How to get through all the bullshit connected with artisanal chocolate? There are hundreds of artisanal brands which compete on visibility and market share through marketing claims and sponsoring awards events but they cannot compete on quality cause they all just keep buying the same beans from the same importers.How to actually discern that chocolate bar you want to buy is made from the actual good stuff gushu, and not just mass-produced plantation variety?>pic unrelated
single origin
>>21975473means jack shit
>>21975457Treat chocolate brands like coffee brands. Look for chocolate that uses single origin cacao beans from producers that emphasize relationships with farmers. If you're in a big city you almost certainly have at least one enthusiasts chocolate shop that will do things like tastings to help you enter into the hobby.If you're not in a big city look up the Bar and Cocoa website. They do a good job of only selling single origin/direct trade makers and are a decent place to start as an entry point.Beyond that it's just figuring out what you like. Even if you find you prefer the more heavily sweetened/creamy milk chocolates you'll at least be able to pickup when those are using good quality cacao as a backbone with only a little bit of experimentation.
>>21975600>Bar and Cocoa websiteChecked out a random chocolate they are selling. No mention of variety, no mention about the trees being NOT mass plantation trees. Single origin means jack shit.
Just look for this brudi
>>21975749They literally link to descriptions of the growing regions and specific estates/farms where the cacao is sourced on each product anon. Are you frustrated that they aren't getting into specific types of Cacao ie: Criollo vs Forastero? Its a little much for OP who seems totally new to chocolate to sperg over cacao varietals...
>>21975864You are implying you are artisanal chocolate connoisseur and yet you value geographic location over proof of variety, tree age, or soil type and harvest pattern. Next time think a little before opening your mouth.
>>21975457Any examples? Seems to me unless they’re roasting and conching the beans they’re probably just melting big bars from a big chocolate supplier down into smaller bars and repackaging on it
>>21976398It's not that, they do import actual beans (or buy them from someone who imports them). The issue is despite heaps of paperwork you have to go through there is actually no lawful requirement even for high-end sellers to actually attest or guarantee quality besides things like heavy metal contents etc. Notice what is (and isn't) described on their sites.
>>21975980>yet you value geographic location over proof of variety, tree age, or soil type and harvest pattern.lmao the other anon is right, if you wanna know that you need to know where the beans are from, period. Single origin (or full disclosure for blends, but who does that) is necessary but not sufficient.
