Which Northern Irish county is famous for: Being the birthplace of Hans Sloane, founder of the British Museum, inventor of making drinking chocolate with milk, and Royal Physician to the crown? Having the highest mountains in Northern Ireland (the Mourne Mountains)? Being the home, and birthplace, of the father of the Brontë family (Patrick – father […]

This week at Cocoa Runners we’re all about Canada! This Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving, and we here at Cocoa Runners are certainly thankful for a lot that comes out of Canada. Any list of the world’s greatest Craft Chocolate makers will include the likes of SOMA, Palette De Bine, Qantu, Sirene and DesBarres (and some […]

India doesn’t immediately spring to mind when one thinks of craft chocolate. Yet. But this is unfair and a misconception. Firstly, Indian culinary technology underpins the explosion of craft chocolate making over the last twenty years. Secondly more and more craft chocolate makers are exploring fine quality, heirloom cocoa varietals from India.  And thirdly India […]

Craft chocolate requires great beans that are carefully grown, fermented and dried by the farmer.  And then they require meticulous roasting, winnowing, grinding, conching and tempering in small batches by artisan chocolate makers.  Most other crafts – beer, wine, coffee, etc. – follow a similar pattern of farmer and maker working together (and/or being the […]

Next weekend, 6-8 March, we will be at the San Francisco Craft Chocolate Experience. We are so excited to be there, and if any of you are in the area and want to come say hi, fantastic! Among the makers will be a number of Cocoa Runners stalwarts – including the alluringly alliterative “Cape Cod […]

Tosier chocolate, the creation of Deanna Tilston, offers both an education for your taste buds and an inside look at chocolate history. Deanna currently sources her beans from four different estates and co-operatives: in Belize, Haiti, Bolivia and Colombia. Tosier focuses on crafting classic 70% bars in delicate and thin moulds.  These moulds, combined with […]

This May, we are collaborating with Canopy Market, the weekly independent market at King’s Cross, to host a one-off celebration of all things cocoa for a weekend of total sensory pleasure. From the 11th – 13th of May, Canopy will host a dedicated chocolate market packed with the best craft chocolatiers, tastings, talks and demonstrations, […]