I am a chocoholic creating chocolate themed jewellery as I explore Canadian chocolate one bar and bonbon at a time

Bonbon with cacao bean in it next to a bronze cacao bean necklace.

Recent blogs

A Chocoholic goes to Calgary part two ~ chocolate

I visited Calgary in 2022 and made sure to check out some local chocolate. Here is what I found, from stores, chocolate makers, chocolatiers and all sorts of amazing chocolate.

by Canadian Chocoholic June 6, 2022

Hot Chocolate III

Ah, Chocolate. Here we are at part three about hot chocolate. The first two parts focused on making the hot chocolate simply, easily, and so that it tasted delicious. Now we are going to move on to elevating it even more by adding toppings. Finding the right topping for your hot chocolate can make itContinue reading “Hot Chocolate III”

by Canadian Chocoholic April 25, 2022

A Chocoholic goes to Calgary, part one ~ hot chocolate.

Exploring Calgary one hot chocolate at a time. Recent travels had me spending time in Calgary and enjoying the Calgary Hot Chocolate Festival.

by Canadian Chocoholic April 13, 2022April 13, 2022

Canadain Chocoholic links

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☀️ It's been a hot weekend here in Ottawa and

☀️ It's been a hot weekend here in Ottawa and I am grateful for cold drinks.

🍫🥃 Last Monday's newsletter included 6 recipes for ways to drink chocolate cold. I love hearing from some of you that you have already tried some of them.

🙂 There's a link in my bio to sign up for my newsletter or you can always find me via my blog CanadianChocoholic.ca. I've been sharing more in newsletters lately than posting here, so if you want weekly updates, goodies, chocolate inspiration and the like I'd love to have you sign up for the newsletter. I promise it's fun, free, and you never know what it may have inside. Link in bio.

📷 If you have tried one of the drinks tag me so I can see how it turned out, and let me know if you enjoyed it!

🌊 To beat the heat this morning I spent two hours out on the water on my Stand Up Paddleboard with friends. Perfect way to spend a Sunday.

📷 Not the best selfie I have ever taken in photo 2 as my phone is in a waterproof case when I am on the water but..... the mosquito that ended up in the photo is such a Canadian thing! 🇨🇦

#cacao #cacaotea #colddrinks #coldchocolate #artandchocolate #chocoholic #ilovechocolate #chocolateblogger #ottawablogger #ottawafoodie #chocolatetaster #sup #sundaysup

🍫 Hot chocolate for four tomorrow morning.

🧡 Our nephew is staying here with a friend tonight and the request has been made for hot chocolate tomorrow morning.

🙂 I will happily get up early to make them warm drinks before their long drive back to Winnipeg.

🍫 If you are looking for a drinking/hot chocolate recipe you can find some on my blog. If you received my newsletter today you will have found some cold drinking chocolate recipes in your inbox.

😕 Not receiving my weekly newsletter? Sign up to receive it through the link in my bio or at CanadainaChocoholic.ca to get fun things most Mondays.

#hotchocolate #familytime #drinkingchocolate #beantobarchocolate #chocolatenewsletter #chocolateartist #artandchocolate

🍫🙂 Chocolate friends are an amazing thing.

🍫🙂 Chocolate friends are an amazing thing. It was amazing to have @passemoilesel visit Ottawa. Her and I have clicked in the chocolate and art intersection of this chocolate world. We spent the weekend she visited tasting chocolate, whenever, wherever, with a lot of amazing people in some fun places! Honestly, we fit as many chocolate things into the weekend as possible and honestly could likely have spend another few days filling out days with chocolate.⁠
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🧡 Genevieve is pretty amazing and she brought many bars of chocolate to share as well as some chocolate bonbons and treats she made. All were delicious, beautiful, and so well made!

🍫🎨 We may have spent some time sitting on my office floor tasting chocolate late at night, while also managing to do some fun artsy things as well. ⁠

🌳🇨🇦 We found time to see the trees, take some walks, and of course, admire the Canadian Geese. We did not however get to eating beaver tails.⁠
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🍫 We had day trips to Almonte and Montreal and spent hours talking chocolate business and life things on our road trips. My biz of art and chocolate and her biz, currently of chocolate tastings. 🍫 Her chocolate tasting are great and you can find out more on her website Chocomotion. 🎨 She also offers design consulting, drawing from her graphic/textile designer and illustrator experience over several decades.⁠
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🧡 It was the perfect weekend and it energized me as well as relaxed me. ⁠
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#chocolatefriends #chocolateadventures #chocolateroadtrip #chocolate #beantobarchocolate #chocolateart #artandchocolate #chocolatetaster #chocolateeducator⁠

🍫 Wow, hard to believe that it’s been a week

🍫 Wow, hard to believe that it’s been a week and a half since @passemoilesel and I were in Montreal. One of our stops was @qantu_chocolat to visit and shop.

🥃 It was an amazing time. We drank cacao liquor, taste some Qantu bars and some other bars, we had a tour and talked about all things chocolate. We saw lots of photos from their recent Peru trip, where they personally source all their cacao.

🍫 We visited, caught up, and of course came home with some of their chocolate. I actually didn’t get much this time, but I did pick up this Jean Duya bar that I enjoy very much, and a box of 70% Chuncho. I am a big fan of their Palo Santo but still have some left from when I ordered a few months ago.

🤗 It was great to see Elfi and Maxime and visit with them, far longer than we expected, but it was such fun. It is always amazing to hear first hand from chocolate makers about their sourcing and chocolate making process and I am always grateful that they are willing to share so that I can learn more.

🙂 Be sure to check out their chocolate shop next time you are in Montreal!

#chocolatemakers #hazelnutchocolate #madeinmontreal #canadianchocolate #chocolatebars #chocolateshop #chocolateeducator #chocolatetaster #chocolateadventure #peru #singleoriginchocolate #palosanto #beantobarchocolate

🍫 Last week I visited @etatdechocmtl with @pass

🍫 Last week I visited @etatdechocmtl with @passemoilesel and we had such a great time!

🇨🇦 The first photo shows some of their amazing selection of #canadianchocolate and their beautiful display as seen from the street.

🌏 The second photos shows a more international selection of bars.

🍨 The third photo shows the delicious bean to bar chocolate ice creams we tried while we were there, check out their amazing flavours!

🍫 Honestly I didn't take to many photos as I was enjoying all the talking and tasting of chocolate we did. 🤗 Big thanks to @maud.gaudreau and @stefbelangerrr for taking the time to talk and taste with us! 🤗

🍫 I brought home many delicious chocolate bars and treats that I will share about soon!

#chocolate #beantobarchocolate #beantobar #montreal #chocolateadventure #chocolatefriends #chocolatecommunity #chocolatier #chocolateicecream #chocolatebar #darkchocolate

🍫 Today I am snacking on some Honey Lavender Ch

🍫 Today I am snacking on some Honey Lavender Chocolate from Hummingbird Chocolate.
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🍫 On Sunday I spent the afternoon there with Erica @hummingbirdchocolate and @passemoilesel doing all things chocolatey. 🤗 Huge thanks to Erica for being a wonderful host, showing us around and enjoying chocolate with us. We couldn't have asked for a better afternoon.⁠
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🙂 We tried their drinking chocolate, an origin we will see in the future, some chocolate goods from @adam__bakes and tasted many bars we had brought to share. Pop over to my stories to see more photos.
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🧡 Sharing chocolate with friends and talking about chocolate for hours is always fun but the wonderful new café space at Hummingbird Chocolate is amazing, I can't wait to go back and hope you find time to visit soon if you find yourself in Almonte.⁠
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🍦 PS- I brought home some #frochos which are amazing, plus that new bike!!!⁠
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#chocolate #chocolatefriends #beantobarchocolate #honeylavendar #drinkingchocolate #lavender #honey #canadianchocolate #chocolatemaker #almonte #cacaotree #chocolatemakers #artisanchocolate #makeminefine⁠
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🍫 Flavours and tastes are everywhere, smells to

🍫 Flavours and tastes are everywhere, smells to, they go hand in hand!

🙂 Some mornings I make drinking chocolate with bits and bites of leftover bars.

🍫 When I add those odd pieces together and make a 'blend' my tastebuds are always excited and I think it keeps them on their toes.

🙂 Thinking about the flavours and not expecting any one in particular is quite lovely, this morning's black pepper notes surprised me.

🍫 Do you blind taste (or smell) test, make random blends or challenge your taste buds?

#chocolatetaster #chocolateblend #beantobar #hotchocolate #drinkingchocolate #tasting #chocolatetasting #ottawafoodie

🍫 I love all chocolate, and usually don't play

🍫 I love all chocolate, and usually don't play favourites.

🙂 But if I had to choose this Toffee and Nib bar from @hummingbirdchocolate would be top of the list.

🧡 I open it and it just disappears. 🤷 Like this week, this week definately required one of these bars, so many thanks to Erica who #gifted me a few extra of these with my last purchase.

🍫 I also really love their maple bar, which they didn't have in stock while I was there last, but I had taken a picture of when we were visiting the maple sugar bush.

😉 Pop over to my stories to see what I did pick up @fultonsmaple and how there is chocolate tied to it.

☮️ PS - Hummingbird is my local chocolatemaker and I couldn't be happier about it because everything they make is delicious.

🙂🙂 Twinning with @bittersweet_collection and @openingchocolate today for #timezonem5 for #tttt_2022

#chocolatemaker #beantobarchocolate #beantobar #maplesugar #maplechocolate #canadianchocolate #toffee #cacaonibs #chocolate #ottawafoodie #chocolatetaster

🌸 It’s lilac season and I am enjoying every m

🌸 It’s lilac season and I am enjoying every minute I possibly can. I am sitting out on the deck next to them inhaling their scent as I sip drinking chocolate each morning.

🙂 It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized they were edible, and since then I usually bake, make ice cream, or cook with them each year. If you are interested in any of that you can pop over to read the blog I wrote a few years ago all about lilacs, a slight departure from my chocolate writings.

🌸 So until the lilacs are done for the season you can find me in the hammock next to the lilacs soaking them up for as long as I can.

🙂 Do you enjoy lilacs? Do you have lilacs where you live? If so, what chocolate would you pair them with?

⛈️ We had a crazy storm here Saturday which the lilacs did not enjoy! They aren't looking their best anymore but they still smell amazing. We are soaking them in even more as we spend tons of time on the deck as we haven't had power for several days and aren't sure when it will be back on, so we are very much enjoying a lazy long weekend. #ONStorm

#lilacseason #scent #lilacs #edibleflowers #inthegarden #flowers #chocolateandflowers #spingtime #lilacicecream

🌎 No matter what time zone I am in my copy of T

🌎 No matter what time zone I am in my copy of The Chocolate Notebook goes with me.⁠
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🍫 I take notes about bites of chocolate. Shops I have visited. People I have met. Ideas I have. Things to post about here on IG. Doodles for new products and designs.⁠
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✏ Some of the images in the 2nd and 3rd edition of @ChocolateNotebook started out as doodles in the 1st edition. *Shameless self plug* I illustrated the 2nd and 3rd editions so that you enjoy taking chocolate notes and that they have a home after the brilliant minds of @chocolatedriven and @laurenonthewknd came up with the idea for this lovely book.⁠
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📓 You can grab some anytime for you, to sell in your shop, or to gift to friends. Just contact @chocolatenotebook or @chocolatedriven for more info.⁠
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🛒 You can also find them in the USA @barandcacao, through @barometerchocolate, and in Canada @finniachocolate⁠
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📷 The Chocolate Notebook with some beautiful chocolates from @the_chocolatelab in Calgary. Some of the many chocolate things I experienced in Calgary earlier this year.⁠
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#thechocolatenotebook #chocolatenotebook #chocolatejournal #chocolatenotes #chocolatetastings #tttt_2022 #tttt_timezonem7 #calgary #chocolatetasting #chocolates #bonbons #chocolatiers #chocolateshop #beantobarchocolate #chocolatemakers⁠

🌳 Trees. One of the things I love.⁠ ⁠ 🍫

🌳 Trees. One of the things I love.⁠
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🍫 So, in celebrating all things tree, today I am sharing a chocolate bar that has tree in it.⁠
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🌳🍫 This Palo Santo bar from @QantuChocolat is different from your average bar. The chocolate has been smoked with Palo Santo. The smell drifts up as you open the bar and the taste is unique and has an earthiness to it. Some of the proceeds from this bar goes directly to communities working to protect the Palo Santo forests in Peru.⁠
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🍫 This bar was created from memories of Elfi’s mom, who I have luckily had the pleasure of meeting, she's wonderful FYI, and was originally a special edition Mother’s Day bar. The first bars I had were simply wrapped with a ribbon and have since been upgraded as they are staying around awhile. Now having this beautiful orange tree on the packaging.⁠
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🍫🌳 Also, last time I visited Qantu’s shop it was just after seeing the cacao tree blooming at the Montreal Botanical Gardens, so really, trees and chocolate do together in more ways than one sometimes.⁠
What are your thoughts on Palo Santo and tree inspired or flavoured bars?⁠
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📷 Photo 1 - the simply wrapped bar, next to my mug, it was bound for drinking chocolate⁠
Photo Two - New packaging for the Palo Canto bar, beside another wood inspired treat from @Laurenonthewknd⁠
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#trees #treechocolate #palosanto #palosantochocolate #canadianchocolate #beantobarchocolate #beantobar #trresandchocolate #flavours #explorechocolate #chocolatetaster #orange #tree #PeruvianCacao #mom #memories #inspiredbytrees #woods #peace⁠

❤ This wrapper.⁠ ⁠ 🍫 Today I opened up th

❤ This wrapper.⁠
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🍫 Today I opened up this Moreyna bar from @Kasamachocolate.⁠
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🍫 A tanned chocolate made with Philippine cacao beans, Philippine muscovado sugar, cacao butter, and whole milk powder.⁠
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🙂 Certainly a unique bar with much thought put into it's making.⁠
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❔ Kasama Chocolate is made in Vancouver and is perfect for highlighting during #tttt_2022 for #timezonem8⁠
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#tannedchocolate #philippionchocolate #canadianchocolate #artandchocolate #muscovadosugar #cacaobeans #milkpowder #milkchocolate #tanchocolate #cacaonibs #beantobarchocolate #madeinvancouver #craftchocolate #chocolate⁠
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🌲 I love trees almost as much as I love chocola

🌲 I love trees almost as much as I love chocolate. This bar here combines the two together.⁠
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🍫 Cedar in chocolate. Yep. Chocolate and trees, together yet again.⁠
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🙂 When I saw @ravenrising.ca post about these ages ago I asked about them. Happily I broke into one today and enjoyed the flavours of this Cedar in 75% Tanzanie bar.⁠
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🍫 This was the dark chocolate version and I also have a milk chocolate bar to try as well.⁠
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🌲 I enjoyed snacking on it this afternoon on my deck looking and my neighbours cedar tree, shown here in the first photo. The other photos are taken with a string of peals which I could not resist because the texture of the bar seemed to just go with that plant.⁠
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❔ Have you tried cedar in chocolate or chocolate by Raven Rising?⁠
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#chocolatebar #cedarchocolate #treesandchocolate #flavour #chocolatetasting #cedar #tanzaniachocolate #cedartree #stringofpearls #womensupportingwomen #flavourofwood #madeinontario #chocolate

🍫 Happy Saturday. I'm sipping a lovely mug of

🍫 Happy Saturday. I'm sipping a lovely mug of drinking chocolate this morning, mixed with some lovely oat milk easing into my Saturday.

🙂 Or at least trying to. Hubby has been moving furniture and is now drilling holes, because life!

🧡 I'm also finishing up a spring clean of my office and am both excited and dreading getting to that today. It's okay that I have several boxes of chocolate bar wrappers right? The plan is to sort through them and store them better, but it's not a small job.

🌳 I also hope to get outside as it appears spring is here again and the sun is shining. So a book in the hammock is my afternoon goal.

🙂 How are you enjoying your Saturday?

#sippingchocolate #drinkingchocolate #allthetodos #todolist #weekend #relaxing #getoutdoors #saturdays #chocolatebreak #hotchocolate #plantenergy

🌸 Aloha! Wishing I were in Hawaii today. Inste

🌸 Aloha! Wishing I were in Hawaii today. Instead using the plate I picked up while I was there to eat chocolate off of.⁠
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🍫 Three years ago my mom and I went to Maui for a vacation and it was amazing, and of course included seeing where the cacao grows.⁠
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🍫☕ We went on a tour @mauichocolatecoffee and it was amazing. So much so that I have stayed in contact with them and hope to one day be back. (The plan had been to go in March of 2020.... sigh) 🤞 soon!⁠
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🍫 I have also tried their chocolate over the last few years as well as their trees grow and they learn more about chocolate making.⁠
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💻 They have a great blog, with all sorts of info and fun things on it. Chocolate Pesto anyone? Yes really, it's pretty good! If you scroll back far enough you can even find a feature on me from last year.⁠
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🙂 So go give them a follow and a like and see what they are doing with chocolate and coffee on a small organic farm! Also if you are in the area I really recommend the tour!⁠
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#maui #chocolatemaui #cacaotree #hawaiichocolate #tttt_2022 #tttt_timezonem10 #chocolateadventure #chocolatetravel #chocolateblog #chocolateblogger #chocolatepesto

🙂 What was the most memorable moment of your we

🙂 What was the most memorable moment of your week last week?

🧡 When you look back at last week what is that one moment that pops into your mind first?

🙂 What makes it memorable? The tastes? The people? The experience? The feeling?

👇 Share below, chocolate related or not, I'd love to know what your memorable moment of the week was.

#memories #momentsintime #moments #senses #littlemoments

💐 Mother's Day will be here before you know it.

💐 Mother's Day will be here before you know it. Chocolate is always a great gift.

💗 Cacao flower cards and paper flowers, cacao bean necklaces, or cacao pod earrings all make for a fun and lasting gift for Mom, or anyone who loves chocolate.

🛍️ Shop online in my shop now to be sure it arrives early. Have a #chocolateshop ? Most items are available wholesale, send me a message and we can talk.

🌷 What will you get your mom this year?

#chocolategifts #cacaoflower #cacaobean #cacaopod #cacao #ilovechocolate #chocolateaccessories #chocolategift #handmade #womeninchocolate #chocolatejewelry

👩‍🎨 I saw this on a wall mural one day wal

👩‍🎨 I saw this on a wall mural one day walking in Calgary.

✌️ A messy, artsy hand covered in paint making a peace sign? Yeah, I kinda love it.

🎨 There are so many places art and chocolate meet its no wonder I combined the two in an out of the box kinds way.

🍫🎨 Chocolate jewellery? Yep! Chocolate paper products? Yep!
@happymailforchocolatelovers? Yep, that too.
Wholesale products for the shelves of your chocolate shop that are not for eating? I got you covered.
Chocolate tastings? Yep, I do those too.
Chocolate photos? I can help there as well.
Consulting on flavours, packaging and menus? I am here for that!
Something else on your mind?

🧡 Honestly my heart loves combining art and chocolate in different ways. Interested in any of the above? Send me a DM. 🙂

#iknowthingsaboutchocolate #chocolateartist #chocolatetasters #ilovechocolate #chocolateart #chocolateeducator #chocoholic #certifiedchocolatetaster #chocolatesommelier #chocolateexpert #cacaolove #workwithme

🍫 We recently visited @HummingbirdChocolate new

🍫 We recently visited @HummingbirdChocolate new shop/factory in Almonte. It is amazing, beautiful, and so big!⁠
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🎉 Congrats to Hummingbird Chocolate and team for growing and making such a beautiful space for making and sharing chocolate in.⁠
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🍫 It really is amazing that there is a bean to bar chocolate maker so close to Ottawa, and that their chocolate is so delicious.⁠
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🙂 I have a few favourites from Hummingbird Chocolate, but this week we have been enjoying some Honey Bunnies and dreaming about their Mega Egg. I also picked up some Caramel Eggs to gift to the neighbours for the holiday this weekend.⁠
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❤ I can’t wait to visit their shop again soon, if you are in the area, it is worth a stop.⁠
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#easterchocolate #almonte #townofalmonte #hummingbirdchocolate #goldenbean #cacaotree #cacao #beantobarchocolate #canadianchocolate #chocoholic #ottawafoodie #supportlocalottawa ⁠

🎨🍫 Art and chocolate are perhaps combined to

🎨🍫 Art and chocolate are perhaps combined together most often through the skills of chocolatiers who combine amazing flavours together with colour art and shapes that make people smile. ⁠
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💝 It's no wonder people love to give others a box of chocolates!⁠
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🍫 Honestly I almost always reach for a bar of chocolate before a box of chocolate, but when I do reach for a box of chocolates I look for fun colours and unique flavours.⁠
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🌈When you buy a box of chocolates what is the deciding factor for you? Is it the colours? The shapes? The flavours? The textures? Or maybe something else? Let me know below.⁠
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📷 These are chocolates I enjoyed while in Calgary from The Chocolate Lab, where art and chocolate excite all my senses.⁠
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#chocolates #boxofhocolates #flavours #shapes #textures #artandchocolate #colourful #chocolategifts #chocolateadventures #calagarychocolate #canadianchocolate #explorechocolate⁠

🍫 Chocolate. ⁠ ⁠ 💋 Personally, I am a fa

🍫 Chocolate. ⁠
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💋 Personally, I am a fan of the KISS method… Keep It Sweet and Simple for most foods I eat. Chocolate is no exception.⁠
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🍫 I prefer chocolate made with simple ingredients that I can pronounce. Most of the chocolate I have around is 2-4 ingredients.⁠
Cacao Beans⁠
Cane Sugar or Maple Sugar⁠
Cocoa Butter⁠
Inclusion – items like freeze dried raspberries, maple toffee, nuts, flowers.⁠
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😘 I like to keep it sweet and simple, KISS.⁠
Candy bars have us all wanting snacks, but do you even know what is in them? Can you pronounce it? Is it KISS approved? Take a look next time you reach for a bar of candy or a chocolate bar. Learn about and know what you are eating and purchasing.⁠
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❔ Questions? Let me know below.⁠
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📷 A bar of chocolate from @larouerechocolat and a cacao pod zippered pouch I make and design.⁠
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#kiss #cacaopodpouch #chocolateeducator #chocolatesommelier #chocolateexpert #chocoholic #simplefoods #wholefoods #chocolate #ottawafoodie #eatlocal #eatlocalottawa #sweetandsimple #canadianchocolate #beantobarchocolate #knowyourfood⁠

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