down a steel wire conveyor belt, into a dual curtain of flowing chocolate, it's that machine.

Step nine: I place rows of finished ganache into back of machine and allow them to be carried through two curtains of chocolate, coating them entirely, after they come through the machine, while still drying, I place various decors to mark their flavors: nuts, using a fork to make designs, colored cocoa butter transfer sheets, etc. etc.

Step ten: I place them into a specially controls frig for a few minutes in order to completely set, ensuring an even cooling, which plays a role in what I talked about in step one.

Now, you are certainly technically correct about your idea of the roasters making chocolate, but I have to disagree with the spirit of the idea.

It's not either/or, it's a continuum, I think.

It's iike saying that the farmer is the person really responsible for your great meal at a great restaurant. They are certainly necessary, but they are certainly not sufficient for the wonderful experience you had.

So I agree with you, I just agree with you plus...lol.

Loves chocolate and misses it...:(

i used to work at Schraffen Berger when it still was the main plant and small batches were still the focus. Technically, in order for a company or individual to have the title "chocolate maker" in their name, you have to have a "bean to bar" operation (and if my memory serves me correct, this is according to the FDA so it applies to the US only). anyways, i while i don't think you're less of a chocolatier, i don't think you're a chocolate maker, but a bon bon maker. nothing wrong with that, and it's just as labor intensive as making small batch chocolate, but very different from what i was talking about. i more of meant the people who go out to Michaels and purchase those colored "chocolate" (which they're not) chips and then melt them, pour them into molds, and then instantly they're selling "pops" or "chocolate" which is really no better than the Hershey's bar bought from your local grocery store. that's all i meant. it's not hard to take a bag of chocolate chips, melt them in the microwave or with a homemade double boiler, and then form them in a bar and slap your name on them. it does take work to make handmade confections of the extent that you've described.

man, now i'm craving chocolate.

Dan, I'm having a hard time figuring out the tone of your message. I hope you aren't trying to imply with the last sentence that tattooing is a more special thing than other trades. I can assure you there are people who feel as strongly about their trade or craft as tattooers do about theirs. There's people who put as much hard work, time, money, etc. into their craft as a tattooer or tattoo apprentice does.

but there are also those, just as with tattooing, who imitate the crafts that Dam mentioned also on a subpar level (as you have described from your own experiences Ursula). like the "chocolate maker" who buys the candy chips at their local craft store along with a candy mold. to me, that's just reshaping it, that's not making chocolate. a true chocolate maker sources beans, roasts them very carefully (usually, in small batches at first), then grinds them to make the chocolate liquor, adds just the right amount of sugar and vanilla, then tempers it until it's perfectly ready to be molded. that's a true chocolate maker.

just like i sew, but i wouldn't call myself a seamstress. my grandmother slaved over a sewing machine altering various uniforms for the local police and post office, working 10 to 12 hour days just to keep her business alive for over 20 years. she was a seamstress. me? i just hem my pants and dream about quilting.

anyways, back to Dan's post. i don't know if this is how he meant it, but i took it as his sarcasm also was directed towards those who are hobbyists, and not dedicated craftspeople. also, i dont think you have to spend every waking hour dedicated to your craft to be considered "serious" about it, but i think it should be a big part of your passion, and a driving force in your life.

maybe this will be better.

2 squirrels

pictures please?

tattoo related please, as much as i love the kitties.

you do realize this is the thread for all non-tattoo related hillarious images right?

Animals Being Dicks:

i think everyone should checkout Lucero. but i'm really biased.

::Ahem,Scott,ahem:: Also noticed Jason Kundell will be there as well, quality tattoos.

Stockholm! i couldn't remember where it was haha

Hello,

My attempt (a poor one that is now evident) to start a conversation has resulted in consternation, much of which is well deserved, for which I offer my apologies.

I know now that it is possible to have one's face redden across the internet at displaying a 'shocking lack of knowledge.'

I took the wrong tone, made some wrong assumptions, and mistook failed wit for wisdom that was not solicited.

Again, my apologies, no disrespect meant.

Jaycel Adkins

Jaycel, do you tattoo?

Oh I forgot about my business cards! I have a decent amount. Maybe when I get back to FL I can send you, MsRad, a few of my duplicates!

that would be much appreciated! i think i may have a few inksmith & rogers cards, but i'd have to look at home. if you have one for Thread Wizard, i'd love to have it!

oh and i just remembered that i've been trying to collect all the stencil drawings (the ones on tracing paper) for my tattoos too, but have forgotten a few times haha.

i collect all my ticket stubs from shows, movies, etc., business cards, and art show postcards, published photo/art books, and other people's snapshots or family albums. pet photos are some of the best, but my favorite find so far has been a family album that belonged to a couple who met while serving time in San Quentin (complete with their photo id cards). i've also began separating my tattoo business cards from the rest. one day i'll have a vintage Scott Sylvia or Mario Desa card and someone else will nerd out about it haha.

One of my employees lives/works on a blueberry farm and recently hooked me up with some fresh picked blueberries; tonight I made blueberry with lime zest jam. The bottles are cooling right now; I should be making an amazing pb&j tomorrow if all goes well!

coincidentally, i picked 5 lbs of olallieberries on saturday. currently freezing a bunch of them to make pie and syrup with later. don't have the time to do it right now unfortunately.

Fuck auto correct.

auto correct wasn't the only problem ;)

In 2001 the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) reported 21 workplace accidents in the UK involving explosives with a total of 3 people needing hospial treatment for minor injuries. Kind of puts things in perspective dosn't it?

while i'm with Ursula on this matter, to be fair, i think it can be safely assumed that there are a lot more people eating cookies/biscuits in the UK than there are working around explosive materials. just sayin'.

Three words. Justin Burner.

heh heh heh

Pssssshhhh

Yeah they are!

Woops about the Keniser mix up. I obviously can't post hungover.

Drunk yes though. Like now.

i hope this means more drunk book tattoo ideas :)

Tim Barry is always worth checking out. Rivanna Junction is my personal favorite album. Joey Knieser from Glossary (TN) released a solo album last year that is incredible. The name escapes me at this time. Just google his name and solo record. Its free to download on his website along with his sisters album.

Listen to Blood for Blood. That's mandatory.

Kelly Kneiser is actually Joey Kneiser's ex-wife (i think they have two kids together). and don't listen to D about Blood for Blood. they're not mandatory.

that's why Im loving google+

I have a circle of about 15 people I actually want to follow, versus the 700 (down from 1000 with 200 awaiting me to reject them) that I'm too lazy to weed through on FB

unfortunately, google+ is where the incident i described above took place.

i liked her quite a bit, and i'm not ashamed to admit that. she brought back a sound that had been forgotten by pop music in my opinion. i'm just sick of snarky, ignorant comments in general. i made a decision to stop being friends with someone this week over a "joke" in which he stated that it should be mandated that all people with mental illness should be euthanised. when i confronted him on it (albeit, not doing so the best way) i was just met with excuses and the blame was turned around on me for doing so, because i "didn't get" the joke. as a person who suffers from mental illness, fuck that and fuck you. there are some things that just shouldn't be joked about, and people's suffering, again in my humble opinion, isn't one of them. where is the compassion and kindness? do people forget that there is real suffering associated with these things?

sorry for the rant. i really needed to vent.

Thanks for the support guys.

I've been glued to the tv for 12 hours straight now. Latest is that atleast 80 kids were killed at the massacre on utøya island, and atleast 7 killed from the bombing. Looks as if it was all the actions of one man, a 32 year old norwegian right wing extremeist.

i read an article where it was compared to the Oklahoma City Bombing. i was only 10 when that happened, but i remember it vividly and have been to the memorial.

He has a swallow on the other hand and some stuff on his upper arms. Believe me I tried to talk him out of it or at least suggest putting it on his arm, but that's what he wanted.

is he english? or an american just wishin' he was an english skinhead?

Heard from Black Metal Robin! he's fine and left a message on my profile if anyone would like to read what he wrote!

sure. the link that Lochlan provided for his radio show appearance did not work for me, and provided the same result as i described above. it's under the "Random Crap" section.

embedded links aren't working for me. a new LST page opens up and tells me that the "page was not found". just fyi!