If you’re vacationing on Hawaii (which I highly recommend), you might think you’re already having a hell of a good time. But there’s always room for chocolate, and the Original Hawaiian Chocolate factory is there to make life a little more complete. (more…)
Valrhona has given their Grand Cru retail line (that’s single origin chocolate bars, for any rookies out there) a makeover. Personally I prefer oblong bars to squares, but otherwise this is a pretty sexy design. Valrhona’s retail bars have gotten kind of scattered in terms of marketing and packaging; it would be nice to see the whole line given a unified identity. It’s worth noting that these 70g bars appear to be replacing their 100g bars, with the same (or greater) price tag.
I picked up this little Amedei at the Chocolate Show in NYC and set it aside for a moment when I wanted some really decent chocolate. I was setting myself up for disappointment. I’m very fond of some of Amedei’s bars, but this Trinidad (70%) tastes like it was made from a barnyard animal. (more…)
Chocolate produced in the country of origin is a trend we’ve been seeing more of. A few years ago I could only name one retail chocolate produced in a cacao growing nation; now I can think of several without trying too hard. The latest to come under my radar is Madecasse, a company founded by former Peace Corps volunteers. Their focus is on the greater economic benefit that follows from manufacturing chocolate in Madagascar, as opposed to simply buying their beans. I came across these Madecasse bars at a chi-chi grocery in NYC; they were the only bar on the rack I’d never heard of, so I decided to give them a try. (more…)
