We've scoured the U.S. for artisan bean to bar chocolate makers that you won't find anywhere else in Seattle. First up is Patric Chocolate, which hails from the state that is becoming quite popular for fine chocolates, Missouri. Home of both the Christopher Elbow collection and the Askinosie bars, Patric Chocolate entered the chocolate scene in January of 2007 and is quickly becoming a popular seller at Chocolopolis. Alan McClure is the founder and passionate chocolate-maker behind the two Patric products that we carry - 67% and 70% dark chocolate bars from the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar. At first glance the two bars appear identical, but look closely and you'll notice the subtle difference in the ingredient list of the bars. The 70% is purely cocoa beans and cane sugar, while the 67% has added cocoa butter which has been pressed from the same origin of bean so as not to muddle the flavor. All of his chocolate is produced in small 50-60 lb. batches to ensure that the quality and flavor of each bar remains consistent throughout the entire chocolate making process (compare that with the reported 1,000,000 lbs of chocolate Hershey's produces in a day).

Next up is Rogue Chocolatier which takes first place in two categories: smallest chocolate factory and youngest chocolate maker. At the age of 23, Colin Gasko is producing bars of exceptional quality out of his bedroom-sized warehouse in Minneapolis, MN. We've brought in two of his bars, the Sambirano from Madagascar and the Hispaniola from the Dominican Reopublic, and while both bars are 70% dark chocolate there is an incredible difference in everything from the color of the chocolate to the flavor profiles found in each.

We are very excited to have the opportunity to highlight artisan chocolate companies that are just starting out, and as previously mentioned you won't find these bars in any other stores in the city. We also have leads on a few other U.S.-based bean to bar makers that we are interested in bringing in so check back for updates on new products and store events.