Today we headed out the door to Bullé, Broc-Fabríque to visit the Cailler chocolate factory. This is a picture some of the scenery one could see when not playing the Great Dalmuti.
We got to go through a video and audio tour of the history of chocolate, loosely. While waiting for the tour to begin we were left to look at old print ads that they had hanging up. These were ones that caught my eye.
Then we were admitted to a room that had huge bags of cocoa beans, hazelnuts and almonds. Along with other ingredients used in the production of choclate. Here's a picture of J examining some Cocoa beans, that I'm sure have been handled many times over, but smell great.
The kids got their picture taken in front of a board extolling the virtues of chocolate.
During the time J was examining the beans, D has run ahead to read and see how the Branche candy is made.
And she is explaining to J
And then back to learning more.
Near the end of the tour you were given the chance to fill out a card answering "When's your chocolate time?" Here are the responses from those in our group that I was able to spot posted on the wall.
Then at the end of the tour they have a tasting bar. You can eat as much as you want and sample as many different varieties as you'd like. Here's are some pictures of the cousins enjoying it.
Here's what the tasting bar looks like.
After visiting the gift shop just as we exited the sampling bar, we went out the doors to a very conveniently located playground.
Then it was off to grab the return train after walking through the Néstle factory store located at the train station. While on the train to the Gruyere factory we saw scenery like this.
Once at Gruyere we were greeted by this friendly cow.
Then of course we could see the rows of cheese wheels (each one when finished weighs 35 kilograms). 400 liters of milk is required to make one cheese wheel. This is just one of many rows of cheese.
During their time in the cellar it is kept company by four to seven thousand fellow wheels in a environment of 12-18 degrees Celsius at 92% humidity. During the first 10 days each wheel is hand turned and brushed with a salt and water mixture. Then during the next two weeks this process is repeated three times per week. Then twice per week during the next three months. Then once per week until the wheel is ready for sale.
Then of course nature called. But these toilets are to be celebrated. J saw this and said "Mom would love this." So here we go,
After that we went through the self guided tour with a phone like device that you punch the station number into and listen to the information. There were quite a few places to smell scents of things the cows eat and how that helps flavor the milk and cheese. Here's a picture of J playing with something that used to be in cheese production. The tour didn't state what it was.
These vats are where the milk is placed and stirred until it's ready to be placed in the cheese wheel presses. The vats are voided in 4 minutes into the wheel presses. The presses start at 300 kilograms of pressure and go up to 900 to squeeze out the whey.
Then it was off to the gift shop conveniently located at the exit to the tour. Then out the exit where I was able to get D and J to pose for this.
Then off to grab a train and a bus. The bus was an interesting experience as it traveled to Freiburg. We caught the "school bus". At one stop 50+ kids crowded on to the bus, ages 12-15 I'd guess. The noise and smell factor increased drastically. Slowly children trickled off the bus and the decibel level lowered a little. Once a path was clear D went to sit with Aunt Catherine. The conversation went like this. D asked "When did it get so stinky in here?" The reply given was "When they got on here" referencing to the noisy teenagers, to which D said loudly, "Don't they wear deodorant?" Good thing French teenagers are loud and self absorbed right after school as no one else heard the conversation.
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