Silver in the World Finals Makes it 15!

...15 International Chocolate Awards that is! 

Each year I send in my favorite Chocotenango chocolates to the International Chocolate Awards competition in my quest for an elusive gold win. First, my chocolates are judged with others in the Americas region. Any winning entries are then entered into the World Finals, in Florence, Italy. 

This year, I had 4 chocolates deemed worthy of the world finals competition. I sent them off and waited, sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently. I had won a bronze before, but have my eye on gold. And this year, I got one step closer - I won a silver for my Wild Bolivian 85% dark chocolate. 

I am so thankful this Thanksgiving week to be in the esteemed company of so many amazing, world class chocolatiers. And I am so thankful to you, my customers and friends for tasting my creations, giving me helpful feedback, and keeping me company along this incredible chocolate journey. 

You can find a list of all the award winners here.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Have you ever had a drink that’s cold but hot at the same time? Neither had we until we learned that frozen hot chocolate is a thing. Not only is it a thing – it’s a very enjoyable one, and we can make it together!

Frozen hot chocolate can be the ideal complement for any 4th of July Party celebration or any Summer occasion.  If you're like us and love chocolate in all of its forms, this drink may become one of your favorites.  Creative and different to what we’re used to, frozen hot chocolate is easy to prepare.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients:

· 3 cups of ice

· 2 tbsp.  Seven Spices Hot Chocolate Mix 

· Your favorite Chocotenango bar

· 1.5 tbsp. of Sugar

· 1.5 cups of Milk 

The beauty of chocolate is that there are a thousand and one ways to prepare it. These are some recommended guidelines to get you started. This drink can easily be customized to your tastes and preferences. Less milk and sugar, more chocolate, less ice… you can play around with it until you find the perfect mix!

There’s no guideline for what chocolate you can use, so feel free to experiment with any of the Chocotenango flavors (or combine them!). All of them will bring organic, Caribbean flavor to your drink.  

Alright, let’s get you set up with an amazing chocolate drink. Just follow these instructions:

· Melt the chocolate. Since we’re talking about a single chocolate bar, the microwave should do the trick. Make sure to use a microwave-safe dish. Run it for one minute approximately, or until the chocolate is melted. 

· Add the cocoa powder along with the sugar and half of the milk to the melted chocolate to make the mixture. Start whisking immediately at a somewhat fast pace. You want those ingredients to blend while the chocolate is still hot. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature. 

· Place your ice in the blender along with the remaining milk. Start blending with a high setting until it becomes a mushy liquid. 

· Serve and enjoy! 

As said before, this drink can be played around with. Find new things to make this drink even better, and enjoy the summer and the Independence Day celebrations!

The Bitter Sweet Box

Chocolate and alcohol aren’t normally things that you would consume together. I mean, how many people have you seen with a drink on one hand a chocolate bar on the other one? Very few – because they would be doing it wrong.

Liquor and chocolate actually make a very good combination, but there’s more to it than it looks. What we call pairing (chocolate & liquors) actually takes some effort and skill; these two aren’t easy to blend together. When it’s done correctly, though, people may not want to consume chocolate traditionally ever again.

If you love gourmet chocolate, and you like liquors, then it’s time to take the next step. Add some personality to your favorite chocolate; make it sweet but grumpy at the same time. The combination of chocolate liquor is something unique – the flavors contrast each other while still being perfectly compatible (not to say delicious).

At Chocotenango, gourmet chocolate bars are our everyday. But don’t get it wrong – our chocolate can assume a huge variety of shapes and properties. At the end of the day, all we care about is spreading happiness in the form of chocolate. What a better way to make people smile than deluxe, paired chocolate?

Whether it’s with wine, a specific cocktail, or just a single liquor, we love seeing our chocolate becoming part of something new. We’re very proud and happy about our work, and we believe great things can come from mixing it with other great talents, like our friends at Modern Bar Cart.

Aside from featuring our chocolates, Modern Bar Cart offers valuable cocktail advice, podcasts, and recipes. But it doesn’t stop there. If there’s someone who knows how to pair something with liquor, it’s them. The Modern Bar Cart offer the bitter-sweet boxes, in which you can try the traditional flavor of the Chocotenango in combination with the orange and chocolate bitters from DC Embitterment.

The best part about chocolate pairing is that it’s perfect for nearly any occasion. If an important date is upcoming, treating your relative to a Bitter-Sweet box might as well be the perfect solution.

Chocolate gifts are just flawless – especially if they’re accompanied by such a powerful complement. One thing is for sure; if the chocolate bar doesn’t make them smile, don’t worry... the liquor will.

Cheers!