Every time I plan my next Vietnam itinerary, it's around the same thing: local chocolate. But because my best friend is from Saigon, on my trips I also inevitably get to sample foods and ingredients I might have have otherwise thought of, like street …
Vietnam
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 …
Chocolate On The Road: Vietnam
"Basically we're finding the limits of what there is today [in terms of quality Vietnamese cacao]."-Samuel Maruta, Marou ChocolateMany people still think of Vietnam in terms of its contentious civil war, back in the 60's and 70's. But while the …
13 Unique Vietnamese Desserts to Try in Vietnam
Vietnam does not make people think of sweets, by any means. In fact, you'll notice a lot of the same players in the Vietnam dessert scene: coconut, rice, bananas, and fruit jellies. This has much to do with what foods are able to grow in Vietnam, …
Vietnam Chocolate: Saigon Sôcôla Guide
It would be offensive to send you to a Godiva Chocolate in Vietnam. It really would be. After all that I've seen of the chocolate and cacao production in this country, imported chocolates are not the focus in Vietnam— though the country has more than …
Interview: Vincent Mourou, Co-Founder Of Marou Chocolate
"Every farmer that we started with [in 2011], we are still working with."-Vincent Mourou, Marou ChocolateVincent Mourou is widely recognized as one of the first craft chocolate makers in Asia. He's one of the co-founders of Marou Chocolate, a …
Touring a Cocoa Plantation in Vietnam
The taste of fresh cacao is unforgettable. It punches you in the mouth with a deep, honey sweet flavor that resembles a mango more than a chocolate bar. The brightness quickly turns sour, however, with the bite of acid that reminds you how …
All About Cacao Pulp: Where to Find Cacao Liquor Around the World
I'll never forget my first taste of fresh cacao, sour and floral and so much sweeter than I had anticipated. I was so surprised at the bitterness that leaked out when I bit down, that I nearly spit it out. I'd been reviewing bean-to-bar …
Alluvia Chocolatier: Vietnam’s Newest Bean-To-Bar Chocolate Maker?
But Wait...Why is it a Question? To start, I want to address the elephant dominating the tail end of the sentence— a question mark. Concerns were raised by fellow chocolate people, as well as myself, in regard to the bean-to-bar nature of Alluvia …
