John Q. Stewart's Comments

Thank you. I was in production mode this past weekend making chocolates for the Home Sweet Home benefit taking place on 10/30 in Cambridge, MA. I'm loving that I can take a picture with my iPhone and upload it to The Chocolate Life via email.

(having trouble with the hyperlink, but will keep trying :D )Go here if you want to be inspired by a young woman who began her chocolate making journey with rudimentary equipment as a a 10 year old for a school science project. She was helped by many of our friends you may find here on the The Chocolate Life - however, this was 7 years ago.
It is a great story and wonderful inspiration!
http://www.amyschocolate.jkchocolatetruffles.com/index.html

Ha - I know Marquette - love it :)
I'm all for u building your own equipment - it is the quintessential creative engineering attitude :D
I have a love-hate relationship with my machines/equipment. I like knowing I can use a bowl, spoon, and hot water for just about anything.

I find the ones that use water can be a bit quicker becuse they can cool very quickly. I a refering to the small less than 100 pound machines. The water cooled machines lack some portability due to their design. Without the cooling abiltiy the water type machine is much slower.

We have a few melters that use are the water type. I can temper in these melters but it is a longer process.

Look at some of the stuff Savage makes. Great company.

joe

Marquette friends are all XC skiers. They probably know of donckers but I do not.

We make all but sugar free on site. No preservatives - just great ingredients. Schakolad is a small family owned franchise which operates at a personal level in eastern US. Three other stores in Michigan. Lots of flexibility to create new chocolates, chocolate drinks, pastries, etc.

I have some chocolate loving friends in Marquette and have skied XC there often. Fun town year around. twitter.com/bhamchocolate. facebook: schakolad of Birmingham. corporate web site: schakolad.com/store37. Always try to get out West for a week for downhill - brother in GJ, colorado.