Just down the road, and usually on the way home is the Guitard Chocolate Factory. Now you may or not have heard of Guitard, but you most probably have eaten their chocolate. I had the opportunity years ago to take a private tour they offered to the nearby Starbucks locations (they furnish all of Starbucks chocolate). Not only did I get to taste the whole process of how chocolate is produced, but see and smell the roasting process, the aging process, and the packaging process. I also walked out with 10 pounds of chocolate chips.

This plant operates 24 hours a day to produce much of the comercial chocolate in the US and many other places. I usually have to get off the freeway in Millbrae everyday since traffic is way too tied up from there on out. This allows me to drive down California Drive right around 6pm the rest of the way home. Right around then they are typically roasting a batch of coco beans, and let me tell you that this smell is just pure heaven.

If you’ve been lucky enough to smell coffee roast, or smell popcorn burn (I really can’t explain why this makes you want popcorn), you have some idea of what I’m talking about. But smelling chocolate roast is just so much better. If you are looking for a good euphoric high, just let me know, and I’ll get you some details. They don’t roast every day, but hit that spot at the right time, and you should be in luck.