I couldn’t roll my eyes any harder than I do when people tell me that Belgian chocolate is the best. Just because we associate a certain food with a specific country doesn’t make theirs the best, nor does it make all of their good— American hot dogs, for one. But the myth of Belgian chocolate …

If this is the first you’re hearing of blonde chocolate, my apologies, but you’re a bit late to the party. Blonde chocolate, also commonly called toasted white chocolate or caramelized chocolate, is a relatively recent addition to the chocolate spectrum. It’s basically a cooked white chocolate which takes advantage of the Maillard reaction to lend …

Ever since the controversial new ruby chocolate was revealed at a Shanghai trade show in September 2017, the ever-wandering eye of the public has been curious about pink chocolate. China’s not exactly a hub for craft chocolate making, after all. Yet one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world chose to debut their newest …

The first thing I did upon arriving in town, after a 4-hour bus ride from the Netherlands, was begin visiting the best chocolate shops in Bruges. This is normally an activity reserves for after you’ve seen the requisite castles and museums, but, well, this pilgrimage was for one purpose: Belgian chocolate. A friend I interviewed …

“The vast majority of the farming community still doesn’t know that they are actually working against nature… Everything is the latest generation of chemicals.” -Harish Manoj Kumar, Co-founder of Soklet Chocolate & Regal Plantations Not only is India one of the world’s largest economies, but the country has a huge range of micro-climates, even within …

How are cacao and cocoa different? Which is healthier, cocoa or cacao? Do cocoa and cacao taste the same? As a chocolate writer, I get these questions all the time, and the answer is quite simple: cacao and cocoa are the same word, in different languages. It’s a bit of a debate in the craft …

Do you remember when books were the social media of choice? I don’t. But I’ve heard tales of a time when people used to put photos in albums and just eat the food on their plate instead of taking a picture of it from every angle. It seems that what people love even more than …

Chocolate can taste creamy and sweet and bitter and umami and sour… but is chocolate vegan? The short answer is that it depends; it can be. Many dark chocolates are vegan, and a small but rising number of white and milk chocolates are vegan. There’s currently no vegan ruby chocolate, but I have no doubt …

The number of chocolate shops in Brussels is meant to astound. Most people will point you towards the most established Belgian chocolate shops in Brussels, like Leonidas, Mary’s, Godiva, and Planete, but historic doesn’t always mean good. Sometimes crappy products continue to thrive because every guide book is just recommending what all the others are. …

If you’re on this page, you’re likely familiar with craft chocolate, also known as bean to bar chocolate. For those who aren’t, this particular type of chocolate is known for being an ethical, transparently-sourced, and much tastier version than its generic counterparts. Craft chocolate also happens to be easier than ever to find, both online …