When me and my friends went to the candy store I was the only one that would buy a delicious candy called a “Chunky.” It’s funny, but I should have known then that I would end up owning my own chocolate business some day. After a 28 year career as a pressman in the printing industry, my weekly trips to the Berkeley Farmer’s Market led to my entrance into the chocolate business.
       It was my discovery of the Smit Ranch dried cherries (see Barlovento Story) led to 4 years of experimenting in my kitchen. The experimenting didn’t end with the dried cherries, soon enough I was searching for recipes for gnash, marshmallows, cookie treats and many more.
       As I got more serous, my quest for knowledge led me to take an online chocolate course thru Ecolechocolate.com. By this time, being totally hooked on making chocolate, I followed up the online course with a week international study at Cocoa West Chocolatier on Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada.
       After a great week in Vancouver, I was ready to start a chocolate business of my own. A lay off at my printing job provided my with the final nudge to create Barlovento Chocolates, the rest of the history is waiting to be made.