Author: Jason Pafundi

By Fruition Chocolate

Welcome to the delicious world of chocolate and cheese pairings! If you’re a foodie with a sweet tooth, you’re in for a treat. Chocolate and cheese may seem like an unlikely pairing, but they actually complement each other beautifully. Both are rich, indulgent, and full of complex flavors, making them the perfect match for a decadent snack or dessert. Here are eight chocolate and cheese pairings that you’ll love to try.

By Valentina Bosia

Chuncho cacao is an ancient variety that has been cultivated in the region of Cusco, Peru, for thousands of years. Researchers have identified it as a distinct genetic group and believe it could be the “mother” of all fine cacao.

Chuncho’s small fruits and beans are renowned for their high fat content, which makes them an excellent choice for coating chocolate due to exceptional melt and creaminess.

The farmers’ careful post-harvest processing allows for a very balanced expression of flavor, with woody cognac sweetness, strong cinnamon notes, and sweet fruity wine and toffee flavors. The perfume of vanilla and freshly brewed green tea adds to the flavor experience, making it feel like sipping on a hot cocoa beverage with the Incas.

Amelie Khachatryan is a young Armenian girl with a passion for chocolates. That passion has led her to where she is today—the founder and CEO of L’Amélie Chocolatier, a chocolate company that specializes in making colorful designer bonbons.

As a child, Khachatryan was fascinated by chocolates, and she  remembers spending hours with working with her mother—her company specialized in making pastry and cakes—experimenting with various ingredients and creating unique chocolate recipes. As she grew up, her passion for chocolates continued to grow. It wasn’t long until she knew she wanted to pursue chocolates as a career. 

“That’s when the idea to start a chocolate company came to me,” Khachatryan says. “I wanted to create chocolates that were not just delicious but also visually appealing.”

When Khachatryan, now 23, started experimenting with different colors and designs, she started to gain a better understanding of what she could create. She spent months perfecting her recipes, and the result was a range of colorful designer bonbons she said looked as good as they tasted. 

After more than a year of cross-continental teamwork, and collaboration with more than 30 experts around the world, the Fine Chocolate Industry Association is thrilled to announce that the Fine Chocolate Glossary is now live. 

The Glossary is a solution to a common challenge for anyone who works in cocoa or chocolate, or who is on a journey of learning about them: the face that we all may mean different things when using terms related to fine chocolate.

We could be talking about anything from cocoa agroforestry to the fine chocolate value chain, but it would be very difficult to know if what we mean when we say ‘agroforestry’ or ‘value chain’ is the same as what someone else means when they use those terms. 

We may think we understand one another, but sometimes we just need a little help communicating. Now that the Glossary is live, we all have access to a thought-leadership tool that solves these communication challenges.

At launch, the Glossary includes more than 250 terms—about 14 percent have completed entries. The Glossary team expects to bring the entry completion rate to about 25 percent by the end of April. Entries will continue to be authored by invited experts and will be subject to ongoing review and revision by FCIA members and external stakeholders. 

Dr. Kristy Leissle, the Glossary’s main architect and author of the book Cocoa, says that she uses fine chocolate terminology all the time to communicate effectively. The Glossary solves a real challenge in that communication by giving everyone a shared reference for what those terms mean, she adds. 

Every Glossary entry is authored by an expert in their field and gives an example to illustrate how the term is used in the real world. Collectively, contributors’ experience spans North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia, and their expertise runs deep in both cocoa and chocolate.

FCIA Board President Lauren Adler says she often finds herself discussing chocolate concepts with colleagues using the same terms, but meaning different things. The Glossary creates standard definitions for chocolate terms and concepts so that everyone is starting their discussion on the same page. It’s an exciting development in our ability to have meaningful conversation around key issues impacting fine chocolate.

As the Glossary continues to grow, we look forward to including an ever-more diverse set of voices, and experts from every corner of the fine chocolate ecosystem. 

We invite you to explore the Glossary today and make your own contribution whenever you’re ready.

For more information about the Glossary, email glossary@finechocolateindustry.com. 

For more information about the Fine Chocolate Industry Association, contact Executive Director Ephi Maglaris at e.maglaris@finechocolateindustry.org. 

The Fine Chocolate Glossary was created in partnership with TSIRO and MOCCA. 

When healthy sweets taste like chocolate instead of something bland, it becomes more enticing to invest in our personal wellness. We deserve to feel strong and healthy without the typical torture it often takes to get there. 

Do you know that the global chocolate industry is estimated to be valued at $127.9 billion in 2022? These statistics are enough to show people’s love for chocolate. Chocolate is no doubt a family favorite, but it’s often full of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. But what if I told you there was a healthier chocolate option that was just as delicious?

Yes, you heard it right.

Dateolate is working to make healthier chocolate alternatives for families. Their chocolates are not only delicious but also nutritious. 

Let’s learn more about it.