If you watched the tour of my pantry last month, you already know that my love of chocolate runs deep…about five bars deep. 😉
What you might not know is that there’s a method to my chocolate madness. Those bars aren’t just thrown into my shopping cart; they’re painstakingly and lovingly chosen from some of the best chocolate selections I’ve ever seen anywhere. (Coffee + chocolate = Seattle.)
The holiday season – along with its many chocolate treats – seemed like a good time to unveil my love affair with chocolate.
So what does a nutrition geek like me look for in a chocolate bar? And what’s the deal with the whole “dark chocolate is good for you” thing? Can you really eat an entire bar of dark chocolate without guilt? (Without guilt, yes…I don’t believe in food guilt. Without consequence to your waistline? Probably not. Sorry.)
Watch the video to learn the secrets of healthy chocolate and what to look for to find it. And check out the list below the video for my favorite Seattle chocolate “dealers.”
My go-to spots for the best chocolate in Seattle:
1. Theo Chocolate
Seattle’s own chocolate factory (run by our very own Willy Wonka, founder Joe Whinney) is the home of my default chocolate bars. Theo’s Classic Bars are all at least 70% dark chocolate, and their cocoa sources are impeccably organic and fair trade.
2. DeLaurenti
This little artisan food shop tucked in Seattle’s Pike Place Market has one of the best chocolate selections I’ve ever seen, including bars from a favorite I didn’t mention in the video – NYC-based Antidote Chocolate.
3. Chocopolis
Lovely little shop at the top of Queen Anne offering house madetruffles and chocolate bars galor e. Chocolate is organized by the region from which the cacao was sourced, just like wine.
4. Whole Foods and PCC Natural Market
Great local and artisan chocolate selections, including Theo.
Share YOUR favorite chocolate treats (and sources) in the comments! I and my fellow chocolate lovers thank you.
xo,
