Remember when we found out that it was OK to eat chocolate? I mean when we were told that a little dark chocolate could be good for us? And remember that countless companies started producing dark chocolate, and everyone started raving about anything with a higher cocoa content. As usual with fads, a lot of it was hype. Just because 70% is written on a label, doesn’t mean the chocolate is good. Now, a few years later, many of us have learned that lesson.
Another element in chocolate development was “fair trade.” Many people gobbled chocolate in order to help farmers at remote cocoa farms. And they did help. But again, not all of that chocolate was great.
Times have changed, and now we can get very good high-percent cocoa and fair trade all in one chocolate bar. Theo from 3400 Phinney Chocolate Factory has a selection of 45%, 50%, 70% plain and flavored chocolate bars that are incredibly tasty and wonderfully chocolaty. Some friends recently brought us a selection and so far I’ve tried the Bread & Chocolate, Hazelnut Crunch and Cocoa & Curry. One the clever ways Theo enhances their chocolates is by sprinkling some of the flavors with just enough salt to boost the chocolatiness (is that a word?). Very trendy – think salted caramel — and it works. (Thanks Beni & Matt.)