I stopped by Pier 17 yesterday and discovered TCHO chocolate. Not only does the chocolate taste great, they say they are the first to make chocolate in San Francisco since Ghirardelli. The factory is located along the Embarcadero waterfront, so it’s local flair is appealing. But that’s not all, they seem to be trying to bridge the gap between farmer and consumer, a not so light topic in the world of chocolate. 

This reminds me of an excellent book, Chocolate, A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light,  by Mort Rosenblum, whom I met at his launch of Dispatches, Beyond Iraq. Rosenblum, who lives in my other favorite city, Paris, was a special correspondent to The Associated Press and Editor of the International Herald Tribune. His insight and investigation into the dark side of the chocolate trade is compelling and revealing for anyone who loves chocolate and feels social responsibility with the foods we love to eat. The book is available for purchase at Book Passage online or at the Ferry Building.