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A Treasure in Chocolate
May 2016
By Bobbie Bagel
 In case you missed our sold-out Tea & Chocolate Tasting in March, here are some tasty tidbits about some of the elegant, international chocolate bars being devoured by patrons of the Marston House Museum Shop.
The chocolatiers who produce them are known as "bean to bar" manufacturers. Most cocoa is sold on the world commodities market in huge lots, just like soybeans and corn. But the fine chocolate purveyors selected by SOHO all plant, nurture, protect, and blend their own crops of cacao beans. Then they process the beans and add high quality and sometimes surprising ingredients to create unique bars and flavors. From bean to bar, they oversee and control every aspect of manufacturing. The results are stunning and delicious.
Cacao Sampaka products come to us from Barcelona. This chocolatier features a Rose and Strawberry Chocolate Blend and the very popular Gin and Tonic bar. Cacao Sampaka has brilliant packaging in the style of Antoni Gaudi, the Barcelona architect and mosaic artist.
Rozsavolgyi Chocolates from Budapest include unusual fare, such as Carmelized Lavender Flowers and Milk Chocolate and the surprisingly fine Olives and Bread. These 5" square bars are wrapped in layers of delicate decorative papers. When unwrapped, they reveal an intricately-stamped design reminiscent of a porcelain tile.
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate is made in Humboldt County, here in California. Two favorite flavors are Black Fig and Maple Coconut. The hip Raaka blend called Bourbon Cask Aged Bar is made in Brooklyn, New York. Raaka, which is Finnish for "raw," is exclusively derived from organic, unroasted beans, resulting in flavors that are really special.
These bars can be yours - or make an unforgettable Mother's Day gift - for $7.95 to $13 (minus the SOHO member discount). Where else can you find such a high-end specialty gourmet gift for under $15?
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