Monday, July 22, 2013

chocolate review: TCHO! Local chocolate makes good

One of the many great pleasures of living in the Bay Area is easy access to Tcho Chocolate. We sometimes look for excellence from abroad when it comes to chocolate, but there's no need. We've got some passionate chocolate makers right here.

One measure of passion is how much someone talks about the object of their love. If that's the measure we're using, and we're measuring the packaging, I feel confident in saying no one tops Tcho in passion.

The front of the package is the beginning of the conversation.


The back of the package continues. Maybe it's not a conversation so much as a soliloquy. I tried flipping this picture over since it uploaded upside down, but now I'm kind of enjoying the visual right-brain exercise of just observing how many words are there. Note that the ingredient list is on the right side of this picture above the Nutrition Facts. That whole left side is just talking to you.


You think we're done here? We're not done here. Not by a long shot. Check out that beautiful polka dotted paper. Check out the flap with more about the chocolate.


Oh look! It's a picture of the chocolate maker! So friendly.

And then you lift out the actual bar of chocolate, and guess what? There's more to read!! It cracked me up. This is chocolate that does not want to be left alone. Because there's just one more thing!! Hang on! Wait! I forgot to tell you... and then you take a bite of the chocolate and the story is complete and they don't have to say anything more.

Tcho's Mokaccino is beautiful. It's creamy but not in a milky way. It reminded me of the creamy top of a well-pulled espresso-- flavorful, soft, strong. It satisfies without overpowering; it's powerful without socking you in the mouth. Like my favorite chocolate, it's well-balanced.


Tcho isn't inexpensive, but if you think of chocolate as a once in awhile thing and you love it, it's worth putting this one on your must-try list.