Tag: review

SOMA Chocolatemaker: Embodying the Essence of Chocolate

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This article was written in 2018 and updated in 2020.

The 70 percent dark chocolate bar from Dreketi, Vanua Levu Island, Fiji, by Soma Chocolatemaker had a big reputation to live up to…

  1. Time Cupsoul had never eaten chocolate from Fiji
    • According to the brands’ packaging, Fiji’s national flag touts a cacao pod in lions paws (reputation signal and/or national pride, perhaps?) and also explains that, the Fijian concept of “vanua” means the land as an “extension of oneself; including one’s life, sustenance and culture”
  2. The tasting notes on the bar were listed as “chocolate, honey and grapefruit”
  3. The Soma Chocolatemaker chocolate molding is one of the most whimsical in the industry, notable for intricate details and a romantic rendition of the cacao forest (cacao pods, tropical birds, and cacao flowers)
aerial view of beach and huts
Photo by Damon Hall on Pexels.com

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Omnom Chocolate Reykjavík Raises the Holiday Chocolate “Bar”

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A year ago in October, we were in Paris and it was absolute magic. It was a last minute decision. A purely incredible deal on Iceland Air. (Note that if you’re willing to stop-over in Reykjavík while en-route to another destination, airfare can be a bargain, and you can even extend your trip, apparently with zero penalty.) Don’t get us started on how magical Paris was, but this post is about a different landscape — a frozen dusk with quiet, twinkling stars, warm, crackling firelight, snow falling — a comforting yet invigorating experience that you can find just by tasting a chocolate bar by Icelandic brand: Omnom Chocolate.

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Watching: A Film About Coffee

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Though I do not have affiliation with this film, from the moment that I heard about it, I became excited. This past week it went live online.  Stunning cinematography and a wonderful weaving of stories.  Rent or buy this journey through coffee on Vimeo; highly recommended for coffee lovers.

Folklore Coffee & Co.: Musings from Hershey

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Folklore Coffee Co.

Ah, Pennsylvania, USA, the lovely location for chocolate, happiness and sunshine. It’s not just the dairy state, people, it has “Chocolate Town,” USA!

I was in Chocolate Town a few weeks back for business, and knew immediately that there would be some amazing desserts to try. Not just desserts, but the chocolate specifically, and also the coffee. With big cows moo-ing all around the PA pastures, I figured the cafe-au-lait would be a delicious choice; PA is known for its milk.  I love my coffee with milk, as you can tell from past reviews. Rare do I take it black.

After some meticulous research on coffee shops close to my hotel, I settled upon Folklore Coffee & Co.. They’re technically in Elizabethtown, but it’s not far from downtown Hershey.  Part of the reason I ultimately chose them? The…

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Blue Crab Coffee Co: Great Coffee, Great Town

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Blue Crab Coffee Co.

St. Michael’s, Maryland, is one of those awesome and special places that feels sort of frozen in time. It’s preppy, in the best way, a-la a scene from Wedding Crashers, and is the quintessential boater town.

I’ve been going to St. Michael’s ever since I was little, but never spotted Blue Crab Coffee Co. on one of the many adorable side streets. Blue Crab Coffee feels like a beach-y place right down to the details. The shop sits proudly, almost alone, on a little back street.  You can see from the pictures that it almost like a mini house.  When my entourage entered inside, we were immediately impressed by the friendly nature of the baristas and patrons. It was early in the morning on a summer day.  St. Michael’s isn’t a bustling, crazy, town, it’s a beautiful, romantic, sleepy town, and the volume and type of people inside reflected as such.

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Kaldi’s Coffee Bar: Fresh Perspectives

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Kaldi’s Coffee Bar in Silver Spring is a great getaway for anyone seeking some coffee solace.

Abnormal to my routine, I was at Kaldi’s fairly late in the day but felt the same sense of calm that I might feel at another coffee shop just opening its doors. Kaldi’s was busy, yet quiet. It just had a lovely energy. The baristas were extremely welcoming and friendly.

Quickly sensing it was my first time inside, the barista…smiled widely, explained the shop is Ethiopian, and handed me a menu and one-pager on their paninis. I surveyed the coffee menu, and glanced at the pastry window. The small delicacies looked delicious. I chose the vegan coconut cake. I’m not vegan, but anything coconut is a weakness of mine. I also ordered a mocha and found a seat in the pretty seating area. There were deep wooden chairs and low wooden coffee tables, dining tables, and some couches.

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Bayou Bakery: The Cafe that Created a Time Cupsoul Award

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Bayou Bakery

Memorial Day Weekend started off excellent. Completely dazed after seeing X-Men Days of Future Past, my friends and I exited the theater completely riveted and starving. Go see X-Men right now. And then, like I did, go to New Orleans. You don’t need a plane because you have Bayou Bakery.

Stepping inside of Bayou Bakery really was like walking into Louisiana. It was an instant…vacation. The decorations in this bakery and coffee shop are superb. Absolutely as if you’re in the Bayou. I hold some legitimacy here because I have been to New Orleans with my sister.

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