HOT CHOCOLATE

VIDERI CHOCOLATE FACTORY

ESSE QUAM VIDERI

Latin for “To be rather than to seem”

Tucked away in Downtown Raleigh's Warehouse District is a bumpin’ little slice of cocoa heaven. Years ago, I researched artisan chocolate makers across the country and found this magical mini-Willy Wonka chocolate factory while I was looking for chocolate to use for my signature chocolate chip cookies. I tasted through dozens of chocolate makers. Not a bad gig, right? Most importantly, I wanted to see how they shipped their products across the country during the summer months without compromising the quality. I ordered a batch of chocolate baking bars and waited patiently for them to arrive at my commercial kitchen.

The chocolate was divine and arrived in perfect condition. Each bite was more delicious than the previous. I was compelled to visit and witness the alchemy behind their liquid gold.

I headed to Raleigh during a cold winter to visit family for the holiday. The only thing on my list to explore was the Videri Chocolate Factory. I used my birthday as an excuse to get my sister out of the house by tempting her with a steaming mug of real hot chocolate, no syrups, no powders, the genuine stuff made from stellar chocolate directly from the source of turning beans into chocolate.

The 1912 Belgian paver stone building shone a brick red as it gleamed on the horizon. Adorned with arched windows, an arch framed doorway, and stacked two stories high, it invited us in with its historical vibe and the wafting invisible chocolate clouds of deliciousness. We headed straight for the bar counter that was filled with chocolate glory. We ordered two cups, extra whipped cream, watched as they ladled hot chocolate from a steaming metal container housed in hot water as our eyes watched with feverish wanting. It was so delicious that we both cooed like babies as we sipped, lapping up the fresh mound of cream followed by thick generous waves of house-made chocolate beneath.

But the real adventure was just beginning.

The factory was a small operation but enticingly huge at the same time. The signage as we walked with our heavenly cups took us through each step of the chocolate making process. From bean sorting in the ‘Bean Salon’ to the dark silky liquid churning in large stainless-steel vats, we peered through the glass at the whole operation.

The self-guided tour gave us more information than we ever knew about the origins and migration of the cocoa beans to America from fair trade, organic, and sustainable farm partners.

o   Cocoa trees only grow in climates twenty degrees north or south of the equator.

o   The cocoa pod is the fruit of the tree that contains seeds.

o    These seeds are called beans and come from eight to twelve-inch pods.

o   The pods yield approximately thirty beans.

o   The trees take five years from seedling to producing pods.

o  They are then harvested, fermented, dried, then shipped to the U.S.

Here's a delicious little secret: chocolate with 70% cacao or higher is good for you, heart-healthy, brain-boosting, and cancer-risk-reducing. So yes, we bought a couple of bars to take home and felt virtuous about it as the hot chocolate went down even easier knowing that we were consuming much needed antioxidants. Quality chocolate now adorns the pantry or hides in little nooks in the kitchen, waiting for me to treat myself to a brain boost or a pure jolt of happy in edible form.

If you find yourself anywhere near Raleigh, NC, do yourself a favor and journey over to Videri Chocolate Factory. No Oompa – Loompas, but every sip, bite, and glimpse at their very cool operation is beyond worth it.  https://viderichocolatefactory.com/