June Edition

Todd & Elaine’s Visit to Papua New Guinea

Todd and Elaine recently returned from a trip to Papua New Guinea, where they took part in a cocoa trade expo. The island country is working to produce fine cocoa in a way that hasn’t been done there before. Their beans were among the first origins we sourced, from 2012 through 2014. Readers of our Making Chocolate book may recall how much we loved the smokiness of that chocolate, especially in our café S’more.

Todd and Elaine, what was the reason for your trip? 

Elaine: This was Papua New Guinea’s first ever large-scale, international cocoa trade expo. It was half conference — educating and connecting producers with buyers — and half chocolate olympics. There were three main competitions: 

1. Who grows the best beans. There were 350 entries, and three gold winners. 

2. Who makes the best hot chocolate. All ingredients had to be grown locally, including the cacao. They don’t traditionally eat or drink chocolate in Papua New Guinea, so this was to encourage people to try their own cacao. 

3. Who grafts cacao trees the best. The prize was a live crocodile, which I almost …

Our New Café on Chestnut

We have a brand-new café on Chestnut Street in the Marina! To celebrate, join us there for complimentary hot chocolate and cookies on Sunday, June 14ᵗʰ from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you’d like to pick out a Father’s Day gift during the party, our shelves are lined with bars and confections. This is our first café opening since 16ᵗʰ Street back in 2018. We have a full menu of hot and cold drinks (House Hot Chocolate, Nibby Cold Brew, espresso, and so on) to enjoy alongside freshly baked pastries. We’re open daily and are making plans for an outdoor garden space. 

Ice Cream Season Arrives at Bloom

Here’s the scoop. Lisa’s seasonal ice cream menu at Bloom features two new desserts: Her Bean-to-Scoop Ice Cream Flight presents three house-made scoops: cacao-fruit sherbet; Costa Esmeraldas cocoa nib ice cream; and 70% Takyikrom chocolate ice cream. The Baked Ghana tops cubes of chocolate cake with a scoop of 70% Takyikrom chocolate ice cream, finished with candied hazelnuts and torched-to-order meringue. 

Those and other ice cream desserts are available exclusively at Bloom, and only for the season: The Cocoa Nib Ice Cream Sandwich layers Costa Esmeraldas cocoa nib-infused ice cream between tender chocolate biscuits for a Dandelion twist on a classic. There’s also the tropical Cacao Fruit & Lime Sundae, the baked-to-order chocolate Soufflé (topped tableside with creamy cocoa nib ice cream), and the decadent six-layer lemon buttermilk Cake & Ice Cream. 

Father’s Day Gifts 

Father’s Day falls on June 21ˢᵗ this year. We’ve put together a gift guide to help you celebrate. The new Aperitivo & Digestivo Collection infuses a dozen velvety bonbons with Italian liqueurs. Our Single-Origin S’mores Kits and Makers’ Collection bar subscriptions are also popular among dads. If you’re local, Lisa’s Spring Cakes layer chocolate cake with strawberry cream, yuzu curd, and chocolate ganache. It’s a party in and of itself. 

FEATURED RECIPE

Mostly Chocolate’s Chocolate Salami

By Dany Kamkhagi, Head Chocolatier of Mostly Chocolate

A highlight of crafting our Advent Calendar is meeting some of the country’s best chocolatiers. We first met Dany Kamkhagi of Houston-based Mostly Chocolate when he submitted confections for our 2025 Calendar. His flavors wowed us to say the least. Dany’s Chocolate Salami — a playful take on an Italian classic — folds toasted nuts, tart fruit, and crunchy quinoa into rich dark chocolate. It comes together easily and goes hand-in-hand with our Aperitivo & Digestivo collaboration. 

June Makers’ Collection Subscription

Our Makers’ Collection subscription brings six single-origin bars — two bars each, of three distinctive varieties — to your door. This month, Ron’s hand-picked selections all come from Dandelion Japan and include an exclusive preview of their 70% Kpalimé, Togo bar. Our June Makers’ set features: