Most people would agree that wine and chocolate make a great combination. However, some wines will go better with certain chocolates than others, and vice...

You may have seen striking images of bisected cacao beans. These vivid purple slices aren’t just for show – they’re part of an evaluation method...

When we talk about the taste of chocolate, what do we mean? As with specialty coffee, sometimes it can be hard to articulate what we...

CCN-51 is a high-yielding, disease-resistant variety of cacao that is commonly produced for the commodity chocolate industry. Many cacao producers in areas affected by witches’...

Fermentation is an essential part of turning raw cacao into delicious chocolate. This processing step contributes to the development of flavor and the acidity of...

Craft chocolate is a relatively young industry compared to specialty coffee and other artisanal movements such as craft beer, but there are undoubtedly some similarities...

Like any other plant, cacao is vulnerable to pests and diseases. One of the most damaging infections is witches’ broom, an aggressive fungus that can...

Can bonbons be fine chocolate? Specialty chocolate has grown rapidly in the last decade and commercial manufacturers have jumped on the trend for artisanal quality...

In a small village on the shore of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, I recently purchased a pound of cacao beans from a local vendor. They cost...

Is there a difference between fine chocolate and its commercial counterpart? Of course there is. You can probably taste it when you sample a smooth...

Is it cacao or cocoa? Depending on where you are and what kind of chocolate you buy, you may see one of these words more...

What’s the difference between dark, milk, and white chocolate? Is white chocolate even chocolate and does milk chocolate really contain milk? Is fine chocolate always...

You may have seen raw cacao nibs on the shelves of your local health food store. Perhaps you’ve read about the benefits of this so-called...

Citric acid, honey, raisin flavors. Floral notes, sweetness, and bitterness. What am I describing: coffee or cacao? From the flavor notes to how they’re processed,...

Ever tried Togolese chocolate? You should. Togo might not immediately come to mind when you think of cacao-producing countries, but its distinctive flavour profile and...

Have you ever picked up a bar of chocolate and wondered exactly what the label means? Many of us have! Take Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario:...