What I mean by “reference chocolate” (a processing definition, not a claim)

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About Ridgewood Chocolate
Ridgewood Chocolate is a small-batch chocolate maker based in Ridgewood, Queens, focused on a rarely practiced method of production: post-roast, hand-shelled cocoa.
In this process, cocoa beans are roasted whole and then shelled entirely by hand after roasting. Only the cocoa nib enters refinement. No shell is present during grinding or conching. This approach differs structurally from modern machine-winnowed production, where shells are loosened but remain present during early stages of processing.
Hand-shelling requires roast parameters that allow complete shell lift-off and separation. Because this step cannot be mechanized without altering the method itself, the process is inherently non-scalable and largely absent from contemporary chocolate making.
The absence of shell material has measurable sensory implications. Bitterness distribution, astringency, and aromatic expression unfold differently on the palate compared to conventionally produced chocolate. These differences are not a matter of quality ranking, but of process-driven variation.
Ridgewood Chocolate does not seek to replace modern chocolate production or to challenge existing standards. Instead, the work exists alongside them—as an exploration of how process shapes outcome, and how certain methods persist or disappear as industries evolve.
As interest grows in transparency, craft, and the role of method in defining flavor, Ridgewood Chocolate contributes to a broader conversation about how chocolate is made, evaluated, and categorized.

by Constantine  nov 2, 2019
Updated: Oct 9, 24

Dec 1, 25: Click the Blog Tags menu choice for the best experience.

 Youtube Hand shelling cocoa beans. Without inclusion, with nuts.

Here are a few articles about us in the 'real world.' 

We called the Ridgewood Times and Anthony Giudice wrote a beautiful two page article about us.

An excellent article in Bushwick Daily by talented writer Alyssa Fisher and photographed by Travis American 
She was in Ecuador making chocolate, so she knew everything about it.

A documentary, Oct 2017 on Vimeo by Hanna Utkin. 

How we got started When Rubi emigrated to the USA, she expected that the same chocolate as in the Philippines. However, much to her disappointment all  choices involved highly refined sugary treats. She was unimpressed with the choices; she then purchased a pound of beans on Amazon; proceeded to make chocolates using traditional techniques. The experience for me was like 'night and day' a powerful uniquely  beneficial remedy.

Business information 
Constantine & Co, Inc, Constantine Kalpaxis, President. established  1995 as a  computer consultant to the New York City Department of Health.. 

Retail location
Retail store: 60-02 Catalpa Avenue, Ridgewood NY 11385.
Telephone: 718-219-1687

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