The recent release of Warner Brothers’ Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to Blu-Ray got me thinking — which Willy Wonky and the Chocolate Factory (or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) do you prefer?

Both adaptations of the book by Roald Dahl have their merits, of course, but personally, I prefer the current remake with Johnny Depp. I grew up with the Gene Wilder original from the 70’s and to be honest there was just always something about it that creeped me out. It was great fodder for the imagination (a chocolate and candy factory all to yourself? Yes, please!) but …read more

How sad for the people of Sydney, Australia: A chocolate factory burned down for the second time in five years this past week! (And yes, I’m being facetious here!)
Praline Chocolates first burned down in July 2004, after which a high-tech fire system was installed. It apparently didn’t do too well of a job as the factory caught fire this past weekend and it took over six hours to put the blaze out.
The fire led to the collapse of a wall that bordered an electricity substation, which then led to a loss of power to some 35,000 homes and businesses …read more

It doesn’t get fresher than this – a tour through a chocolate factory in Mexico that culminates in a taste straight from the machine!
I can’t seem to find any info on how much significance chocolate holds for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, but why should that stop anyone? Do you do anything special for Cinco de Mayo?

Arguably one of those most popular comedy bits of all time, the 39th episode of “I Love Lucy” featured Lucy and Ethel working at a chocolate factory, wrapping chocolates as they came down a conveyor belt. The episode is technically titled “Job Switching” but is better known as “Candy Factory.”
It was filmed May 30, 1952 and entails Ricky and Fred thinking that housework is much easier than earning money. Lucy and Ethel feel the opposite so the boys try doing the housework while the girls attempt to hold down a job at a candy factory.
[info via Lucy Library]