Chocolate From The Cocoa Trees : A Review

Chocolate! That’s a word that is music to the ears of many I know, including myself. As I have said, I have rarely met a chocolate I don’t like unless it is filled with liquor or its too sweet. I know there some people who will wave away a chocolate without a second thought and I like to believe they’re in the minority. I don’t know who said “There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles”, but there’s no doubt that person was most definitely addicted to chocolate!

People who have loved chocolate with a passion have been moved enough by it to make remarks which have gone down in history as memorable quotes. Take a look, and this is just the tip of the iceberg!

“The greatest tragedies were written by the Greeks and Shakespeare…neither knew chocolate.”

― Sandra Boynton

“Strength is the capacity to break a Hershey bar into four pieces with your bare hands – and then eat just one of the pieces.” ― Judith Viorst.

“Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate.” ― Jo Brand

“There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.” ― Linda Grayson.

“Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits.”― Baron Justus von Liebig.

“Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list, put “eat chocolate.” Now, you’ll get at least one thing done today.” ― Gina Hayes.

“The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!” ― Terry Moore.

“God gave the angels wings, and he gave humans chocolate.” – Anonymous.

“If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?” ― Marquise de Sévigné

So when someone from The Cocoa Trees got in touch with me asking if I’d like to review some of their range of imported chocolates, I said I would. As Charles M Schultz (of Peanuts fame) said, “A little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt”!

As it happens, The Cocoa Trees has an outlet at Magsons Hymart (Caculo Mall Complex) here at Panaji, Goa so next thing I knew, someone from there was at my door with a small hamper of assorted chocolate from their store.

They sent me Hawaiian Host Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts, Hazelnut Milk Chocolate XXL Pastille from Droste Holland, Cherry Truffines (Cherry Flavoured Chocolate Bonbons) from The Belgian Chocolate Group, Belgian Dark Chocolate With Orange Pieces (76% Cocoa) from Chocolatier Duc d’O of Belgium, Dark Chocolate from Anthon Berg of Denmark, and Belgian Chocolate Thins from Jules Destrooper Belgium.

Since there was no liquor chocolate in that lot, I have only nice things to say about the chocolate. Of course, I had a definite preference for some over the others.

My daughter liked the Milk Chocolate Pastille because she loves the hazelnut-milk chocolate combination. Everyone loved the contrast of the biscuit crunch contrast and the chocolate smoothness of the Belgian Chocolate Thins. These came in a variety of biscuits covered with milk, dar and white chocolates.

I like dark chocolate because it is not too sweet, so the Dark Chocolate, both plain and with orange pieces, were nice though the one with orange had an somewhat bitter after taste which was expected.

There’s definitely something to satisfy everyone’s chocolate preference in the collection at Cocoa Trees. So if you like chocolate and if you’re ever in Goa, you know there’s one place you might want to add to your list of “must see” places here. The Cocoa Trees is a Singapore based chocolate boutique store that stocks and sells a wide variety of fine chocolates from well-known international chocolate companies, and they’re now in India too.

Disclaimer : This review was done on request from The Cocoa Trees. Due judgement has been applied and I have done my best to remain objective and unbiased while writing this review. This review is my personal opinion so please exercise your own discretion.