Merkur Progress Double Edge Razor

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbGTavMhzkz94ErSmHFSWDkL5IusUb4L2spPKtf6Sco1V_wtSwVnwSXSN_L6mdyQvLbcreIlIjZqygwa9sJomOl5uhL6Qf3wTtJNpA_D_7QerMKSy1BD8qgAIjMp8_r7PiVEYYjG0NUU/s1600/IMG_5692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbGTavMhzkz94ErSmHFSWDkL5IusUb4L2spPKtf6Sco1V_wtSwVnwSXSN_L6mdyQvLbcreIlIjZqygwa9sJomOl5uhL6Qf3wTtJNpA_D_7QerMKSy1BD8qgAIjMp8_r7PiVEYYjG0NUU/s200/IMG_5692.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merkur Progress</td></tr></tbody></table>I introduced the idea of traditional wet shaving awhile ago in <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2012/09/traditional-wet-shaving-seriously.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, which mentions my Mühle R89 double edge (DE) razor. The R89 is a great shaving instrument, and I had been using it exclusively for a long time until RAD (razor acquisition disorder) got the best of me. I don't know why, but I just got an urge to try a different razor. After considering all of the options (it may be hard to believe, but there are a LOT of modern DE razors on the market these days), I decided to buy the Merkur Progress.<br /><br />The Progress is a two-piece adjustable razor. Everything shown in the first picture represents the handle/base part, and the blade guard or cap part screws into the handle/base part to hold down the razor blade. The ivory colored knob on the bottom of the handle is turned to connect and disconnect the two parts. The knob is also used to adjust the amount of blade exposure, which in turn affects the "aggressiveness" of the razor, which in turn impacts how bloody your face gets after shaving. Thus, hairy Neanderthal types may prefer an aggressive setting (e.g., number 5 on the Progress scale), while those with sensitive skin or people new to double edge razors may find a mild setting more to their liking. Some real experienced black belts of wet shaving will vary the settings of the Progress during a multiple-pass shaving ritual that requires spread sheets, Gantt charts, Venn diagrams, and flow charts for success. Thankfully, Merkur provides multilingual operating instructions for newcomers:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8mySWvUssPXCx9skegvPMCABgqqG6LCJepI5TTA1xCEKAygr2pOFZJ0QTvFyEACKone4nfBSHovpBqPkqRnmzSp5VndpO3ZZy1XH1FxBw_nJm8_cVXZRKsIFWBzukKP5fIg73OKTNeQ/s1600/IMG_5694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8mySWvUssPXCx9skegvPMCABgqqG6LCJepI5TTA1xCEKAygr2pOFZJ0QTvFyEACKone4nfBSHovpBqPkqRnmzSp5VndpO3ZZy1XH1FxBw_nJm8_cVXZRKsIFWBzukKP5fIg73OKTNeQ/s200/IMG_5694.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">User's Manual</td></tr></tbody></table>I like the Progress even though I haven't really played around with the adjustable settings too much. I haven't used my R89 razor for awhile, but that doesn't mean that it's been decommissioned. I'll probably return to the R89 after the novelty of the Progress has worn off. I also have my father's adjustable Gillette Slim razor (made in 1967; yes, I researched it) that I use about once a year. I guess RAD hasn't hit me too hard; I only have three DE razors in my collection:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcu3SgGAfvFFxUjCYyqXR4hJN6LOl7gNXqhHrz7yAqGmRFM1rJpey9VuyCSmiLlTIg4uJM4g4voO54HAlGcFcyQd2aAYiVNFzBA21_VHaQx8jdOo4uRxb6KnBy2O8UDA6LLVAzLEf0AU/s1600/IMG_5698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcu3SgGAfvFFxUjCYyqXR4hJN6LOl7gNXqhHrz7yAqGmRFM1rJpey9VuyCSmiLlTIg4uJM4g4voO54HAlGcFcyQd2aAYiVNFzBA21_VHaQx8jdOo4uRxb6KnBy2O8UDA6LLVAzLEf0AU/s200/IMG_5698.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">R89, Slim, Progress</td></tr></tbody></table>Actually, I should probably retract my last sentence because I have acquired a few other DE razors that I eventually sold (on the seedy underground used razor market) or gave away. The following DE razors are no longer with me:<br />      Merkur 34C Heavy Duty - A sociopath gave this to me as an introduction to traditional wet shaving. I gave up on it prematurely, and Paid It Forward to a friend, who probably hates me now;<br />      Edwin Jagger DE89 - The razor head parts are identical to the R89 razor. I didn't like the handle; and<br />      Edwin Jagger Chatsworth Barley - The razor head parts are identical to the R89. It looked like a work of art, but didn't like the massive and heavy handle.<br /><br />If you are interested in learning more, there are a number of websites and online forums that cover the topic of traditional wet shaving. The <a href="http://badgerandblade.com/" target="_blank">Badger & Blade</a> website is a good place to start.

Merkur Progress Double Edge Razor

Merkur Progress I introduced the idea of traditional wet shaving awhile ago in this post , which mentions my Mühle R89 double edge (DE) razo...

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Pentel 24/7 Yellow Highlighter

I've expanded my quest for high quality writing instruments to include highlighters for use at the office. For a moment I considered the <a href="http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US.FWI.displayShop.107685./classic-205-duo-highlighter" target="_blank">Pelikan M205 fountain pen highlighter</a>, but common sense reared its ugly head for a change. My typical highlighter use case calls for an occasional highlighted passage, perhaps one out of fifty lines. Thus, I'm pretty sure that a fountain pen highlighter would dry out and skip on me. Besides, I know my fiscal limits, and spending north of $120.00 on a highlighter is beyond me at the moment.<br /><br />I also considered the Platinum Preppy highlighter, which appears to be rather utilitarian and environmentally friendly with its replaceable ink cartridges (just like the fountain pens) and felt tip refills. That said, I'm not a fan of the Preppy fountain pens, and I assume that the plastic cap and/or body of the Preppy highlighter is made of the same cheap and crack-prone material as the Preppy fountain pen. For that reason, I passed on the Preppy highlighter.<br /><br />I stumbled upon the Pentel 24/7 highlighter while drooling over the fountain pen selection at JetPens. I thought it looked cool and felt that it would spruce up my office space if left on my desk, so I bit the bullet and spent $1.10 to acquire one.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YCLcDdBx7uwj9206u87iB3kMR3FCD4sNLAsguArLrx0kff6c6iwsRNefyNTD3oWt6uwQdE-hRPOl34xY8SoDlRwMRg8PsyMS8LKxlguE-wZ7Ql0rB831I9xUlewMJSmtxlrIJkXLnXE/s1600/IMG_5764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YCLcDdBx7uwj9206u87iB3kMR3FCD4sNLAsguArLrx0kff6c6iwsRNefyNTD3oWt6uwQdE-hRPOl34xY8SoDlRwMRg8PsyMS8LKxlguE-wZ7Ql0rB831I9xUlewMJSmtxlrIJkXLnXE/s200/IMG_5764.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />The 24/7 highlighter has a section that resembles the section of a fountain pen, and it features a transparent cap that includes a spring-loaded tip seal. I admit that the eye candy aspect of the Pentel 24/7 played a role in my acquisition decision - I'm a shallow person.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXv9C8mtxJGD59DUoAwUK0jo-pY_Fm2Uy2xtdgoeb-OXmdmKY3vMbqDiFb3y5auwIpMi8XqENosptvPRIry4xv2QQ5yk-FrpYuahYHJJ8vP-bWaDhU7PSe4t9UAHs5NENtIolGxg4fso/s1600/IMG_5765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXv9C8mtxJGD59DUoAwUK0jo-pY_Fm2Uy2xtdgoeb-OXmdmKY3vMbqDiFb3y5auwIpMi8XqENosptvPRIry4xv2QQ5yk-FrpYuahYHJJ8vP-bWaDhU7PSe4t9UAHs5NENtIolGxg4fso/s200/IMG_5765.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would say that the 24/7 is a semi-demonstrator pen because it has some transparent/translucent features. Moreover, you can see the liquid highlighter ink sloshing around in the reservoir chamber. The plastic label covers most of the ink chamber, which is a shame because it would be nice to see exactly how much ink remains. Conspiracy theorists may assume that the label is used to obscure the fact that the ink reservoir is much smaller than it appears. This could be true, but what do you expect for a buck ten?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTigtwKq5PH-ICxfIp5iATfsDp3zqQUp0M3DfqKS-Iiw3DCqWJN5W_P56ZhYsBNXvv2kjNsvuOT7Q1BqScZrk_znkBcYPwHKeOZP8ZfMuohXKv9-AzeOy4IDYiyLQ5u5E7Vi2V8IkyDzw/s1600/IMG_5766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTigtwKq5PH-ICxfIp5iATfsDp3zqQUp0M3DfqKS-Iiw3DCqWJN5W_P56ZhYsBNXvv2kjNsvuOT7Q1BqScZrk_znkBcYPwHKeOZP8ZfMuohXKv9-AzeOy4IDYiyLQ5u5E7Vi2V8IkyDzw/s200/IMG_5766.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The standard issue highlighters in my office are the big fat Sharpie Accent markers. In comparison, the tip of the 24/7 pen is much finer and more compact. This could be a plus or a minus depending upon your highlighting task, the font size you are dealing with, etc. Personally, I wish the tip were slightly larger, but whatever. I will find a way to deal with it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Update (April 26, 2013): the ink volume is disturbingly low in this highlighter, and it runs out of ink too fast. I've gone through three of them in no time. I guess that's why they are so cheap.</div>

Pentel 24/7 Yellow Highlighter

I've expanded my quest for high quality writing instruments to include highlighters for use at the office. For a moment I considered the...

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Candy Corn Click Clack Skull

As I mentioned in <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2012/10/click-clack-skull.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, Click Clack key caps are highly regarded within the mechanical keyboard geekdom. I was randomly lurking on the GeekHack forum one day, and learned that <a href="http://elitekeyboards.com/" target="_blank">EliteKeyboards</a> was preparing to sell a batch of Click Clacks. EliteKeyboards used a registration/lottery system in an attempt to satisfy the rabid horde of Click Clack collectors that usually makes Click Clack key caps sell out in a few seconds after an online release.<br /><br />EliteKeyboards offered several different types of Click Clacks in the sale: a solid black colored skull; a candy corn colored key cap; a candy corn colored skull; and a key cap that looks like a frothy mug of beer. I entered the random drawings for all four of these items, and I was really hoping to get a chance to buy the beer key cap and/or the black skull.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I wasn't on the lucky "you get to buy this" list for either the beer or the black skull. However, as a ridiculously fabulous consolation prize, I was given the opportunity to purchase one of the candy corn skulls! For a microsecond I thought about declining the offer, but then I came to my senses and pulled the trigger because these Click Clack skulls are worth their weight in gold (to some people).<br /><br />Feast your eyes on the latest Click Clack acquisition of mine:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw0x2QSbHC-xe4P05RNSTRTqgdiMRGK3oK0KeLSuEZ8IpeT7LHiXLmVFfUm961icf2gbW4uIAUDYU16oyhJ95s3Gi1V3dUBx4TS5voxiE7WplMRMp2bsRnW09qKVnHBMxU2orPvb9nDc/s1600/IMG_5748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw0x2QSbHC-xe4P05RNSTRTqgdiMRGK3oK0KeLSuEZ8IpeT7LHiXLmVFfUm961icf2gbW4uIAUDYU16oyhJ95s3Gi1V3dUBx4TS5voxiE7WplMRMp2bsRnW09qKVnHBMxU2orPvb9nDc/s320/IMG_5748.JPG" width="241" /></a></div><br />Wow, it actually DOES look like a piece of candy corn. I really hate the taste and texture of candy corn, but I'm enjoying this Click Clack version.

Candy Corn Click Clack Skull

As I mentioned in this post , Click Clack key caps are highly regarded within the mechanical keyboard geekdom. I was randomly lurking on the...

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Christmas Lights: Raising the Bar in 2013

I'm finally going to tear down my meager and pathetic Christmas lights today. Or tomorrow. Or this weekend. Yeah, I'm that neighbor who refuses to abide by the sacred rule that mandates removal of all Christmas lights and decorations some time during the first weekend of each new year. Everyone else on my block has shut down for the season, but my crappy, old school, incandescent, energy inefficient, and unintentionally flickering icicle lights are still glowing. Just like they have every year for the last decade. Although these lights have served me well, I've decided to step up my holiday light game for 2013.<br /><br />Please read on for more of this exciting story . . .<br /><br />You see, my side of the block is usually chock full of holiday lights, while the other side is usually very weak and dim. No contest, really, except for the house immediately across the street from me. They have set the neighborhood bar for sure: multicolored icicle lights on the first and second stories; multicolored LED light strings surrounding the garage door; lighted nets on the bushes out front; lighted snowflakes on the second story eaves; and lighted nets (multicolored) on the street-facing roof, which is conveniently angled to allow viewing. To be honest, their light display isn't really all that impressive, but it definitely sticks out as the best one on the block, and it puts my bush league display to shame. I admit it. My kids even tease me about it. "Gee whiz, Dad, why can't we get cool lights like them?" or "Why do we always have the same boring white lights" or "Dad, we have more broken lights than good ones" or "Our lights suck ass!" OK, they don't really say that, but you get the point.<br /><br />So I hatched a plan to scour the stores for after-Christmas sales, hoping to score some awesome deals on lights and accessories. This of course led to some online research, measuring my landscape and house dimensions, and over-analyzing. One thing led to another, and I convinced myself to acquire some commercial grade LED strings. I looked at a number of online vendors, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Rite Aid, etc., and finally settled on <a href="http://www.christmasdesigners.com/" target="_blank">this place</a>. Although I originally was thinking about some animated lights, color-changing lights, or those cool looking "melting icicle" lights, I ultimately decided on a simple arrangement of green mini LED strings combined with red/white LED icicle strings. It took awhile, but I measured everything out, and ordered a boat load of light strings, a few boxes of clips, a 50 foot extension cord, a 9 foot triple outlet extension cord, a couple of three-outlet adapters, and an outdoor timer. The plan is to replace the old dim white icicle strings with the modern red/white icicle strings, topped with the green mini lights to enhance the overall Christmas color scheme. Moreover, the same arrangement will be used to line my ENTIRE street-side fence, which rises about ten feet above the sidewalk and is about 90 feet in length. I'm hoping that the simplicity of the arrangement will be overshadowed (overlighted?) by the sheer amount of candlepower emitted by all of those little diodes.<br /><br />But wait, there's more. Due to the low power consumption of LED lights, I'll be able to connect more than a billion of the light strings together. So, Phase Two of the holiday light plan is as follows: (1) additional mini LED strings around the perimeter of the garage door, perhaps red only or red and white; (2) lighted nets for the bushes in front of the house; (3) multicolored mini LED strings wrapped around the trees in the front yard; (4) multicolored LED icicle strings on the backyard play structure, which is visible from the street; and (5) a cheesy inflatable Santa, snowman, or perhaps Spongebob Squarepants standing on the deck of the play structure. I haven't given Phase Two much thought, and I haven't purchased any of the items for Phase Two yet. Luckily, I have an eleven month acquisition period for Phase Two. Time is on my side.<br /><br />My across-the-street neighbor won't know what hit him when I fire up the lights on December 1, 2013. He set the bar in 2012, and I intend to raise it in 2013.<br /><br />

Christmas Lights: Raising the Bar in 2013

I'm finally going to tear down my meager and pathetic Christmas lights today. Or tomorrow. Or this weekend. Yeah, I'm that neighbor ...

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="http://assets.kompas.com/data/photo/2012/12/28/1718312-chocomory-pembuatan-cokelat-620X310.jpg" width="630" /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Penganan manis yang meleleh di mulut ini, menjadi salah satu panganan favorit penduduk dunia. Cokelat diproduksi dengan berbagai bentuk bahkan rasa khas. Para produsen cokelat di seluruh dunia berlomba-lomba untuk menciptakan produk cokelat terbaik yang pernah ada.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sesuai dengan artikel yang dilansir oleh National Geographic, terdapat 10 produsen cokelat di dunia, yang pernah menciptakan rasa cokelat terbaik.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>1. Teuscher (Zurich, Swiss)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dolf Teuscher, mulai membuat cokelat lebih dari 70 tahun yang lalu di sebuah kota kecil di Pegunungan Alpen Swiss. Ia menjelajahi dunia untuk menemukan biji cokelat terbaik, buah, kacang-kacangan, dan bahan-bahan lain yang dapat digunakan dalam campuran cokelat.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kini, Teuscher telah memiliki lebih dari 100 varian cokelat dengan resep rahasia secara turun-temurun. Cokelat yang ia ciptakan menggunakan bahan-bahan pilihan, tanpa campuran bahan kimia, aditif, maupun pengawet. Ia memasok cokelat-cokelatnya ke tokonya di seluruh dunia satu minggu sekali.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2. Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, Illinois, AS)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Katrina Markoff pemilik dapur cokelat Vosges Haut-Chocolat, memilih setiap bahan cokelat terbaik, dengan aneka rempah-rempah, bunga-bungaan, dan biji cokelat. Ia mendalami pengetahuannya akan cokelat saat ia belajar seni permen di Universitas Le Cordon Bleu di Paris, Perancis.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kemudian ia terinspirasi oleh rempah-rempah dan bunga-bunga langka seperti biji vanili Meksiko yang dipadu dengan cokelat premium.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3. Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. (Berkeley, California, AS)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker ialah produsen cokelat yang khusus membuat dark chocolate. Setiap langkah proses pembuatan cokelat mulai dari biji cokelat hingga tahap menjadi cokelat batang ia perhatikan dengan sempurna, agar rasa cokelat yang dihasilkan berbeda dengan yang lain.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cokelat pertama produksinya menggunakan biji cokelat terbaik yang pernah ada, serta dengan sangat hati-hati mencampurkan kacang dan berbagai bahan untuk menghasilkan rasa cokelat yang unik. Selain memproduksi cokelat batang, Scharffen Berger juga membuat berbagai kue cokelat.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>4. Jacques Torres Chocolate (New York, AS)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jacques Torres Chocolate, sebuah kafe cokelat di New York dengan desain khas layaknya kafe-kafe di Eropa. Para pengunjung yang datang seperti tersihir merasakan pengalaman berada di film chocolate factory.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kafe Jacques memproduksi cokelat buatan tangan yang dengan konsep<em> fresh made</em>. Pengunjung bisa langsung memesan aneka cokelat dan menyantapnya disanan sambil santai duduk-duduk di dalam kafe, atau bisa juga cokelat dipesan untuk dibawa pulang.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Selain itu, pengunjung juga dapat mengintip proses pembuatan cokelat dibalik jendela kaca besar. Di New York, terdapat 5 Jacques Torres Chocolate, di tambah satu di Harrah, Atlantic City.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5. Norman Love Confections (Ft. Myers, Florida, AS)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bagi Norman, cokelat adalah semangatnya. Ia bermimpi bisa membuat cokelat terlezat. Kecintaannya pada cokelat dan teman-teman yang membantunya, menghasilkan desain warna dan cetakan cokelat yang kemudian diisi dengan cokelat terbaik yang diimpor dari Belgia, Perancis dan Swiss. Ia juga hanya menggunakan bahan-bahan segar yang dijadikan resep dalam cokelatnya.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>6. Valrhona (Perancis)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Valrhona telah menciptakan cokelat yang luar biasa sejak tahun 1922, dengan menggunakan biji cokelat yang didatangkan langsung dari perkebunan di Amerika Selatan, Karibia, dan beberapa wilayah di Pasifik.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cokelat dibuat dengan gaya Perancis dengan berbagai jenis cokelat batang. Valrhona, salah satu produsen cokelat pertama yang menjadikan kecanduan akan cokelat layaknya kecanduan akan wine.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>7. Godiva Chocolatier (Brussels, Belgia)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Membicarakan tetang Godiva, maka kita akan kembali pada tahun 1920, yaitu saat diadakan seminar pemanis buatan yang diselenggarakan oleh keluarga Drap di Brussels, Belgia. Pada saat itu, cokelat Praline, sebagai cokelat khas Belgia, dijual di toko-toko besar dengan desain sangat modis.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joseph Draps, mulai dari remaja, selama bertahun-tahun mengembangkan kemampuan dan bakatnya sebagai Chocolate Master. Ia memutuskan untuk melabeli merek cokelatnya dengan nama yang bergengsi. Ia memberikan nama "Godiva" dan memasarkan cokelat dalam kotak-kotak yang mudah dikenali. Godiva menjadi salah satu inovator dalam industri cokelat.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>8. Richard Donnelly Baik Chocolates (Santa Cruz, California, AS)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ini bukan cokelat biasa. Richard Donnelly membuat pengalaman cokelat dengan mewah. Menggunakan bahan cokelat dari Belgia dan Perancis, dengan campuran seperti lavender, kunyit, kapulaga, dan teh Earl Grey.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Berbagai inovasi yang ia ciptakan membawanya memenangkan penghargaan Best Artisan dalam Euro Chocolate Festival di Perugia, Italia, sepuluh tahun setelah ia menjalankan bisnisnya. Untuk menjaga kualitas dan kesegaran cokelat buatannya, Donelly menghasilkan tak lebih dari 50 kg cokelat setiap hari.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>9. Richart (Paris, Perancis)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Richart sangat berkomitmen pada kualitas cokelat, ia menjamin cokelat buatannya terbuat dari bahan-bahan alami terbaik. Resep cokelat yang ia buat dan kembangkan berasal dari keluarganya, telah memenangkan penghargaan bergengsi di Perancis, Ruban Bleu, sebanyak tujuh kali.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Setelah menyempurnakan seni dalam pembuatan cokelat, kini Richart fokus meningkatkan rasa dan desain warna.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>10. Puccini Bomboni (Amsterdam, Netherlands)</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jika mengunjungi Amsterdam, jangan ketinggalan untuk mencicipi salah satu cokelat terbaik di Belanda. Kedai cokelat Puccini Bomboni, memberikan pengalaman cokelat sangat menyenangkan. Cokelat buatan tangan dikombinasikan dengan aneka rempah dan bahan-bahan segar. Meski bukan sebuah kedai besar, namun kualitas yang diberikan benar-benar terbaik.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://travel.kompas.com/read/2013/01/05/10190787/Inilah.10.Produsen.Cokelat.di.Dunia?utm_source=WP&utm_medium=box&utm_campaign=Kknwp </span></div>

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