Theo Fair-Trade, Organic Chocolate
Theo chocolate has about as much in common with a Hershey’s bar as a latte from Urth Caffe does with a cuppa joe from Mickey D’s. First, all New Year’s resolutions aside, it tastes simply out of this world: a rich, luscious, melt-in-your-mouth, we could eat this all day and gain 40 pounds but it would be worth it kind of flavor.
Their Origin chocolate bars range from dark to darkest, with the limited-edition, 91% cacao bar delivering the kind of smoky chocolate flavor usually associated with cooking chocolate—and none of the bitterness. Each bar is named for the region in which the cacao was Fair Trade harvested, and boasts verbiage worthy of a wine region on its wrapper. (Which makes for fascinating reading if you actually take the time to do so rather than ripping open one bar while reaching for the second because you hear your husband’s car in the drive. But we digress.) “Slightly floral notes over golden and round chocolate flavors?” We didn’t know that chocolate could taste round, but boy does that Ghana bar hit the spot.
And if you must go milk, check out the 3400 Phinney collection. Named for the Seattle address where the Theo chocolatiers work their magic, the milk in this collection is not limited to a cow’s and includes Coconut Curry and Chai. Can we wax nostalgic over Theo Confections featuring flavors of fig, fennel, Earl Grey and mint? Finally, if you’re planning a party (or your husband’s planning a business trip), Theo will do chocolate favor boxes, cakes and confections for the group.
But wait, are you ready for the best part? Theo Chocolate is the first roaster of Fair Trade Certified™ cocoa beans and the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the United States. Its founder pioneered the manufacture and supply of organic chocolate products as the first importer of organic cocoa beans into North America in 1994, which means this chocolate is decidedly, distinctively, unequivocally Green.
So the only guilt you should be feeling is if you decide to keep that Aphrodisiac Confection Collection (just in time for Christmas) to yourself.
