From the Heart of the Andes- Chocolate Friday

As we hiked up the pass we could here the distant sound of the Kena being played in the distance. It’s soft sounds floated upwards as we inhaled the fresh mountain air. It was another amazing day on the Inca trail surrounded by historic Andes. Voices of the past resonated echoing the sounds of the flute our guide was playing for us. This is Peru.

Have you ever been to Peru? The majestic peaks touched the clouds. The trail stretched out in front of us. Teasing us at times. Other times telling stories. It was beautiful. Today I am absolutely thrilled to have tasted Piura Porcelana. This bar is made by Original Beans, a company focused on chocolate and conservation. As many of you of you know I am a big fan of chocolate companies that give back. Here is what one of the founders, Phillip Kauffmann had to say about chocolate:

“For the simple reason that it grows on trees. There are several excellent chocolate companies out there so why add one more? Well, the times we live in call for a new kind of enterprise, one that protects and restores the Earth. Chocolate is both delicious and restorative, and it conveys our deep relation with tropical rainforests. Did you know that the cacao tree reserves its fruits for our kind, i.e. primates? Chocolate in the truest sense is a tree-treat. Original Beans exists to replant trees and conserve rainforests.”

Onto the chocolatey bliss…

This sweet bar is wrapped in my favorite color, pink and the bonus points only increase from there. The graphics are intricate and tell a story themselves of trees, rainforest and preservation. Unwrapping the bar reveals a perfectly smooth piece of perfection. Removing the inner layer gives way to an aroma of the rugged Andes mountains, chocolate perfection touched with a hint of citrus- a gift to you from rainforest.

Breaking a piece off was a crisp as I remember the cool mountain air or Peru. I then melted away as I placed a piece on my tongue. Smooth. Cream. Rich. The mixture of the rugged chocolate mixed with the wilds of the rainforest and the purity of Original Beans make this a bar not to miss.

Finally, enjoy some goodness beyond the bar. For every bar purchased, another tree is planted in the rainforest. Take note of the P code on the wrapper of your bar. Type this into their website www.orginalbeans.com to see the story of where your trees grow.

As the smog hangs low and heavy in my area, I hope we all take more than a moment to remember our planet and give it a little love too, just like Original Beans.