Musings; Zotter’s Labooko Dark Chocolate, 90% Bolivia

This post was written in 2018 and updated in 2020.

Good morning from Washington, DC. Yesterday was a nice 60 degree weather day. Time Cupsoul walked around the National Mall, exploring new coffee and chocolate shops in this great city.

Time cupsouls — experiencing them — are about inspiration and serenity at the same time. It’s about finding the quiet moment and receiving some answers, some clarity.

This week, a friend was relaying that most ingenious ideas are first sparked alone. This means that ideas are less formed in group brainstorming sessions and what’s ideal for breakthrough is to spend time alone and then bring the novelty to a group for feedback. So, this is Time Cupsoul bringing the very soul of “time cupsoul” to you, readers. How can Time Cupsoul’s site be better? What would you like to see more of? What can change? Please send a message or leave a comment on this article. On to the chocolate…!

The Chocolate House, DC, had a couple of great Zotter bars for choosing, and Time Cupsoul settled on the 100% Fairtrade Bolivia 90% bar. You can buy Zotter bars online, here. Zotter Chocolate has a thin package, enclosing two small Zotter bars on each side, and features a picture of Josel Zotter, smiling and holding a handful of cocoa beans

If you are not familiar, the molding of the Zotter bar is quite whimsical. Swirling lines and the “Zotter” letters make the bars easily recognizable. It’s a beautiful and artistic sight to behold (see photo). The bar’s weight is light, as alluded to, and snaps with ease.

On the tongue, the chocolate is incredibly fragrant. Colors of flavor start to explode almost immediately. To the Time Cupsoul palate, the first note of the 90% Bolivia El Ceibo* cocoa is red berries (cherry)  and floral (jasmine/rose), chocolate (baked brownie), and there’s a sharpness too, a brightness that Time Cupsoul can only match to spicy (pepper). The pepper is subtle but adds an element of intrigue and a well-rounded finish. This bar is exceptional.

Buy Zotter chocolate here.

For now, a small piece of this delicious chocolate and a cup of Counter Culture Ethiopian coffee is absolute perfection — a morning time cupsoul. Wishing you a beautiful weekend filled with quiet moments.

Please note that almost all chocolate bars consumed and reviewed by Time Cupsoul are randomly chosen and purchased with personal funds. This bar (which has two small bars inside) is approximately $8. This post is not sponsored but contains affiliate links, which means if you click through and do buy something, you may help support an insatiable coffee and chocolate habit. 🙂

*El Ceibo chocolate is “the first certified organic cocoa cooperative in the world in 1988” and grows 70 percent of the organic cocoa in Bolivia. Source.