Mayana Chocolate - Chicago Chocolate Show Preview

Alison: Here at Rosie Discovers we're all about going the extra mile for our readers.

Susie: In this case it means a little bit of driving.

Alison: Right.  Not only are we going to attend and review the Chicago Chocolate show, we're also going to bring you previews of what you'll find at the show.  Some of the previews will be local and others will be not so local.

Susie: Most of them we aren't actually visiting in person, because they are busy making chocolate for all the lovely people going to the Chicago Chocolate show.

Alison:Let me tell you, it's going to be a horrible trial to have to sample all this chocolate.  NOT!

Susie: You're right, I'll need to take precautions.

Alison: What precautions? You're not actually going to be in danger!

Susie: No, I mean Mom-precautions. I need a better place to hide all this chocolate.  Is that your phone ringing? *Slides box of chocolate into a drawer*

Alison: You need to work on that, maybe you should wait for me to leave next time.

Alison: Our first stop on the Chicago Chocolate show preview is Mayana Chocolate.  Mayana Chocolate is local to the Chicago area and available by online purchase.

Susie: This is where the driving part comes in; we live in that magical Chicago area.

Alison: Exactly. Sunday, the two of us headed out to meet Chef Daniel of Mayana Chocolate.  He was hard at work packing up a chocolate order in these snazzy new boxes for a shipment.  Aren't they just gorgeous?

Susie: Yes, the colors are striking and snazzy.  Plus the best gifts come in pretty boxes.

Alison: After showing us the new packaging he offered to let us sample his wares. Let me tell you these are the most amazing chocolates we've tasted in a long long time.

Susie: By far!  He sets the bar really high.  I am having trouble imagining there is better chocolate out there to be found.

Alison: Probably because Chef Daniel doesn't use any artificial ingredients or extracts in his chocolates and you can definitely taste that.

Alison: For example, the Mint-Dark Chocolate gets its amazing mint flavor from actual mint leaves.  There is such a crisp, fresh mint taste.

Susie: I thought I was eating a mint leaf I picked myself.  If only we could make our mint plants taste that good, then life would be good.

Alison: Or we'd never leave the house again.

Susie: So, my plan has flaws.  I just need time to tweak a few elements.

Alison: Right...Well, the Toasted Coconut actually uses fresh coconut milk and toasted coconut to get its flavor.

Susie: Except better, because coconuts do not come with a chocolate coating.

Alison: All the chocolates we tasted had such intense flavor in them.  If you were to slice most of the chocolates in half you'd see the layers of flavor that make up these chocolates.

Susie: We did see them!  

Alison: Only it would have been difficult to photograph that.

Susie: I suppose, but you can taste the layers.  The textures add another dimension.  Not only stunning flavor combinations and good looks, but also complex texture profiles.

Alison: The whole package in one bite!

Susie: I still can't believe that each one we tried was better than the one before it.


Alison: I know, I was in the car on the ride home.  You wouldn't stop raving about them.

Susie: ... *points* Did you see that?

Alison: *Turns to look*

Susie:  You must have missed it.

Alison: Where did the chocolate go?

Susie:  I don't know what you're talking about.  

*All opinions are our own.  Chef Daniel supplied our chocolate samples.*