How Chocolate is Created:
Tour the ChocXo Bean to Bar Chocolate Factory
A chocoholic's dream come true. Chocolate truffles, chocolate barks, chocolate bars, complete with a chocolate tour. ChocXo (pronounced Choc-soh) was founded by Richard Foley, a seasoned chocolatier who also has a sister factory in Vancouver, British Columbia. The name ChocXo pays tribute to the Aztec bitter chocolate drink called “xocolātl” [choco-lottle]. Foley’s chocolates earned “11 medals in...two major chocolate competitions - the prestigious International Chocolate Awards and the International Chocolate Salon Awards.”
ChocXo [Choc-soh] uses beans mostly from Latin America and the Caribbean. This provides a more floral, gourmet aroma and flavor, in contrast to the mass market use of beans from West Africa. Cocoa beans are seeds from pods (fruit) of cocoa trees. Importantly, ChocXo works with farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean to ensure beans come directly from the source. This Fair Trade practice is out of respect to the locals, workers, their communities, health, and safety.
The Chocolate Tour and Tasting is a fun experience at ChocXo. This “45 minute educational tour that includes samples of the full chocolate making process and three tastes from our chocolate case. A member of the ChocXO team walks participants through the chocolate making process from the bean to the bar. Participants will sample raw cacao pulp, cocoa nibs, cocoa liquor, and, of course, the finished product of chocolate bars, filled chocolates and chocolate bark.”
Getting to taste cacao pulp is a highlight of the tour. If you have never tasted the pulp, it has a refreshing and naturally sweet flavor—much like a starfruit (carambola) or mangosteen. Another perk of the tour is getting to taste the chocolate and truffles. After learning about the steps in the process of making chocolate (Growing, Fermenting, Drying, Roasting, Grinding, Refining, and Conching), getting to sample the truffles is worth the wait. Book your tour today to enjoy the bean to bar experience. The dark chocolate and salted caramel are delicious.
Click on the play button to watch the video below.
Cocoa Hunters in Mexico from ChocXO Chocolatier on Vimeo.
Click on the play button to watch the video below.
Cocoa Hunters in Mexico from ChocXO Chocolatier on Vimeo.
Update: the ChocXo Bean Bar closed in May 2018, although items are still available in stores and on Amazon.com.
Credits: chocxo.com, facebook.com/chocxochocolatier
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