It is fair to say that over the last few years I have become a lot more health conscious. Maybe it is a mid-life crisis (as I turned 50 last year) or that fatherhood has had a profound effect on my lifestyle. When I was at University in the 1980’s processed food was cheap and abundant. Therefore, like most students, I indulged in carbs, saturated fat, and sugars. Mixed with alcohol it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to explain why I felt sluggish and fatigued. Fortunately, I saw the light and now am a lot more discerning when it comes to my dietary requirements. This really was the catalyst for writing a book about dark chocolate (scheduled for early 2019).
The concept for the dark chocolate book was to feature a variety of global brands to achieve diversity. I also got to include a certain amount of domestic talent like Chow Cacao. This micro brand caught my attention because of the catchy title and distinctive graphics on the packaging. It is also pertinent to mention that they also make a delicious world class (dairy free, vegan) chocolate that is sold nationwide in Australia.
Chow Cacao is the brainchild of Trudy Cockcroft and (German-born) Wilhelm Heringer. This dynamic couple met whilst Wil whilst traveling Australia and decided to call the idyllic coastal town of Byron Bay on the South-eastern tip of New South Wales home. They also pursued their dream of producing exquisite raw, dairy free chocolate. Even though the bars are relatively small (40 Grams) they definitely deliver on the flavour front. Ultimately, this is because they use the finest Cacao beans combined with a variety of different natural ingredients. My personal favourites from the range are the delectable ‘Hazelnut Crunch’ and irresistible ‘Peanut Butter Slab’.
In a world of mass production, it is great to hear that consumers will still pay extra for handmade goods. Where I reside in South Australia there are several independent supermarkets that promote these type of products. I feel people these days are more interested to learn about the provenance of their food. For example, Fair Trade alliances with farmers is a very important issue for many including Chow Cacao. This brand is highly principled about where they source their ingredients from. In my opinion that is a win, win scenario because you (the customer) can enjoy their exquisite chocolate without any guilt.
For more information about Chow Cacao follow this link
