Let’s talk Bean-To-Bar: Amano’s Ethically Made Artisan Chocolate

Art Pollard is the ultimate renaissance man, a former physicist, turned software engineer (his code is still used in Adobe Acrobat) and now, internationally renowned chocolate maker.  More than a decade ago, NPR highlighted Amano chocolate (the name means both “by hand” and “they love” in Italian) as the best Valentine’s Day chocolate you can buy. Since then, Pollard’s vintage-equipment, high-altitude conching and passion for direct-farm relationships, has lead the Amano bars to win hundreds of awards. In fact,  Amano is, by far, the most award winning chocolate maker in America. Amano even received a gold medal from London’s Academy of Chocolate—placing it on par with the oh-so-acclaimed Amedei chocolate.

What I Love About It | I’ve always had a hankering for dark chocolate, but any Amano bar is truly unique. This is the ultimate chocolate. My favorite bar so far, has to be Amano’s Madagascar bar. It was one of Amano’s earliest originals and is always in perfect balance. Never too sweet or too bitter. Strangely enough, it has a hint of natural citrus with a note of raspberry, and all this flavor comes directly from the cocoa beans—there’s not a trace of fruit in the bar.

When you unwrap the gold foil of the Madagascar bar, it actually looks deceiving. Is that milk chocolate? Nope. Instead, lighter-beans give the dark chocolate it’s unique color. These beans are grown on a single-family-owned estate in the Sambirano valley of Madagascar.  Pollard has been working with this family ever since the beginning. In fact, he has direct-trade relationships with farmer families all over the globe: Ecuador, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and New Guinea. 

Good To Knows | Since flavor is Amano’s first priority, the chocolatiers aren’t quite as focused on organic certifications or eco-friendly packaging. If you are looking for a chocolate that focuses on more of these elements, some of my favorites are: Askinosie, HuKitchen, and Seed & Bean.

Ingredients | Cacao Beans, Sugar, Cocoa Butter and Vanilla.

Ideal For | Date night. Grab Amano’s chocolate sampler (complete with their trending Rasberry Rose bars) and then order this eco-friendly chocolate tasting journal. Indulge in a night full of gourmet tastes all while recording the experience.

Price | $8

Good for You - All of Amano’s dark chocolate bars (there are ten different types to choose from) are made from four simple ingredients: Cacao Beans, Sugar, Cocoa Butter and Vanilla.  In Amano’s Inclusion bars (there are three bar so far) you’ll find a wider variety of natural ingredients added: mango, rose and cardamon. All of Amano’s chocolate bars are gluten-free, all natural, vegan, and non-GMO.  And of course, there is no soy lecithin to be seen.

Good for Others - Amano’s ethics also are closely tied to Art Pollard. For over a decade he has been working directly with cacao farmers, their families, and co-ops.  Pollard visits the plantations and buys directly from the growers themselves. He pays a premium price for each family’s premium cocoa beans—this means each farm receives nearly two-to-four times both the market price and the typical “fair trade” price of cocoa beans. In the words of Art, “We don't pay the prices we pay to get a label on our package. We do it because it is the right thing to do.”  Amano chocolate is 100% slave free.

Good For Earth - Amano believes in helping all farms maintain a careful stewardship of the land. Currently, Pollard uses some (but not all) certified organic beans. Unfortunately, the packaging right now isn’t eco-friendly, although, if you want your Amano chocolate shipped in earth-friendly, biodegradable packaging, you can order it directly through a neat store called cocoacase.

C&C Overall - I think everyone should try a little Amano chocolate at some point in their lives. It’s an oh-so-affordable dessert delicacy that helps artisan cocoa bean farmers and families all over the world. If you adore treating your tastebuds to the tastes of the world, then Amano’s 10 Bar Single Origin Collection is truly a discerning chocolatier’s dream.