Where Lucy’s lightbulb lit up
For some time, Lucille Ball had been discussing a scene for I Love Lucy in which she switched jobs. She and her team were stuck on which occupation would be appropriate for a 1950s woman. One day, Ball parked in the back of a Beverly Hills chocolate shop and walked through the factory, heading to the front of the store. Along the way, she passed a woman in the assembly line having trouble keeping up. Inspiration struck. The “chocolate scene” in Season Two, Episode 39, in which Lucy and her sidekick Ethel can’t wrap the chocolates on a speeding conveyer belt fast enough – forcing them to stuff the confections in their mouths, hair caps, and blouses – is one of the most beloved comedic scenes in sitcom history. The shop that triggered the hilarity? Edelweiss Chocolates.
Just like Ball, you can still park in the back of Edelweiss and walk through the intimate, white-walled factory, witnessing the chocolatiers at work. The rich scent of chocolate hovers in the small rooms filled with white antique candy machines. Cascading folds of melted chocolate drench the centers of the candies as they slowly make their way through an 80-year-old dipping machine. The oldest tool is a hand-cranked nut grinder made in 1896. It’s smallish with a design that’s elegant, sturdy, and practical.
Info
Address 444 N Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, +1 888.615.8800, www.edelweisschocolates.com | Getting there Free two-hour lots and metered street parking | Hours Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–5:30pm, closed Sun. Call ahead to arrange a tour of the factory.| Tip Walk over to the Paley Center for Media (465 N Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210), where you can watch or listen to an international collection of more than 160,000 programs, spanning almost 100 years of television and radio history.
When crafting their handmade chocolates, Edelweiss considers a host of variables – such as the ratio of shell to filling and the tidiness of the coating and decoration (no streaks or drips allowed). Since 1942, chocolate-covered pretzels have been a specialty. Considered exotic back then, they’re one of the most sought-after items at Edelweiss today. The luxurious chocolate enrobes the barely salty, snappy, biscuit-flavored twists – decadent and delicious.
For two and a half weeks, Ball visited the shop daily, absorbing the techniques of candy making. Visitors can schedule a tour and do the same.
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