Good neighbours, great chocolate.

Good neighbours, great chocolate.

My neighbour friend happens to be a PR lady in the foodsection, which i didn't know, until we had a nice evening at her place, where she invited us for a great soup and some lovely wines. With the babyphone plugged in, we told each other what we do.

The next day i received an invitation to join a press release of a brand new sustainable cacao event, held in Amsterdam: 'Chocoa'. (8th - 11th of march www.chocoa.nl)
This public festival is initiated by the Dutch 'Chocolate events foundation' to promote sustainable cocoa, and the great products which are produced because of it. At this moment, not even 10% of the worldwide cocoa production is sustainable, which is a shame for sure. Sustainable chocolate doesn't only tastes a lot better, but also helps the producers in an honest an natural way.

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So i took off that morning at 11 o'clock, and brought a friend who for sure knows to appreciate some good chocolate as well. Arriving at the Hilton, in Amsterdam, we were immediately welcomed by the nice smell of chocolate. It was great to witness the passion, with which several cocoa producers talked  about their products. Even better it was to taste them all. 'From beans till bar' was one of the frazes we heard. Especially the homemade hearts by Kees Raat of Metropolitan, are some treats i won't forget quickly. Prepared with tomatoe, 'to express the taste of chocolate even better', and seasoned with chili flakes, where amazing!

Hearts, flavoured with chili flakes. To die for!! From Kees Raat: metropolitandeli.nl

And than.. after tasting and sniffing around, gathering information about good, really good chocolate, we gathered for a little chocolate-wine tasting. And not the way you might be familiar with; like chocolate with red wine. No, this was about the combination of high quality, very dark chocolate, with a cocoa percentage of almost 90%, with a great WHITE wine: Chenin Blang of 'Groot Parys'. 

Incredible. I never knew this was a kind of combination which was totally accepted by experts. And you know what; it tasted great. I'm not really sure, when to serve these kinds of combo's at home, i mean: do you eat chocolate before or after dinner, and if it's after, don't you want to serve a dessert wine? (But don't worry, that also goes very well with the chocolate, we tried it as well)  
But it's even great to know it's 'allowed' to. (ok, now think of yourself; home alone.. awesome right? Now think of youself, home alone wíth a bottle of Chenin Blang, AND a bar of Better Beans.. tadaaa!)

To all the chocolate lovers out there: i tasted many different chocloates, all fine of flavour and made of single origin cocoa; i am absolutely convinced it's a better deal for both you and the cocoa producers, to invest a little bit more and consume really good chocolate, which you will enjoy for sure.