The Amici Veloci Gang Goes to a Chocolate Factory

Oh, what a great day !

Those of us going on the ride met up nice and early at the Scharffen Berger chocloate factory in Berkeley. Somehow, we managed to roll out by noon :D

Here we are, almost ready to roll out:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ride-group.jpg

L to R: Sarah (SadieKate), Bill (Bubba), Candy, Marty, Ann (BikerZ), Melissa (melissam), and Jo (jobob).

And here’s our photog, Lee (leebob)!

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...Berger/lee.jpg

We went over the I-80 bike/pedestrian bridge and rode up the bay trail, with a side trip out to the Berkeley Marina and around Cesar Chavez park.

We were toodling along the waterfront admiring the San Francisco skyline when off in the distance we see another pair of Amici Veloci jerseys approaching us.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...rger/bend2.jpg

It was Nicole and Mary, who had joined us on our Alameda Creek ride last month !

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ger/nicole.jpg

Nicole and Mary couldn’t join us on the factory tour. They were doing a ride on their own, and donned their AV jerseys and timed meeting up with us to perfection.

After a brief chat we all went on our ways again. Lee and I stopped at the kite field to say a quick hi to a couple of friends from our kiteflying days – we hadn’t been there in ages! – but alas it was still too early in the day for our friend Tom (the guy who introduced us and was best man at our wedding) to be there.

We continued on the Bay Trail up to Point Richmond. The weather was really nice, clear and sunny and not as windy or chilly as I had expected (still, I’m glad I had my vest on). We stopped briefly at the nice park in Pt. Richmond before we headed on back again. BikerZ and melissam got frisky and tried to leave us in a cloud of dust but SadieKate reeled the breakaway back in. Meanwhile Bubba and leebob were bringing up the rear and yapping nonstop. :rolleyes:

We got back to the factory right on time, and met up with the rest of the group for a delicious lunch at the café adjacent to the factory. The dessert display was calling to me as we left the café …must go back sometime …

We then went into the gift shop to wait for our tour to be called. Walking into the shop we were hit with the most incredible smell of roasting chocolate, it smelled like the best chocolate brownies you could imagine. What a heavenly contact high ! :D

We got to wander through the gift shop for a few minutes oooh-ing and ahh-ing at all the chocolate goodies for sale. Here we are before the tour:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...rger/group.jpg

L to R: Bubba, jobob (hey slinke, lookit what I’m holding!), Candy, Amy (dachsund), Sarah (maillotpois), melissam, Emily (petitpois), Cindy (CindySue), BikerZ, leebob, Marty, Janet (snapdragen), and SadieKate.

Our guide brought us to a demo room where we learned about the history of the company and the history of chocolate, how cacao is grown and harvested, and how Scharffen Berger turns it into the stuff of dreams. It was all pretty cool, and we got to sample different kinds of chocolate along the way.

We then donned our tres stylin’ caps and earmuffs and entered the factory.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ger/stylin.jpg

We got to see the machines that roast the cacao beans, break open the roasted beans to release the nibs (little nuggets of pure cocoa and cocoa butter), grind down the nibs into a thick paste & blend in the additional ingredients (sugar, vanilla beans, sometimes additional cocoa butter, an emulsifier called lethicin, and additional ingredients depending on the final product), the machine where the chocolate is tempered, and the all-important conveyor belt on which the final molded product is packaged. Most of the machines were operating, but alas, the conveyor belt wasn’t operating today. Which was probably just as well ;)

We then ended our tour back in the gift shop. What can I say, Scharffen Berger did well by us.

Leebob simply couldn’t wait until we got back home …

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...er/lee-bag.jpg

This was so much fun ! Many thanks to SadieKate for organizing the tour, and to BikerZ for the superb ride leadership.

Next field trip: the Hangar One vodka factory. Oy.

Here we have the Scharffen Berger building. A lovely old brick fortress, to protect the valuable chocolate :D

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0380.jpg

Mr Leebob, stylin' in his hairnet and beardnet

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ate/leebob.jpg

Factory shots

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0368.jpg http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0369.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0374.jpg http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0372.jpg

AV - ever so stylish in hairnets and earmuffs

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0376.jpg

pp going into chocolate overload. The girl is a connoisseur of fine chocolate!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/IMG_0377.jpg

Jo! I can't see what you're holding because I can't see any of the pics except for the last one, for some reason. I get that annoying little box with the red "X" in it, instead. :( Do you have a link to the pics?

Sounds like a VERY fun day! I wish we could have made it. Devon's room is painted a nice, sunny yellow and she's a happy teenager, at least for the next day or so. ;)

hmmm, must be something amiss with tinypic.com

I'll get off my duff and set up a photobucket account.

Okey-doke, the photos should load now

What great pics. Now I feel like I know you all just a little more.

That was AMAZING!! I am still recovering. My daughter may never recover.

Fortunately, I did a 10k organized trail run with a friend today. That and the 15 mile run/walk I did before the tour yesterday should ALMOST balance out all that chocolate. Great marathon training plan, huh?

Anyone want to guess as to whom the prize for most chocolate dollars spent at the gift shop after the tour was.....?

Thanks for all the pics!

V.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maillotpois

Anyone want to guess as to whom the prize for most chocolate dollars spent at the gift shop after the tour was.....?

---

I dunno! Who? Who?

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1.../IMG_03842.jpg

And I wasn't going to name names. :cool: Golly, Snap, you could have your own Sharffen Berger catalog.


Can I come over and help you out with that....?

Lots of gifts - I promise. I'd be in so much trouble if I ate all that...

:) :) snapdragen is my bestest friend :) :)

That was a lot of fun, you guys! Great company, fun ride, lunch and tour.

And great pictures Jo and Snap! I may have one or two that are postable - I need to check.

I think Hangar One, as a next AV outing, would be a lot of fun - and I liked Bubba's idea of setting up out trainers in the parking lot, so we can still get a ride in :cool:

JOBOB! LOL! That's too funny! Now I feel like I was truly there in spirit!! :)

Thanks for fixing the pics. Looking forward to the next mass ride.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jobob

:) :) snapdragen is my bestest friend :) :)

---

You should see the wine I came home with after the Holstein.........:rolleyes:

Bet it goes well with chocolate :cool:

Fun, fun day. Thanks, BZ, for keeping us organized and on time. We probably should document somewhere that we stayed on schedule because it will probably be the last time.

Thanks for the silly and not so silly pics. plus the write up. I feel ever so erudite about chocolate now.:rolleyes:

The next field trip:

hangarone.com

Tours at the Distillery

For those of you who have ever wanted to see the inner workings of the distillery, wanted to understand how distillation works, or lay awake at night wondering how we get twenty pounds of raspberries into a single 375ml bottle of eau de vie, here’s your chance:

Starting August 19th, we will offer free tours of the distillery on Saturdays at 1pm. For those of you in San Francisco, that gives you enough time to make the 11:50am Ferry Building boat out to Alameda and get here in time for the tour. While you’re here, do a tasting, or lounge outside and enjoy the view.
Yes, you may bring food.
No, you may not pet the oompah loompahs.

Oh, man, I want that (extra) bitter t-shirt! Does it come in a sleek jersey form?!? It looks like you had so much fun. Thanks for posting the pix. Fun to see those I hadn't seen before.

In fact, I think I may have seen that very chocolate today--I shopped at Trader Joe's for the first time, and noticed the chocolate by the check out. "Extra bitter" caught my eye. Since I was already spending $73 on frozen delights and fresh tomatoes and mozzerella and basil, etc, I let it stay on the shelf.

I am a leetle nervous about y'all riding home from the vodka factory...:eek: :D

That's the reason Bubba suggested trainers in the parking lot. Calories don't count when you ride also!

Oh yeah, Mr. LeeBob has already volunteered to be DD.

Hey! I just noticed that butt shot is me!

Jobob, you are on notice.:p

oh, puh-leeeze :rolleyes:

You have a lovely butt. There, I said it.

JoBob- What a perfect account of our adventure. It was great to meet so many of the Amici Veloci women and hubbies. And the tour was the inspiration for my new user name!
SemiSweet (aka Candy)

Hi there Candy ! Welcome to the fray !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snapdragen

The next field trip:

hangarone.com - Tours at the Distillery

---

Uh oh - a match made in heaven. Just saw the following in my Hanger One newsletter:

Quote:

---

On Friday and Saturday, September 30th and 29th from 7.30pm-9.30pm at the St. George Spirits tasting room, famed San Francisco chocolatier Michael Recchiuti will join forces with our acclaimed distiller Lance Winters to present the most decadent event of 2006: a chocolate and spirits tasting night! Six Recchiuti chocolates will be paired with six different spirits, and a sinful European-style hot chocolate with our single malt whiskey. Of course all of our spirits will be available at the tasting bar to create your own combinations.

The event has a $35 cover per person which includes a box of six truffles, a tasting glass for access to 14 of our enchanting spirits, hors d'oeuvres, live music, and an opportunity to meet with both Michael Recchiuti and Lance Winters. This is a 21-and-over event and because of limited space, reservations must be made in advance. The event is limited to 40 people each night.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bikerz

Uh oh - a match made in heaven. Just saw the following in my Hanger One newsletter:

---

Danger Will Robinson! Must stay away! Must stay on diet! Danger!

oh. my. goodness.

wha.....what's happening? I fainted after reading bikerz's post.....I'm so light headed.....:cool: