For That Sweet Tooth

Like most people, I have my fair share of guilty pleasures: french fries, tea before bed, lazy Sunday afternoon naps- and occasionally, the specialty chocolates. Here are some of my favorites:

• Raaka: This is an unroasted chocolate company that specializes in transparent trade. They value the community of growers and producers where they are closest to collecting the stories that best show how chocolate is made. Their transparent trade model prizes single-origin chocolate, based on three guiding principles: direct purchasing, price stability, and transparent pricing. The focus is on microeconomics, directly engaging with smallholder farmers or co-ops. They source chocolate in four different countries. You can learn more about the process, values, and pay models, here. Some of my favorite flavors you should try are Oat Milk, Pure Cacao & Strawberry & Coconut, Green Tea Crunch, and Ginger Snap.

• Askinosie: This company reads similarly in transparency and sourcing, but you can read the full (incredible) story here. As I am writing this, I am eating the Coconut Milk Chocolate- vegan and dairy-free, sourced from San Jose Del Tambo. They have dark, milk, and white, and source from four different countries.

• Jelina Chocolatier or Galerie Au Chocolat: finer chocolate, more focused on the end result, than the process. Here is the page on ingredients and values, and my all-time favorite flavors are the matcha white chocolate, and the salted caramel crunch.

  happy eating!

cover photos belong to me