Last year I wrote: ‘Every year it’s getting better and better’. This year I should say: ‘It becomes more and more…but unfortunately not necessarily better’. Especially starting chocolate makers do not allow themselves enough time to practice and do sell their creations too quickly. Several times I paid about 8-10 Euros or Dollars (sometimes even more) for stuff that turned out to be not good (to say it nicely). In my opinion you should not sell poor “artisan” chocolate and certainly not at those prices. It is also wrong to force upon innocent people that this is good chocolate. So be careful what you are doing. Next year when I taste something inappropriate, I will ask my money back. So watch out!

I should stop complaining now. Life is too short to focus on the bad stuff, let’s go to the amazing, wonderful, delicious and gorgeous chocolates.

The best new bean-to-bar brands I have tasted this year:

1. Sirene (Madagascar 73%, Ecuador 73% and 100%)
2. Franceschi (Canoabo, Choroni and Ocumare)
3. Manufaktura Czekolady (Porcelana, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and an excellent Ghana!)

Other bars I liked very much (in a random order):

• Soma: Porcelana 75% and CBS Chama 70%
• Dick Taylor: Bolivia Alto Beni 70%
• Chocolate Tree: Peru Marañón 69%
• Luisa Abram: Wild Cocoa Brazilian Amazon 70%
• Lonohana: The Néné 71%
• Bar au Chocolat: Montserrat Hills Trinidad 80%
• Parliament: Guatemalan Q'Eqchi 70% and Dominican Republic Öko Caribe 70%
• Dandelion: San Francisco de Macoris DR 70%
• Catronovo Chocolate: Colombia Sierra Nevada 72%
• Fresco: Madagascar 89% and Five 70%
• A. Morin: Cuba, Panama and Toumi
• Cacao Hunters: Arhuaco 72%
• Rogue: Jamaica 75% and Porcelana 80%
• Georgia Ramon: Ghana 70% and 90%
• Oialla: Bolivia Beniano 78% and 100%
• Chocablog (now Damson): Madagascar Menakao 70% and Akesson 70%
• Middlebury: Dominican Republic Eden O 70%
• The new recipes of Hoja Verde

Have I forgotten to mention something?

Oh yes, a lot of good chocolate made of Belizean cocoa: TAZA, Choco del Sol, Belyzium, Videri, Charm School, Georgia Ramon…

Who creates more new bars in a year other than Tibor Szántó? His Santo Domingo Heima, Sao Tomé, Cuba 88%, Chuno, Nicaliso, Tumbes, Arriba Amazonas, are all great. And his chocolate covered Hispaniola beans are marvellous.

What a fantastic year! Thank you so much for pleasing my taste buds J

You make my life delicious! Happy new chocolate year!

PS 1: Looking forward to meet you at Chocoa, February 4-7th in Amsterdam.

PS 2: Original Beans just launched their web shop:

Original Beans will definitely introduce new products in 2016. Hopefully these will make your life delicious too J

I tasted amazing new stuff in 2014!

My favourite new-coming chocolate makers:

• Pump Street Bakery (especially: Grenada 70% and Ecuador 75%)
• It’s Chocolate (especially: Chuao and Belize). New name: Brasstown Chocolate.
• Cacao Hunters (everything!)

Other new ones that I like: Metiisto, Doble & Bignall, Erithaj, Solstice and Cacaosuyo.

New bars from existing chocolate makers that are really awesome: 

• Idilio: Trinchera 74%
• Soma: La Dalia, Blend 82%, Peru Nacional, Little Big Man, Dancing in your head, Old School Nicaragua
• Tibor Szántó: Carenero Superior, Ben Tre, Ambolikapiky, Cuba
• Bar au Chocolat: Maranon
• Marou: Dak Lak
• French Broad: Matagalpa
• Ritual: Belize and Maranon

My most memorable experience was the production of the new Original Beans bars at Felchlin in July.  I will never forget that. It was very exciting to create new recipes together with Felchlin and the Original Beans team. I’m  so happy with the results! And I heard I’m not the only one May I say that these bars are my 2014’s favourites? Or will I be disqualified? Although it’s not weird to be in love with your own babies, right?  

Other chocolate highlights:  

• Chocoa Trade Fair and Festival, March in Amsterdam
• Origin Chocolate Event, October in Amsterdam 

What will happen in 2015? I’m looking forward to: 

• The bean (or tree?) -to-bars by Alexandre!
• The start of a Chocolate Academy in The Netherlands!
• Chocoa Trade Fair, Conferences and Festival 5-9th March in Amsterdam. Be there!
• Georg Bernardini’s new chocolate book September 2015
• And maybe some gorgeous new Original Beans products? 

Wish you all a delicious new chocolate year!