Madecasse Chocolate & Vanilla

What’s the only thing that could make insanely delicious, fair-trade chocolate and high quality vanilla beans taste even better?

Knowing that you’re helping fuel the economy for people in Madagascar with every bite, that’s how.

The superior flavor of Madecasse’s products is unlike anything I’ve ever had before. I’m not one for sugar cravings and I’ve maybe purchased actual chocolate bars from Whole Foods twice in my entire life. But these bars are an exception. They are completely crafted by hand, from bean to bar, grown in sustainable farms in Africa. And the meticulous care in growing such pure cocoa and vanilla beans, is obvious once you’ve tried their goods.

Upon receiving their beautifully packaged products-and you know I’m a sucker for well presented treats-I tried to control myself. I had a few bites of their Sea Salt bar and vowed to leave it in the box, til I was ready to blog about it the following day. Fast forward an hour later, and halfway though a movie, I literally could not stop thinking about the bars in the other room. I felt slightly ashamed of this quick, intense addiction, but felt like I HAD to consume the rest of it. And I sure did. And I didn’t feel the least bit bad about it. I didn’t even feel sick, or full from it, which would definitely NOT have been the case if it was just any run-of-the-mill chocolate. I saved the Toasted Coconut bar to share with my friends during “Fifty Shades of Grey” and it might have been the best part of that entire movie experience. For such high quality chocolate, it also paired exceptionally well with the super cheap pinto noir we snuck into the theater.

The depth of flavor in each bite was truly amazing. It was subtly sweet and perfectly bitter, with rich texture. The same goes for the baking chips which were impossible not to snack on when I was melting them to make orange and strawberry dipped chocolates for Valentine’s Day-even though I was sans a Valentine. Oh well, more for me!

The aroma of the fresh vanilla and vanilla beans are also unparalleled and I feel like I’ll be saving them for truly special occasions. It’s like gold. I can’t be using it frivolously. I did however use some of the pure vanilla in my overnight oats and I could 100% taste a difference. I do get organic, pure vanilla from Whole Foods anyways, but this stuff puts it to shame. Especially if you’re using any of that processed imitation vanilla crap, you need to experience the amazingness of Madecasse’s vanilla.

Remember, not all of their products are vegan, so make sure to read the ingredients list before purchasing. Most of their products, are high quality 70% cocoa and make the perfect post-Valentine’s gift to anyone-OR yourself, for that matter!