CHOCOLATE: Theo Chocolate

Saw a cool recipe in the Seattle PI last week for a Chocolate Pecan pie. Not just any Chocolate Pecan pie, but a Theo Chocolate Pecan Pie. Theo Chocolate is based out of Seattle and they, like many, are trying to start a chocolate revolution by letting people know that chocolate shouldn't taste like vomit, like a Hershey's Bar or a Hershey's Kiss. I saw the recipe, saw the logo for Theo and knew I had seen it before. So I went to Greenie's in Richland, Washington, a store that supports living green by having various eco-minded products and bicycles. I actually went to get a glass water bottle, and decided to look in their chocolate section, which is primarily organic and/or rich chocolates. I immediately saw the Theo logo, but not the 84% type that is needed for the recipe, so I just bought the 65& one. It's dark chocolate, and it's rich. More importantly, you bust open the bar and it has that cool snap.

Now, I'm not one of those who is a purist on chocolate, but I can tell you I've eaten my share of Kit Kat, M&M's, Almond Joy, and Reese's. My mom, however, has been a dark chocolate fan for as long as I can remember and I really didn't get into it until ten years ago. I think it has to do with the quality of milk chocolate going downhill over the years, and I know I'm not the only one who has noticed this. I also haven't tried enough chocolate to where I can figure out the qualities of it, but I'd like to know.

I purchased the Theo Madagascar Dark Chocolate Bar 65% for $4.50, and the Theo website states This is a single-origin organic chocolate from the island nation of Madagascar. The dynamic fruit and wine notes in this dark chocolate reflect the unique and diverse environment of this exotic land. The chocolate is very good, and it does have a distinct wine taste. I'm not a big wine fan, but the flavor lasted a long time. I couldn't tell if it was fruity or not, I'd have to try it again. I can definitely see how it would taste well as a pie, be it chocolate pecan or a whipped cream-type pie.

Theo is a company that is organic and Fair Trade certified, which means that the cacao beans are grown specifically for the company and no other artificial additives are added in the process. The Seattle article stated that currently they can verify that "80 percent of its chocolate was organic and fairly traded", but hope in the very near future that number will go up to 95. They make sure everyone in the process, from the growers and the field workers to those who pack them on the planes, are paid well and treated with the utmost respect, and allows those growers to invest in their land so that it will provide for their families. You never hear about that on the back of a Mr. Goodbar.

I haven't tried the pie recipe yet, most likely this Christmas, but this bar of chocolate... you will understand why the bar is priced the way it is. Is it worth it? You'll want to eat the entire bar right there, but it is very good and I do plan on trying their other varieties.

(Theo Chocolate also has their own blog where you can find out about the latest activities with the company and the factory, which you are able to take a tour of.)