Chocolate and food blog

Gianduja: The Italian Chocolate Invention That Changed Chocolate Forever

Discover how Turin’s chocolatiers blended cocoa and Piedmont hazelnuts during Napoleon’s trade blockade to create gianduja one of Italy’s most famous chocolates.

When Chocolate Was Medicine: Olmecs to Apothecaries

A historical exploration of chocolate as medicine from Olmec cacao rituals to European apothecaries and modern functional chocolate

Your Face Is Your Passport | Lomé, Togo Story

A market encounter in Lomé that reshaped how I think about identity, lineage, and cocoa origin.

At the Edge of Europe: Where Cocoa Arrives

From Ghana and Togo to Amsterdam’s docks a firsthand look at cocoa’s journey and the infrastructure behind chocolate’s global value.

Your First 72 Hours in Ghana on a Chocolate Safari® Traveller advice to help you arrive well, settle in, and enjoy the journey

Cocoa Quarantine & Plant Health: Protecting Chocolate’s Future

A first-hand visit to the cocoa quarantine facilities at the University of Reading, revealing how plant health, biosecurity, and research protect chocolate’s future.

Lost Cocoa Houses of London: Lockhart’s Cocoa Rooms

Explore Lockhart’s Cocoa Rooms and the lost cocoa houses that shaped London’s social life long before modern coffee chains.

Libation: When a Conversation Becomes a Performance

A thoughtful guide to Ghanaian libation, explaining its cultural meaning, structure, and why respect matters more than spectacle.

Carrying Ghana: Stories from the Head Pan | Chocolate Safari®

A reflective essay on Ghanaian carrying culture, women in cocoa, and how the humble head pan inspired the Whole Pod Philosophy™.

The Chocolate Fountain Experience Coeur de Xocolat

Explore the sensory science of chocolate fountains techniques, textures, and tasting insights from World Master Chef David Greenwood-Haigh.

From Boudoir to Bean | The Secret History of Drinking Chocolate

Discover how 18th-century aristocrats turned hot chocolate into an art form a story of luxury, culture, and conscience from Coeur de Xocolat.

São Tomé & Príncipe: The Voice of the Forest

A poetic story from São Tomé blending cocoa, fire, and folklore where chocolate making becomes a prayer to the island’s forest and its song.

Rethinking the Bliss Point in Craft Chocolate

Explore how small-batch makers redefine chocolate’s bliss point creating flavourful pleasure without the sugar-driven manipulation of mass-market bars.

Faith, Chocolate & the Divine Bean: A Sacred Journey

Explore how faith shaped chocolate’s 3,000-year story from Maya temples to Quaker factories and today’s Fairtrade farms.

Tony’s Chocolonely: The Sweet Blind Spot

Investigating Tony’s Chocolonely’s ethical sugar gap how mass balance sugar contrasts with the brand’s transparent cocoa sourcing.

Barrel Aged Chocolate: Craft Meets Coffee Innovation

Explore the world of barrel-aged chocolate cocoa matured in oak casks for rich, layered flavour and collaboration between chocolatiers and distillers.

The Chocolate Lexicon | A–Z of Fine Chocolate Terms

Explore the complete A–Z of chocolate terms your guide to the craft, chemistry, and flavour language of artisan and bean-to-bar chocolate

 

El Señor del Cacao: Mexico’s Sacred Chocolate Story

Explore the sacred origins of Mexican chocolate through the story of El Señor del Cacao where cacao bridges faith, flavour, and cultural memory.

Mapping Flavour: The Eight Realms of Chocolate | Coeur de Xocolat

Explore the Eight Realms of Flavour a sensory tasting guide for chocolate professionals and enthusiasts.

Chocolate and the Brain: Science Behind Dark Chocolate

Explore the science linking dark chocolate, flavanols, and brain health  where indulgence meets evidence-based cognitive 

nutrition.

 

Popping Candy in Chocolate: Shelf Life & Storage Guide

Learn the science behind popping candy, why moisture kills the effect, and expert tips to keep your chocolate bars popping and crackling for longer.

The Hidden Microclimates of Cocoa How Terroir Shapes Chocolate Flavour

Discover how microclimates create unique cocoa flavours — and why terroir matters for farmers, chocolate makers, and every chocolate lover.

True Cost of a Craft Chocolate Bar: Lessons from Chocoa 2025

See exactly where the money goes when you buy fine flavour chocolate — from farm gate to your hands

Amsterdam Urban Chocolate Safari® | Behind-the-Scenes Cocoa Tour at Daarnhouwer

A guided chocolate lover’s adventure through Amsterdam — including a rare behind-the-scenes tour of Daarnhouwer, tastings of single-origin cocoa, and an immersive journey into the city’s cocoa history.

Sweetness Beyond Borders: How Chocolate Tastes Differently Around the World

Explore how sweetness levels in chocolate differ across countries — and why culture, history, and health trends shape what “tastes just right.”

From Pod to Plume: Turning Cocoa into Liquid Smoke

Learn how to make cocoa liquid smoke from pods and prunings — a sustainable chef’s trick that transforms waste into flavour.

How to Post Chocolate in Warm Weather (Without a Meltdown!)

Smart tips for shipping chocolate in summer. Prevent melting, protect quality, and deliver your creations safely — even during a heatwave.

How Long Do Cacao Trees Really Live?

Discover why older cacao trees are worth saving — and how farmers are challenging the 25-year myth with wisdom, care, and sustainable practices.

The Women Who Changed the Fate of Chocolate (and the World)

Meet Malintzin — the Nahua woman whose voice and courage helped shape the fate of chocolate and world history.

Can Coffee and Cocoa Grow Together in Ghana?

Explore how cocoa and coffee can grow together on Ghana’s farms. Discover the benefits of polyculture, climate resilience, and new income opportunities for cocoa farmers.