Claudio Corallo Chocolate

I'm a walker. I try to walk everywhere I can because I see things that I would never catch in a car. I'm routinely following my nose somewhere, perhaps down an alley sniffing for that lingering honeysuckle, or up a block in search of fire and meat. But when I found Claudio Corallo Chocolate last summer, it wasn't my feet or my nose that took me in the door. It was what was missing.

Let me explain. As a walker, I have to be aware of my surroundings and sometimes that means overstimulation. Cars, bikes, buses, garbage, everything comes at you all at once. So imagine what it's like to walk past something that is quiet in its appearance, in its sounds, and in its smells. A refuge is noticeable like a mirage in a desert. You can't miss it.

Inside was refreshing. For a moment, I thought I might be in a jewelry store, the displays were so spartan. Small dishes of perfectly dark chocolate invited me over, and my guide generously explained every product in the store, from the roasted cacao beans to the sweet treats provided by Neil Robertson of Mistral Kitchen. I learned about Claudio Corallo himself, an Italian living, growing, and producing chocolate in the tiny islands of Sao Tome and Principe off the West coast of Africa. It's especially rare to have a cacao plantation owner involved in the production of chocolate, much less marketing and selling the chocolate too, like Corallo is. I knew this was unique.

His story was covered in Saveur, Atlantic Magazine, even in Der Spiegel, the Telegram, and Time. His work is critically appreciated, but his chocolate is virtually unknown, even in the city that hosts his only retail shop, Seattle. So let me tell you a little about it so the next time you're here, you can experience what I now know might be the best chocolate I've ever tasted.

When you visit, sample everything they give you. All of the chocolate is dark, and all of it upwards of 70%+ cacao, meaning it's pretty bitter. It is herbacious and green, but roasty at the same time. It was shocking for me to learn that he does not conch his chocolate (which is the process of making it even smoother), because this chocolate is smoov. Yes, smoov.

In packaging reminiscent of art supplies, you'll find plain chocolate, chocolate coffee beans (my Dad proclaimed they were the best he'd ever eaten, and I send him LOTS), bars with flavorings (like bitter Seville oranges, figs, fresh ginger, and nibs), and one of my favorites, an 80% bar with granulated sugar. It is like eating sandy chocolate, a taste and texture bonanza. If you're so inclined, they sell a box of roasted cacao beans, just for snacking. The box on my desk is raided regularly.

Earlier this summer, I had a chocolate covered raspberry parfait from Mistral Kitchen. Sure, you can call it a chocolate dipped ice cream bon bon on a stick, but it didn't taste as cheap as my description sounds. I ate it in two bites and wanted more.

I'm not the only one. I've now tasted (and almost bought) everything in the store, and I don't think I'm the only one with that sort of appreciation for Claudio Corallo Chocolate. While I pondered my next grab, a smartly dressed woman walked in and the woman behind the counter immediately asked if she wanted the usual. Pausing for a thought, she answered she did, plus a little bit more. Her entire transaction took under two minutes. She was clearly a devoted regular.

I'd managed to catch the glimmering mirage on a good day, and I left on foot with cacao beans, mendiants, a bitter orange bar, and roasted coffee beans, also grown at the plantation. They barely lasted a weekend.

Claudio Corallo Chocolate
2122 Westlake Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98121
http://www.claudiocorallochocolate.com/

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