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 …
Travel
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 …
51 Travel Tips for Myanmar (Burma)
Myanmar is one of the two or three countries in Asia I cannot wait to come back to. The calmness blanketing the country is amazing, but add in the beautiful temples, grand open spaces, and delicious food, and I left hooked. I was actually quite …
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 …
Thailand Itinerary: 10 Days Or Less For Foodies
I recently finished my fourth trip to Thailand, most of it for chocolate. And you'll understand why I think 10 days in Thailand is the perfect taste of the country really soon. When I think of the food I ate in my childhood, some of my favorite …
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 …
Chocolate On The Road: Thailand
"Squirrels will eat all your cacao pods and leave [them] like a bat, you know, hanging on the cacao trees. And the uncle will say 'Oh, I cannot fight with it anymore.'"-Paniti Junhasavasdikul, Co-founder of Kad Kokoa Chocolate Thailand is the …
Chocolate Dream: The Only Bean to Bar Maker in Laos
"I was the first person that came to East Timor and asked about East Timor cacao... one of the guys there had somehow gotten a hold of some information on how to ferment and dry, so he had done just a little bit with a few trees, and they sold me …
