EVENTS

Moms were given the time-honored gift of chocolate coupled with a unique 90-minute guided chocolate tasting experience. Time was spent learning how chocolate is made and becoming a tasting pro while enjoying the health benefits of dark chocolate. It was the perfect way to say “I love you, Mom!”

IPOP's Kalei Ross co-hosted a chocolate tasting with Cuna De Piedra's co-founder Enrique Perez. It was a delightful time of tasting Cuna De Piedra's 85% Soconusco, Chiapas, 73% Colmalcalco, Tabasco, and their 73% Colmalcalco Tabasco with Reposado bars and learning about the significant role that Mexico has played in the history of chocolate.

WorldWideChocolate.com claims that Venezuela is home to legendary cacao beans, most notably of the Criollo variety. They also state that Venezuela may be the home of the first cacao tree. So a tasting of some 100% Venezuela Chocolate from the infamous French chocolate maker À La Mère de Famille and San Francisco based L'Amourette Chocolates seemed fitting!

To adhere to all the COVID-19 related requirements, we met at Columbia Tech Park to do a 100% chocolate tasting, which included Marou (cacao from Vietnam), Auro (cacao from Philippines), Conexión (cacao from Ecuador), Mānoa (blend of cacao), and Creo (cacao from Ecuador). Fun was had by all! Who would have guessed that you could develop a greater appreciation for 100% chocolate and actually enjoy it?

Options360 hosted a chocolate tasting fundraiser event, led by IPOP's Kalei Ross, on February 10, 2022, in support of their Sexual Risk Avoidance program. It was a wonderful night as guests joined in-person and online and experienced the joys of chocolate created by Creo Chocolate and Azar Indulgences.

There are mixed reviews regarding pairing chocolate with cocktails. Some people don't see it as viable, while others are strong advocates of this "art". This tasting was focused on trying to find the best chocolate to pair with the cocktail Penicillin. The tasters came to a unanimous decision between Mission Chocolate's 100% Escuro or Creo Chocolate's 100%.

While the hazardous air quality here in the Pacific Northwest may have prevented us from doing a 100% chocolate tasting at the park, technology (Zoom) provided us the opportunity to taste Auro’s 100% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin Reserve 2018, Cacao Sampaka’s Chocolate Negro 100% Cacao from Ecuador, and Mission Chocolate’s Brazil 100% in the comfort of our homes free from smoke.

What’s the big deal with all the chocolates made with different types of spirits? In an attempt to find out, we did a tasting with Goodnow Farms' 77% Dark Chocolate with Lawley’s Rum and Mānoa Chocolate's KōHana Rum bar. We sampled them separately and we paired them with Kōloa Kauai Dark Rum. The event lived up to Erik Voskamp’s saying, “Time flies when you’re having rum!”