Taiwan is strongly associated with China, as citizens of both countries speak Mandarin, and China actually claims Taiwan as a territory. But ask any Taiwanese person where they're from, and they'll introduce themselves as Taiwanese, not Chinese. This …
Chocolate Adventures
Interview: Cynthia Leung, Co-founder of SoMA Chocolate
"It's a joy to wake up and go to work every day, knowing what we're going to be doing with the rest of our day, AND it's [still considered to be] work."-Cynthia Leung, Co-founder SoMA Chocolate Cynthia Leung is a calming presence. She almost …
Cacao vs. Cocoa: How They’re Different
How are "cacao" and "cocoa" different? As a chocolate writer, I get this question 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 chocolate industry as to …
Interview: Mackenzie Rivers, Founder of Map Chocolate
"The first bean to bar chocolate I ever tasted was my own— and I'm sure it was really bad. But I thought it was so exciting, so amazing, that I wanted to keep doing it instantly."-Mackenzie Rivers, Founder of Map Chocolate Mackenzie Rivers is the …
From Big Family Business To Cacao Farmer & Beyond
It's the 1950's; your country is poor and in the throes of recovery from WWII— but in the south, there's the promise of land. The Japanese occupied the Philippines for 3 years, and after they were forced out, the country was devastated. Many …
Interview: Emily Paek, Founder of Public Chocolatory
"I think even if the [cacao] beans are all the same, but the makers are different, the outcome is very different."-Emily Paek, Founder of Public Chocolatory Emily Paek was one of the first craft chocolate makers in Korea, and quite frankly, it's …
Where To Buy Craft Chocolate Online
Happy World Chocolate Day! In honor of this sacred, completely arbitrarily-chosen date, here are the best places to buy craft chocolate online. We go from the best craft chocolate on Amazon to online craft chocolate retailers (sorted by country). …
Metro Manila Chocolate & Where To Find It
In researching chocolate shops in Manila, I re-started the process several times. I couldn't seem to find any chocolate makers in Manila, or even get a good idea of where Manila begins & ends. It turns out that over the years, the metropolis …
Korean Chocolate Culture: From Bean to Bar & Beyond
Korean chocolate is a topic close to my heart, as I've been living in South Korea for the last three years, and watched the local market blossom. However, South Korea is rarely— if ever— associated with great chocolate. It's not that Korean chocolate …
Chocolate On The Road: The Philippines Part 2
"I almost give up... It's very difficult, because you're dealing with these farmers who have been in this practice for 40 years, 50 years. It's really very difficult to change their mindset [overnight]."-Val Turtur, President of the Cacao Industry …
