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# Gear Geek Deep Dive | #PodSaveChocolate
- URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/gear-geek-deep-dive-podsavechocolate/
- Published: 2024-05-23T02:22:28.000Z
- Updated: 2025-02-16T20:52:07.000Z
- Description: Episode 45 of #PodSaveChocolate does a deep geek dive into non-traditional gear chocolate makers and confectioners should take a look at.
- Author: Clay Gordon
- Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream

**When and Where to Watch**

🗓️

This episode airs live, starting at 10:00 AM ****PDT**/****MST** (11:00 MDT, 12:00 CDT, 13:00 EDT), on Friday, May 24th, 2024\.   
  
You can click any of the links below to participate live or watch the archived episode. The archive on YouTube will include participant comments from LinkedIn and FB in the live chat replay.

[Gear Geek Deep Dive | #PodSaveChocolate\*\*Episode 45 Overview\*\*It’s no secret that the cocoa markets have been extremely volatile over the past eighteen months. At the moment, the May cash price is…![](https://www.youtube.com/s/desktop/43b334bf/img/favicon_144x144.png)YouTube![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cY6JhGoCh9s/maxresdefault_live.jpg)](https://youtube.com/live/cY6JhGoCh9s?ref=thechocolatelife.com)

Click to watch on YouTube in a new tab or window. Please subscribe (free!) to the [@PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@podsavechocolate/featured?ref=thechocolatelife.com), like this video, comment, and share to help grow the #PSC community. 

Link to [watch and comment](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Fpodsavechocolate-lavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-activity-7199231404847603712-0egF?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) on LinkedIn.  
Link to [watch and comment](https://www.facebook.com/TheChocolateLife/) on TheChocolateLife page on Facebook.

Join the conversation LIVE in the chat on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

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## **Episode 45 Overview**

It’s no secret that the cocoa markets have been extremely volatile over the past eighteen months. At the time of this writing, the May cash price is down about 40% from its high of just a few short weeks ago. No one knows what the future holds and what a new normal price – whatever ***that*** means – might be.

I‘ve long been an advocate for small chocolate makers to think past the bar and explore producing a wider range of products to attract a broader customer base. With the increased price of cocoa and derivatives, especially cocoa butter, many makers I have talked with are taking a hard look at whether they can remain in business, and if *one* way to do that is to change their product mix.

Given the above, I think that now is the *perfect* time to take a deep dive into gear that can be used to make delicious craft chocolate products that contain less cocoa.

And that’s what we’ll be exploring in this episode of #PodSaveChocolate. 

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### **Resource Links**

💡

[Multifunction Automatic Fermenter](https://www.100x100chef.com/en/product-chef/2042-30/enzyme?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[a similar version [on Amazon](https://amzn.to/3VbLB6L?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\]

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[ThermoPro Bluetooth Hygrometer Thermometer](https://amzn.to/4bQJvyv?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[Amazon\]

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[Inkbird Temperature and Humidity Controllers](https://amzn.to/4bI9et4?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[Amazon\]

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[Inkbird Wifi Sous Vide Water Oven](https://amzn.to/3yvbaql?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[Amazon\]

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[Breville|PolyScience Control Freak](https://amzn.to/3UYw2Oe?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[Amazon\]

💡

[ICE CHEF Ice Texturing Machine](https://www.100x100chef.com/shop/usa/gb/maquinaria/2886-ice-4-pro.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com)

💡

[PRESSURE HOMOGENIZER SQUASHER](https://www.100x100chef.com/shop/usa/gb/cooking-techniques/1385-1182-pressure-homogeneizer-squasher.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com#/41-voltage-230%5Fv)

💡

[MINI TEPPAN NITRO SALVA-G](https://www.100x100chef.com/shop/usa/gb/cooking-techniques/134-mini-teppan-nitro-salva-g.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com)

💡

[Booker And Dax SPINZALL](https://www.bookeranddax.com/spinzall2?ref=thechocolatelife.com)

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[Girovap Tabletop Distiller](https://www.100x100chef.com/shop/usa/gb/barman/1093-1014-girovap-kitchen-distiller.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com#/42-voltage-110%5Fv)

💡

[Brod & Taylor SAHARA Food Dehydrator](https://amzn.to/4bu00Rj?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[Amazon\]

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[Brod & Taylor Fermentation & Culturing](https://amzn.to/3wF5lq3?ref=thechocolatelife.com) \[Amazon\]

💡

[Harvest Right Freeze Dryers](https://harvestright.com/videos/?ref=thechocolatelife.com)

💡

One-Shot Machine \[[Vonin](https://www.voninmaquinas.com.br/en/equipment/one-shot-depositors/c3-pro/?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\] \[[Akaygam](https://akaygam.com/one-shot-chocolate-depositor.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\]

💡

Coating Pans \[[Akaygam](https://akaygam.com/coating-pan.html?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\]

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Natural Granite Handmade Stone Mill/Grinder \[[Amazon](https://amzn.to/4aPukVH?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\]

**Books**

💡

The Complete Technology Book on Cocoa, Chocolate, Ice Cream and Other Milk Products \[[Amazon](https://amzn.to/3KfOzAP?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\]

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Seeing with Fresh Eyes: Meaning, Space, Data, Truth \[[Amazon](https://amzn.to/3KgXNNi?ref=thechocolatelife.com)\]

**Ingredients**

💡

[NATUR EMUL](https://www.valrhona.us/partner-brands/sosa-ingredients/texturizers/emulsifier/natur-emul?ref=thechocolatelife.com) (ingredient)

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### **Questions?**

If you have questions, you can ask them live during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, you can ask them in the Comments below at any time.

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### **Episo**de Hashtags a**nd Related Accounts to Follow**

#cocoa #cacao #cacau  
#chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate  
#PodSaveChocolate #PodSaveChoc  
#LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife

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### **Future Episodes**

🗓️

The guest for the Tuesday, May 28th episode of PodSaveChocolate will be Nataly Nicholls, Founder and Chief Chocolatier of Magno Chocolate, located in Medellin Colombia. There will also be a chocolate/coffee-tasting experience in this episode!

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### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives**

**To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards, below.

[Pod Save Chocolate Calendar and ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate!![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/11/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080-5.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/pod-save-chocolate-calendar-and-archive/)

[#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/)

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