Tag Archive for 'chocolate'

Chocolate Artisans: The Mast Brothers

Good Evening, SuperForesters!

Last week, I shared with you an eye-opening video that showed the work of Electronic Recyclers United and how they handle e-waste. The recycling bit was pretty neat, to say the least, but what stayed with me the most was the demonstration of the sheer amount of waste that is created by mass production. Today, I share with you a story that is completely on the opposite end of the “make” spectrum. It’s a story about the Mast brothers who are a pair of chocolate-makers in Brooklyn but above all, it is a story about craftsmanship.

Despite the fact that I’ve never been a big chocolate fan, this video does two things for me: (a) It makes me want to visit their store and buy their chocolate really bad, and (b) it makes me really happy.

Love to all of you artisans,
Carla

(via the scout)

Industrial Revolution, in Brooklyn!

Hey!

There was a great article in Time Out NY last week about 2 companies that are focusing on producing their products as close to home, as possible.

One, we’ve mentioned before on SF, is Mast Brothers Chocolate. They are a great, small chocolate company, started by 2 brothers in Brooklyn that has gone from making 300 bars a week in their Williamsburg apartment to making 1,000 bars a week in their new Greenpoint factory.

“We could have opened somewhere cheaper,” Rick says, “but that would be doing what everybody else has been doing. We want to be connecting to the community.”

If you live in NY, they are opening what they refer to as a “chocolaterie and laboratory” in October in Greenpoint. It is the only bean to chocolate bar making factory in NYC. Check it out.

The other company mentioned is one in Red Hook. Mark Snyder is opening Snyders Winery in Red Hook which will be made using only grapes from Long Island. They will crush, ferment, and age the grapes on-site. Red Hook is an amazing industrial neighborhood that has slowly become the home to larger chain stores like Ikea and Fairway. It is great that it can retain some of it’s history.

Thanks to TimeOut for the great article and enthusiasm for local industries. Hopefully, other companies will be inspired to produce their products locally.

Support local manufacturing!

Niki

Idealbite.com

I just got hipped to this really great site, Idealbite.com

They do daily “sassy green-living” tips, with local tips for New Yorkers and San Franciscans.

Tasty!

Here’s their tip from today: