dv8 trippin: chocolate factory!

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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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nah, this is older thread, briefly resurrected by me. if no one ripped the chocal apart means it's really good. and i recognize good when i see it :) although bad tends to stick out more, unfortunately. but as i said: i praise the praiseworthy :)
 
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Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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dv8 said:
hoy reports that producers of chocolate have been given 48 million pesos:
Gobierno financia RD$48 MM a mujeres producen chocolate - Hoy Digital
this is good news. i am really surprised that danilo puts so much emphasis on the agricultural production. that's something you'd expect from campesino hipolito...
Click to expand...

I am currently in country and spoke with the group in Los Naranjos de Castillo and they were told they will have access to $3million for financing. The other group I work with in Loma de Jaya has not been offered to participate in the program. Upon my visit, I discovered a Peace Corps volunteer was assigned to Los Naranjos. I would image placing the volunteer had something to do with the financing. More later as I find out more what is happening.
 
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amstellite

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Sep 5, 2007
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what a fantastic report.. I will go in December .. thanks so much./ we don't have a car, just a motorbike.. not a problem right ?

dv8 said:
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!
Click to expand...
 
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Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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Dominicans have no ceremonial type things going on with cacao that I know of, it is a business to them, mas nada. I met Chris Curtain at last year's Chocolate Show in NYC. I paid some $14 for a really nice bar of chocolate. It was one of the most expensive bars I have purchased. There are some good videos on YouTube about Dan Pearson from Maranon Chocolate who discovered these special white beans in Peru called Fortunado #4 on the market. About 12 and half minutes in the video they show the breakdown from the profits on chocolate from the farm to the bar by breaking up pieces of a chocolate bar. Very well done. Do not know if I would want to eat guinea pig but I guess when in Rome.
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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another update on chocal: Trabajadoras del Chocal mejoran su calidad de vida

the articles gives a brief history of the company and says that the lives of women working there have improved. their monthly sales are up to 200,000 - 300,000 pesos and soon enough the products will be available in jumbo and el nacional.

i strongly recommend visiting the place. and remember, by buying chocal chocolate you are not only giving happiness to yourself but also supporting local economy. :laugh:
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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June 9, 2016
I just took a small group of US college students up there and they really have their act together.

Do?a Luz is still the bosslady, but they are all in this together.

It appears that they receive groups from the cruise ships, one week on and one week off. Call the place or
use the website email: chocolatedealtamira@hotmail.com
Make sure you go when the "tourists" are not there. The place is still small and 10 people is a crowd.

What was interesting is that the cruise folks were set to cleaning cacao from the husking machine...and there they were
picking out proken husks that escaped the machine....and seemed quite content.

There was another group that were filling black plastic bags with a growing mixture for the nursery. They are constantly replacing and
planting new lands.

It is an interesting experience, that is no doubt.

It must be good since there is another chocolate place off the road and closer to the highway. They buy their cacao beans at
the same place as Chocal. RD$7,000/100lb of fermented beans...

If you can, this is an interesting side trip...The women are really interesting and they now have 8 years of experience.
I think I would suggest taking an ice cooler and plastic bags to keep the chocolate cool after you purchase it.

Even a little heat melts it...and it is so good!!

Cordially,


HB
 
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Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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Thanks for the update. Have not visited the ladies for a couple of years, and are in it for the long haul. The other group closer to the main road are also nice people. A little different product line. You can
stop at both.


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