The Chocolate Garage: Palo Alto

Hello everyone,

Clay Gordon asked me moons ago to go ahead and introduce myself, since I own and operate a small chocolate business in Silicon Valley. Somehow time has kept slipping away-- typical of operating a new business I suppose.

I am Sunita de Tourreil, Founder of The Chocolate Garage . I am an enthusiastic supporter of what I call "Happy Chocolate". I have a small business that primarily organizes chocolate tasting events in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. These tastings focus on education (how and where cacao is grown, how chocolate is made) and after leading a blind tasting, I tell the stories behind the chocolate makers. I tend to focus on local artisanal makers who are part of 'Nouveau American' chocolate, redefining the way chocolate is made and pushing the envelope especially in terms of transparency.

Our emphasis is on "Happy Chocolate", by which I mean chocolate that is having a positive impact on both the planet and it's people, especially cacao farming communities. Our mission is to make Happy Chocolate more available and give people ways to make chocolate choices that support and nurture the small farmer and the high quality chocolate industry.

I have found the community that Clay has fostered here at The Chocolate Life invaluable in my own chocolate education and I hope to be able to contribute even a fraction of what I have received from The Chocolate Life.

Sincerely,

Sunita de Tourreil