Malaysian Borneo is an absolutely stunning place. I can't speak to any of the rest of the island, as I've never been, but I was floored by the island's natural beauty— and the historical abundance of cacao. Malaysia's been growing cocoa for over two …
Food
Malaysia Chocolate: Guide to Penang Chocolate Shops
The city of George Town on Penang Island is known for being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a foodie's paradise. While there are plenty of local Indian, Malay, and Chinese food options, what we really came to check out was the chocolate. Penang has …
The Best Chocolate Shops In & Around Bangkok, Thailand
Between the malls, pizzerias, and international schools, Bangkok feels like a rather European part of Asia. Like Toyko or Seoul, but smaller. It's one of the most expensive places to live in Thailand, but also the most convenient for visitors. If …
Burmese Chocolate & Cacao Culture
At the time of publishing, Myanmar has one cacao farming group, one cacao processor, and one chocolate maker: Ananda Cocoa & Coffee. Based in the capital city of Yangon, the company has been around since the late 1990's— and cacao hasn't been in …
Chocolate On The Road: Myanmar
"The first reaction of Myanmar people— now it's changing, very slowly, but it's changing— their first reaction [to his chocolate] is 'it's made in Myanmar; it's not good.'"-Jean-Yves Branchard, Founder of Ananda Chocolate Myanmar is much more …
Thailand’s Homegrown Craft Chocolate Culture
Thailand is hot. Even in the dead of winter, the south is sticky, melty hot. It's not the kind of hot you normally associate with chocolate, but Thailand has actually been growing cacao— the raw material for chocolate— for over a century. Over the …
Where To Find Affordable Kobe Beef In Kobe, Japan
Japan is a place where people will pay a eighty bucks for a melon, five dollars for a chocolate truffle, and fork over hundreds for less than a pound of beef. I've never before witnessed such absurdity in pursuit of exclusivity. But I don't blame …
What is WholeFruit Chocolate? (Made With Cacao Sugar)
Almost exactly two years after the company's release of ruby chocolate, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut has released a new product: WholeFruit Chocolate. Some statistics dropped about the product line include 70%, which is how much of the cacao pod is …
Vietnam Chocolate: Hanoi Sôcôla Guide
Considering all the delicious chocolates in Vietnam— and the not-so-delicious— there are enough chocolate shops in Hanoi alone to keep you occupied for a full day. High-quality, home-grown chocolate (sôcôla in Vietnamese) is the future here, and …
Vietnamese Chocolate & Cacao Culture
While Vietnam isn't currently world-renowned for its cacao— though it's getting there— the country's locally-made chocolate has been growing in popularity over the last decade. Despite not being on anyone's radar 10 years ago, Vietnam is now one of …
