dv8 trippin: chocolate factory!

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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well, i've heard about this chocolate factory in altamira many moons ago but somewhat i have never been able to make it but few days ago finally we packed up and went...

first thing you need to know is that it is not in altamira but another small village, palmar grande. just before altamira if coming from POP or just after if coming form santiago. from the main road you take turn left if coming from POP or right if from santiago. almost immediately you'll hit the dirt road as asphalt ends just few meters away from where most of the votes are :rolleyes:

the road is accessible even in a low sedan, or in a ground level twenty year old honda civic if you are dominican :) jeep is way better, especially if it has been raining because i saw the road being washed away in few places.

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you'll need to drive about 10-15 minutes. stunning views. gosh, i love dominican campo. it is so peaceful, colourful and calm...

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in any case, when you pass a small parquecito (literally one tree with few cement benches around it) you are almost there. few meters further down the road there it is:

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the factory is really tiny and you cannot enter the production area to and see it. but you can talk to one of the ladies who work there to find out a little bit more... there are 30 local women working there and most of the work is done by hand. the place was partially funded by USAID. all chocolate made there is totally organic and natural. there is nothing artificial in it. the cocoa is grown outside:

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then it is dried in the sun:

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everyone seems super nice and willing to talk. the lady was joking that the only man in the factory was a 7 year old son of one of the workers :)

there is a good selection of goodies to buy, from chocolate bears to pure cocoa in balls (it's kind of a slightly greasy brown rock you can grate for cooking, desserts, hot chocolate and so on). there is also a good selection of small bars of chocolate, 70% cacao and with flavours (passion fruit, orange, strawberry, coffee and world famous moringa):

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prices are very low. small chocolate bar is just 30 pesos! we took 12 bars (yes, yes, i know) plus cocoa ball plus big 70% cocoa chocolate roll and the bill was 450 pesos.
they also make cocoa wine and some other liqueurs. frankly speaking not so tasty but roots and herbs thingy tasted like vermouth if anyone likes that. all natural again.

in general, what a great trip! i was super happy despite a little downside of a delegate from the omnipresent cucaracha tribe, happily sitting in the back of a food display. he did not dump my spirits thou, because chocal chocolate is so good! it has better quality of some imported stuff that i have tried. and it is local. and by buying this you are being good for the community and for yourself!

so go, check it out!
 

charlie&ziggy

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Mar 1, 2009
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That sounds like a cool place to visit, I will keep that one in mind for when we get there. This is just one of the things we would like to do, great day trips and visit different areas, dv8 or anyone else have more suggestions please let me know. Thanx all
 

la_barbie

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May 6, 2004
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im sorry cipko but are you actually saying something positive about the DR :D ... ja pierdole lol
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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:) credit where credit's due. this chocolate is really outstanding.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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I have sent kids from Michigan up there and also Stevie's people from Syracuse have been there. It is a worthwhile place to visit. Thanks for those good directions.

Do?a Luz is one of the guiding lights at the chocolate place, her phone is 829 308 5852
 

flyinroom

Silver
Aug 26, 2012
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Haha dv8,

It's probably a good thing they didn't let you back into the production area..........I'll bet that little guy in the display case had plenty big family keeping the women company while they worked....;)
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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I'll bet that little guy in the display case had plenty big family keeping the women company while they worked....;)

you know what? i probably would not mind unless i saw whole cucaracha battalions happily bathing in warm chocolate, accompanied by ron blanco and loud bachata.

interestingly enough i have seen a commercial chocolate factory long time ago. believe it or not there is one in my city in poland. yes, i know, you only associate poland with vodka... incidentally there is a vodka making company in my city too byt it is guarded and the access is heavily restricted...

anyways, a trip to a polish chololate factory... that was in the last year of primary school and was a part of an ongoing tour of various factories surrounding the city, all kept under a headline of what-wait-for-you-if-you-don't-go-to-high-school. initially an idea of working in a chocolate factory appealed to us until on a way there we caught the first whiff of it with a sudden gust of wind. damn, making chocolate stinks to great heavens. luckily, out snot filled noses quickly desensitized to the vile stench and we sort of enjoyed the rest of the trip that can be summarized in three major points: lots of screaming; lots of eating; lots of vomiting.

however, no roaches. or maybe yes, because i distinctly remember some crunchy bits...

in any case, chocal was different: it smelled so delicious! makes you think what the hell happens in the process of making commercial chocolate?
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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Very nice. I spent a day there a few summers back and also work with two similar groups of women in other parts of the country. The groups I work with aren't making bars yet, but do make the balls of paste and wine. The Chocal group is so much further along then the other and get email notifications that they set up booths in the Capital and Santiago at environmental fairs and other like events. I can't wait to get back this summer and taste their chocolate.
 

cleverlemming

New member
Jul 14, 2012
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A chocolate factory has been on my list for a long time. Thanks! Now, I just need to find the place that sells the coffee beans that have been on a one-way trip through a civet.
 

Jenny429

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Oct 10, 2005
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Well since tomorrow is a strike here in San Francisco (In the later afternoon) I will be planning a trip to the Chocolate factory with the kids soon! Thank you! What an awesome write up! I'm always looking for "different" ideas so the kids get to see different things here.. Thanks!
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I have heard of "Civit Coffee", BUT, are you SURE those are chocolate beans drying in the sun???
It looks strikingly like my cat's litter box when I forget to clean it!!!!!!!!!!
I know you love cats.
Are you just tying to help them make a living here???
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

cleverlemming

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Jul 14, 2012
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I have two relatives who are difficult to find presents for as they can buy anything they like. I am always looking for things for them that they can't find on Amazon, like civet coffee. :cool:
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i wanted to post this link here:
Gobierno busca mejorar la calidad del chocolarte para aumentar la exportaci?n - DiarioLibre.com

we had a thread where we discussed chocolate production in some more detail but i cannot find it now. it seems like someone is sharing the idea presented once here about bringing a know-how to boost current production. it looks like a swiss specialist will visit DR to share some chocolate production secrets with dominican small producers.

this is truly fantastic. the chocolate from altamira has an ingredients list 4 products long. it's tasty, it's pure and it deserves more recognition. i would love to see some changes regarding flavours, packaging, production, marketing and other areas that can be improved with the benefits to the producers.
 

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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In the supermercado Lindo in LT, they always have these little pods of unsweetened chocolate that I used to bring home for presents for folks. Wish I could find them in the Capital. There is so much made in the Campo that is not available in the Capital, even in the Mercado Modelo. It would be great for the DR to do chocolate production here.

But those drunken dancing roaches are a bit worrysome...they are going to have to work on that part
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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I would call the women in Palmar Grade, Altamira and have them box up 20 balls and send them to you in the Capital via Caribe Tours. The women I know who make these balls of chocolate paste (drinking chocolate) sell them for around RD$30 pe each. In the campo outside of Las Terrenas I paid RD$75. People from the SFM go to the campo to buy them in bulk and generally sell them for RD$80 in town. They range from 2-3 oz. and are not uniform in size.

Most of the time unfermented cacao is used to make these balls. A high quality eating chocolate must use quality fermented cacao. The Rizeks produce a nice bar called Kaw Kow and Diana Munne sells a nice chocolate in the Capital. Chocal is the only group of women I know which have the machinery to process an eating chocolate. These groups of women are all connected to a farmer's cooperative, mostly CONACADO. Supporting these groups is part of the 10% which must be reinvested in the communities where the cacao comes from to be labeled fair trade. It is very nice to see more support for expanding the domestic market for these groups. The balls of drinking chocolate will always be their bread and butter and how the typical family consumes chocolate in the DR. Because tempered eating chocolate needs to be kept in a temperature controlled environment to stay in temper, you are limited to selling fine chocolate where there is 24 hour electricity.
 
Sep 4, 2012
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:) credit where credit's due. this chocolate is really outstanding.

Someone would find something wrong with it the forum, seat, wait and you'll see. Glad you took the time to expand horizons and look further than crime, lots of good things around the DR to enjoy about to include this find.