Let's talk CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!

Mentioned in an earlier entry that Tracy, Dan & Joan’s daughter is the owner of Miesse’s (mee’ sees) Chocolate here in Lancaster. A company in business since 1875. It is a relatively small company with a RICH heritage. Great product with NO PRESERVATIVES.

Taking a picture of Tracy is like trying to get a squirrel to stand still. Summer is not a great time to catch chocolate being made. Just for us, they opened the factory. (You know we are important!!!) Alex, A Son, gave us a great tour.

First a run down on the equipment, some very old:

Not sure if Tracy had help, but the displays are great. The above is one of the older scales. The heavier equipment is pre-1940 vintage, like the pots and mixers. The caramel mixer pulled out and allowed to harden before cleaning. (I have it on good authority, that this is great to break off when hard and chew on.)

Dark chocolate specialty mixer/scraper.

I may mis name some of these, but I have an excuse…….

Below is an original slate table for spreading and working fudge and chocolate…. This sucker is about 4” thick and heavy.

 This machine below squirts caramel or What filling needed onto each piece going thru. You can see this on the virtual tour.

Sherry mentioned the famous ‘I Love Lucy’ scene, where she was trying to keep up with the conveyer belt. (Shoulda known, Tracy produced a card board picture of Lucy doing just that!!!)

Alex was quick to point out that this is older equipment with less safety features, and all this is fed and operated by hand. The above is the cutter (sharp blades). The chocolate is run thru on about 18”x18” cutting boards. Turned 90 degrees and ran thru again, if the desire is square. They can be adjusted for different Rectangular shapes.

Another cutter on the left and What we were waiting for ‘CHOCOLATE’. I found one thing is very critical, temperature! This is mine, Milk Chocolate. NO SHE WILL NOT DIVULGE THE RECIPE! They have been in business since 1875 by protecting such things. LOL

Sherry’s favorite, Dark Chocolate, another vat of the good stuff, then of course one of White.

They were turning so slow, I figured I could dip my finger in, but no one would turn their heads!

The chocolate dip, on a conveyor belt then thru the Chocolate falls inside, followed by a trip thru the cooling tunnel.

This is for chocolate covered candies and a biggie, Pretzels, covered in white, dark or milk chocolate.

There is Joan, smiling as always and enjoying the taste and her daughter's success. In a pinch around a holiday, the whole family pitches in to help all the regular workers, GIT-R-DONE.

Of course there are samples and our picture showing we completed the tour!

Violins and other musical instruments in chocolate. I loved the chocolate ‘Thank You’ note.

I couldn’t resist a pound each of maple with milk chocolate, and Pecan, caramel in Milk choc. We then splurged and got Sherry a half pound of P-nut butter and dark chocolate.

Everything is hand packed, Tracy is boxing our Candy here, (Not every body has the boss pack for them):

I will leave you with a view of some chocolate:

 AND Then, what would a factory be without 2nd and 3rd’s on sale:

Nite Shipslog
PS:
For a virtual tour and more:
http://www.miessecandies.com/page5/
A little more on chocolate tomorrow WHEN we go to the Famous Central Market in Lancaster