News

Ask Matt ... about fancy chocolate

By Bill Moss, Published: June 23, 2015

Matt Matteson, the Lightning's intrepid researcher, answers readers' questions.

Q. What is Barry Callebaut? That’s the name you see on that large new building in Edneyville.

More than 100 years ago Callebaut (pronounced “cal-a-bow”) was making chocolate in Belgium. The name Barry was taken from the French chocolate company Cacao Barry upon merger. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Barry Callebaut boasts that it’s the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products. One of its 130 divisions is Mona Lisa foods on St. Pauls Road in Edneyville, which the Swiss company acquired in 2012.
Mona Lisa makes chocolate decorations for the food service industry, retail shops, hotels and restaurants. According to plant manager Marc Garrett, the plant added a 25,000-square-foot raw materials and packaging warehouse to free up space for a new state-of-the-art production line. They will add a high-capacity decorating machine that will allow them to do intricate designs and shapes. So, that large chocolate-colored building you passed in little ol’ Edneyville is just a small part of a world class chocolaterie. I always wanted to use that word.

Q. I read recently where a 62-year-old man had to pay $9,200 in expenses for having to be rescued while hiking in New Hampshire. We always hear of kayakers who have to get pulled out of the gorge and people who fall off waterfalls. Who pays for rescues in our county?

According to County Fire Marshal Wally Hollis, those costs are absorbed individually by each volunteer fire department or the Henderson County Rescue Squad. Our EMS Department, however, would charge if the subject had to be taken to a hospital for treatment. Hollis said that several years ago there was talk of charging fees but it never got past the discussion stage. Neither the N.C. Wildlife Commission nor the N.C. Parks Service charges for search and rescue services. This is probably because the vast majority of such operations are conducted by local fire and rescue personnel. The state lacks that level of aggregated manpower.

Q. A friend showed me his driver’s license with the words “veteran” on it. How do I get that done and what are the benefits?

If you have been honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, just bring your DD-214 (discharge form) to the DMV next time you renew. If you want it added now, go to the DMV, present your form, pay $10 and request a duplicate license. I think some restaurants and stores give discounts to vets but I could not find a list of local discounters.

Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com.