Papa Chocolat
~ Organic ~ Fair Trade ~ Local to Calgary ~ Gluten Free (isn’t most chocolate?)
Orgasmic: Depends on your taste.
Price Point: $9.99 direct from the maker at the market.
Flavour: 85% Bittersweet.
Texture: Chocolate is hard to bite into but is very clean in texture – no granules of any sort. Nicely melts in your mouth.
Overall Chocogasm: 7/10
This chocolate is really interesting to me.
First: I ate almost the whole bar. It’s been a month and a half since I bought the bar so, yeah, no pictures. I am a chocolate fiend. The only reason the overall chocogasm is a 7 is because I prefer a soft texture in my chocolate and found this chocolate to be very hard as far as chocolates go. The flavour though is amazing.
I bought this bar when I was at the market in Calgary. My friends there told me it was the best chocolate and that I should try it. The 85% is the only chocolate bar they had there that was diary free so I took it even though some of the other flavours may have been delightful!
The man working at the booth was extremely informative about the chocolate and the creator of the chocolate: Bernard Callebaut. I was surprised to hear the maker of Papa Chocolat had actually worked for a larger company and lost his brand and is now rebuilding it as Papa Chocolat. So I did some research:
Bernard Callebaut is from Belgium originally. His dad and grandfather were chocolatiers who taught him how to make chocolate and he is currently teaching his sons how to make chocolate.
And I do have to say, the European influence in the chocolate bar I had is there. There’s something about European bars that are different from stuff made in this side of the world. Part of it is that they don’t skimp on ingredients, or time, and they aren’t trying to make super healthy chocolate (raw). They are making great chocolate and that’s their goal. Also, love shows through the flavours and affects how good it is.
Anyways, back to Mr. Callebaut. He moved to Calgary and started a majorly successful chocolate company. However several years ago during the recession they hit financial trouble and had to give up the business. Through a process I don’t really know details of (nor do I feel its necessary to know) Cococo Chocolatiers became the owners of Callebaut’s brand. Mr. Callebaut tried to bid back the company but failed.
So, Mr. Callebaut and friends, began a new company. This new company, Papa Chocolat, competes with his old company, Callebaut. This means that he is competing against his own recipes and the brand he built for thirty years.
To me, what this means, is that if you want to directly support a local chocolate maker and you live in Calgary, buy from Papa Chocolat. This man loves and is passionate about making chocolate. He is driven to share his love from deep within. And the chocolate you eat from him will be coated in the love he has for this art form.
On top of that it is organic and fairtrade. You really can’t go wrong with this chocolate.
P.S.
A funny story! My friends and I arrived home and I offered everyone some chocolate. My girlfriend said, “Oh, my boyfriend doesn’t like dark chocolate. I don’t think he’ll want any.” Her boyfriend came into the room, I offered, telling him it was dark, and he took some to try. A few minutes later he shows up and says, “Can I have another piece, please?”.
That’s a sign of good chocolate. 😉
