choco loco.

"caramels are only a fad. chocolate is a permanent thing."
~ milton snavely hershey

so, last thursday - post-doctor's appointment - i went to the market...i needed rice milk and safe snacks for this new phase of my diet switch-a-roo-o-rama. i was talking on the phone with my friend tara in the snack aisle and interrupted her to say - "WAIT - there is a chocolate bar with my name on it!" i was NOT hallucinating, it was 3400 phinney bars by theo chocolate AND my last name is phinney, so excitement and purchase of said bars followed to my delight.



once i made it to their website, i was really beyond excited because the company and products are amazing in philosophy and yumminess factor - BIG hearts. i found out SO much that i'm not sure where to begin....so i will share some fun bullet points:

#1 - theo was the first roaster of Fair Trade Certified™ cocoa beans and the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the United States
#2 - the name of the main company theo (they make the 3400 phinney bar) comes from the latin name of the cacao tree - theobroma cacao, food of the gods (and it really is!) and their followers/connoisseurs call themselves theonistas! they congregate here, where you can also find up to date info & recipes & such
#3 - their packaging features artwork & illustrations by Zaara @ kittenchops and it is just the cutest thing (you've probably seen her work on starbucks packaging before)
#4 - the name of the 3400 phinney bar comes from their street address in seattle, but i find it funny that it also rhymes with their founder joe whinney's name!
#5 - they have some of the best flavor combos i have ever heard of, such as:

dark chocolate:
fig, fennel & almond (this one is vegan!)
nib brittle (tried it, YUM.)
bread & chocolate
coffee(tried it, YUM.)

milk chocolate:
hazelnut crunch
vanilla
chai
coconut curry

#6 - they give tours & do wine pairings...if you're in the area, do it and let me live vicariously through your experience (3400 Phinney Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98103).
#7 - they were recently (february) featured in oprah's O magazine...'nuff said.

in conclusion, i think i would at least try anything with my name on it once, but this i would buy again and again and if i ever held an event worthy of swag bags, they would be in it. finding new ways to go green and support fair trade products are easy to do when they taste so darn good...eat up!

“my therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what i start. so far today, i have finished 2 bags of m&m's and a chocolate cake. i feel better already.”
~ dave barry

(images by kittenchops via theo chocolate website)