Reviews

2008.05.09

SF Startup Takes Chocolate To New Level

Where wine and coffee were a generation ago, sits chocolate today. A San Francisco chocolate maker is looking to take the cocoa bean to another level. Timothy Child leads TCHO, a startup aiming at a growing number of chocolate connoisseurs. Working out of a pier along the waterfront, TCHO takes cocoa beans from around the world and breaks them down to their very essence. The result is intense flavors that are rarely if ever harnessed. more

cbs5, http://cbs5.com

2008.04.29

Mama Said

She said that it is better to be loved than feared, so team up with those who love her back and reward her with chocolate. Set Mom up to receive a SquidNote card and ask everyone in her life to sign. The 50 moms with the most e-signatures on their cards come Mother's Day will receive free chocolates from TCHO. more

Daily Candy, http://www.dailycandy.com/

2008.04.23

Silicon Valley Startup Craves Chocolate

San Francisco startup Tcho has all the sweet Silicon Valley trimmings, the Economist reports; high-profile tech alums, online beta testing and stock options for all. But its product is even sweeter: top-quality chocolate. The company has developed a means to grade cocoa beans' complex nuances on a "flavor wheel," taking a cutting-edge approach to a timeless artisanal craft.

Seeing a chocolate revolution ahead similar to the one coffee rode to its current level of popularity, Tcho is working with growers to create an "open source" exchange of information between producers to help them improve their beans' quality and classify their tastes. Food companies love the idea of a consistent flavor profile, and Tcho's system could become industry standard. more

newser, http://www.newser.com

2008.04.20

Chocolate 2.0 - TCHO in Beta Batches

If there is one "guilty pleasure" I give in to, and feel good about it, is dark chocolate. I love dark chocolate and make a point of having some in the house at all times. So when I learned of TCHO, I realized I found a chocolate manufacturer (not a "re-melter") who was really extraordinique. Sold in Beta batches, by design, TCHO's recipes continually evolve and adapt as a result of customer feedback. more

Extraordinique, http://www.extraordinique.com

2008.04.17

Chocolate.com

Its founders believe there is vast scope for innovation in the way chocolate is made and sold. Most cocoa farmers have never tasted chocolate, and produce cocoa beans without any idea of how they will be used, says Timothy Childs, Tcho's founder. The resulting chocolate is classified and sold in a very unsophisticated way, labelled at best by country of origin and percentage cocoa solids. (It is rather like labelling a wine "France, 13% alcohol".) So Mr Childs wants to put things on a more technical footing -- just as Americans formalised techniques for winemaking in the 1970s. He has developed ways to analyse and grade beans, and a six-segment "flavour wheel" to map out their natural aromas. Using a variety of jury-rigged spice grinders, heaters and temperature sensors, he has worked out how to get cocoa beans to reveal their complex flavours and to get chocolate to solidify evenly. more

Economist.com, http://www.economist.com

2008.04.17

it’s tcho awesome

If you're in America...you bastard. Stop what you're doing right now and click the bar of chocolate. It'll take you to their shop. Buy their chocolate. Eat their chocolate and then confirm it's awesomeness. more

Naturally Indulgent, naturallyindulgent.wordpress.com

2008.04.08

Free Chocolate and Some Cookie

Let me just say that it made the cookies. Not overloaded with pb chips, a hint of fabulous chocolate from TCHO, and macadamia nuts? Yes, perfect. (Chad agreed, not really verbally but his mmmmmm's told me so.) more

Culinary Infatuation, //culinaryinfatuation.blogspot.com

2008.04.03

TCHO - Beta bar

Surprisingly, TCHO is the first company since Scharffen Berger to make California its home base. What's also a surprise is the origin they chose to represent all their hard work thus far: Ghana. That may seem like a dirty word to most connoisseurs, but thanks to such makers as Theo, Ghana is slowly becoming an origin to be reckoned with. more

cocoa/content, http://cocoacontent.wordpress.com

2008.04.02

Mega-Bites

Rossetto says that settling into his new position as CEO of TCHO has brought back some memories. "At first, it was like, you can't forget how to ride a bicycle, even if you haven't done it in a while and then I realized I'd forgotten that actually, it's like riding a bicycle in the Tour de France!" the 58-year-old journalist laughs. "It's start-up land - that's very familiar space - [but] the actual material we're working with is certainly different." more

The Wave Magazine, http://www.thewavemag.com

2008.03.23

Happy Easter and TCHO Chocolate!

TCHO is rich and strong with a subtle, smooth flavor and texture. It melts in your mouth, very palatable with a slight bitter aftertaste that is the sign of very good chocolate. It was not waxy, grainy, or gritty. As my husband bit into this delectable treat his eyes closed and he whimpered a little. He would travel to the ends of the earth for this chocolate. more

Cooking at the Pad, http://mamafrog.wordpress.com

2008.03.23

TCHO Is Obsessively Good Dark Chocolate

They only recently made their chocolate bars available for mail-order delivery and even then the product is limited. But, in this case limited is good. It's good because they are taking their time in perfecting their product. They take feedback seriously, and put each bar to the test. more

Pennies on a Platter, http://penniesonaplatter.blogspot.com

2008.03.22

Blake Makers Review of TCHO

It's a little dirty, but in a good way. Then immediately I taste a pretty intense fruitiness, but a very specific fruitiness that I'm not sure I can pin point, but I'm thinking plums or even prunes or raisins. Something sweet and earthy and rich. more

So...What Else, What Else, What Else?, http://geggieblog.blogspot.com

2008.03.22

Carrie Critiques: TCHO: Way To Go!

The sample I received arrived in simple brown paper packaging "swoon", marked "chocolatey", and chocolatey it is! I say beta stage over! This chocolate is perfect. It is deliciously dark and just this side of bitter, which is how I like my chocolate! I plan to get more because I would love nothing more than to chop this stuff up and bake with it! more

Carrie's Kitchen Creations, http://bakersbakery.wordpress.com

2008.03.22

TCHO Chocolates

If all of their chocolate is as good as what I had, I would say that they have a wonderful future ahead of them. Even my husband, who proclaims to hate dark chocolate, liked his piece that I shared with him. He said it tasted kind of fruity and I would have to agree with him.
more

Sensible Suppers and Decadent Desserts, http://sandkr.blogspot.com

2008.03.21

TCHO - Beta Testing Chocolate

The chocolate that I tried is described as being in a Beta stage. This means that they're still working on the recipe and are hoping for some constructive feedback from people who have tried the current batch. When I ate the chocolate I felt like it had a really great texture, but it was just a tad too bitter for me. That didn't exactly stop me from eating it though. more

Erin Cooks, http://erincooks.com

2008.03.20

TCHO Chocolate and a Good Recipe to Follow!

The chocolate was surprisingly aromatic and smooth. It was delicious, heaven in a little bar. And to be honest, I don't usually prefer plain, dark chocolate. I like it in something like a brownie or a cookie. I ended up using the chocolate in an excellent recipe that I will post later today, but I could have eaten this bar all by itself. more

Culinary Adventures of a New Wife, http://newlywedcooking.blogspot.com

2008.03.20

TCHO Beta Bars: Like Fudge Brownie Batter

Despite the vanilla or perhaps because of it, my beta bar was actually extremely chocolatey. It tasted like fudge brownie batter (brownie batter also has vanilla in it so I guess I shouldn't be surprised). I loved it! more

Cupcake Project, http://www.cupcakeproject.com

2008.03.19

A TCHO: Bless me

I loved the TCHO chocolate, I loved the packaging, I love the dedication that is indicated by the effort to research and develop the chocolate. I am looking forward to TCHO's growth. I only wish I could have sampled other varieties, but the one I did was superb and inspiring (in terms of how to incorporate into some dishes. I would have loved to try some in some savory dishes like mole but there was not enough left (especially after my taste test). more

Blair Necessities, http://blairnecessities.blogspot.com

2008.03.19

TCHO chocolate = best chocolate EVER!

ok all I have to say is wow, WOW, WOW!!!
This chocolate is AMAZING!!! I thought I'd be baking something with it but after cracking open the package tonight it somehow disappeared into oblivion. The first bite of chocolate went down so smooth it had to be followed by another.. and yet another. I then put it to the ultimate test and had my house mate give it a try. more

steph chows, http://stephchows.blogspot.com

2008.03.18

TWD: Brioche Snails

Once I tried my chocolate chip snails I realized I wanted a topping, but the glaze wasnt sounding as good as drizzling some of the TCHO chocolate that came in the mail from Blake Makes on it. Boy oh boy is that chocolate yummy. Both my hubs and I loved the chocolate and I was itching to use it and it was a fantastic idea. MMmmm MMmmm good. more

Crazy Delicious Food, http://crazydeliciousfood.com

2008.03.17

It’s HERE!! TCHO Chocolate!!

If you know me in real life, you know that I am a chocoholic. My greatest vices in life are chocolate, coffee, and my son. So when Blake announced a contest for some TCHO Chocolate, I was determined to win...Anyway, I wish I could say that I did something really cool with it, like baked some awesome cookie using the chocolate... but alas, half of it is already in my belly, and I would venture to guess that the rest won't be too far behind. This is some SERIOUSLY GOOD CHOCOLATE. You have to check them out and order some for yourself. more

Lauren's Kitchen, http://lacucinadilauren.blogspot.com

2008.03.17

TCHO - The latest from Blake Makes

I received a package in the mail today. I knew what it was immediately. The latest free food giveaway from Blake Makes. I was thrilled when I was one of the fifty people to receive this particular giveaway. Chocolate.
TCHO is a different sort of chocolate company. Their testers are their customers. They are constantly adjusting their formula to bring out what ever characteristic they are trying to hit. The one I received was marked " chocolatey". They were not going for fruity or nutty this time. more

Porter House, http://porterhouse.typepad.com/porter_house

2008.02.27

Sweet start-up: High tech meets chocolate

Having conquered the frontiers of outer space and information-age publishing, respectively, former space shuttle technologist Timothy Childs and Wired magazine co-founder Louis Rossetto are hoping to turn the wide world of chocolate on its head. more

Carolyn Jung, http://www.mercurynews.com

2008.02.15

Happy Chocolate Day

Valentines, shmalentines, I neither love it nor hate it. One thing I do like about today is that it gets everyone thinking about chocolate, which is something I do love. more

Sheen V, http://sheenv.blogspot.com

2008.02.13

Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gadget Gifts for Gal

What would Valentine's Day be without chocolate? Ghanian chocolate is now available for an initial beta taste test for US$4 for a 50-gram bar. Try some, and go to the TCHO website and tell 'em what you think, just like a real beta tester. more

Charlie White, http://dvice.com

2008.02.12

Next-gen chocolate makers

Serious chocolate lovers may be excused for knowing little about the manufacture of their favourite food, engrossed as they typically are in its consumption. But a new San Francisco start-up has just become one of only a few major chocolate manufacturers in the United States, and it's taking a high-tech approach to the confection of this ages-old delight. more

Claudia Kishler Rice, http://seedsofgrowth.com

2008.02.11

TCHO Chocolate “Upgrades”

In classic Silicon Valley style (the company's based in San Francisco), TCHO chocolate was first available in BETA .2x form (however many ALPHAs existed before that, we can't say), but was recently "upgraded" to BETA .6x. more

Nik Mercer, http://www.anthemmagazine.com

2008.02.08

TCHO Beta

..I wasn't prepared for was how STRONG the chocolate would be. It's difficult to describe; it's not milky or smooth, but it's not bitter, it's really good, and really filling. I could barely eat any of it (in a good way) and I'm a self-professed chocoholic. I look forward to refining my palette as the company grows. more

Ryan J. Downey, http://ryanjdowney.blogspot.com

2008.02.08

TCHO on This

..this is really good chocolate, chocolate for a connoisseur.. more

Davina Baum, http://www.chow.com

2008.02.08

WIRED Magazine Cofounder Becomes Chocolatier

Tcho's San Francisco factory crafts beans into chocolate that is labeled with the cacao varietal, origin, and a whole new lexicon. (sounds like wine...hmmm...that's what we've been talking about too!) more

Candy Snob, http://www.candysnob.com

2008.01.29

TCHO: Redefining Chocolate

This blend of art and tech inspired by the lessons of Silicon Valley permeates everything TCHO does. It’s not just enough to make chocolate, they have to look at chocolate making technology and see how and where it might be improved. It’s not just enough to make chocolate, they have to re-think the way chocolate is being marketed and sold. Does percentage cacao really mean anything? What about origin? What about organic and “Fair Trade?” And (while they’re at it), why not think about the vocabulary of chocolate and see if there is a way to make it easier for people to understand? read the whole thing

Clay Gordon, http://discoverchocolate.com

2008.01.23

Dark Chocolate 1.0: Tech never tasted so sweet

What does technology taste like? According to TCHO, the answer is chocolate. This brand-new San Francisco company, founded by Wired magazine cofounder Louis Rossetto, is serious about good, dark chocolate and using tried and true Silicon Valley techniques to guarantee quality and customer satisfaction. more

Molly Freedenberg, http://www.sfbg.com

2007.12.29

Review for TCHO

OMG, TCHO chocolate is fabulous! They are just starting out but have already found a near perfect balance of flavor and texture in the C. Ghana 0.1 batch. I'm far from a chocolate expert but you can tell from the first taste that TCHO is something special. This will be my go-to place for sweet gifts.

Will G, http://www.yelp.com

2007.12.22

TCHO Beta in full swing

SFs' newest and possibly most *genuine* chocolatier is in Beta. more

Richard A, http://sf.metblogs.com

2007.12.22

Review for TCHO

Hello TCHO! I found out about them on laughingsquid's site, so I decided to give them a try... They're a new local chocolate maker, with sort of a tech-y flaire to them. I mean, yes, it's super duper geeky to call your chocolate "Beta" but I suppose we're in San Francisco and all, so maybe lots of people find that amusing. But yah, I love this kind of stuff, so I order a bar online. Woo!

It was a pleasure to go and stop by their offices to pick up my bar of chocolate. I almost missed it, cuz they're on the America's Cup pier.. I peer in the window, and see a bunch of people milling about on computers and wearing white lab coats.

Hmm.. is this the right place? Looks like just another startup. Is that the faint odor of chocolate I detect in the air? Let me look a little closer. I peek in the window, and see the words "CHOCOLATE" emblazened on the white board. Aha! It IS the right place. So, I saunter on in.

Upon opening the door, I am assaulted by a cavalry of chocolate smells. Wow, it's like thick in the air. Chocolate everywhere. Three happy women come bounding towards me. "We have been WAITING for YOU all day!!" I'm like.. really? Maybe they're drunk from the chocolate fumes they've been inhaling all day, but they sure do seem giddy. I am wrapped up in their jolliness, and rejoice as they go and fetch me a bar of chocolate -- I have one from the "C GHANA 0.188" batch.. I have no idea what that means, but, sure, that sounds cool to me.

I'm a big fan of dark, dark chocolate. Scharffenberger is my fav (I've visited their factory in Berkeley.. something you should definitely do).. So, I was pretty excited to give the TCHO a try..

MMmmmmmmmmm.

Yah. It may be geeky, nerdy, or whatever... but at the end of day, if the chocolate isn't good, then it's all for nought. This batch that I got was gooooood. The chocolate is dark and complicated, with tons of flavours playing around in your mouth. Dark chocolate is good for you, right? Anti-oxidants? whatever.. it's good. No wonder the women working there were so happy.

Dennis Y, http://www.yelp.com

2007.12.13

Beta Testing TCHO Chocolate

The difference between this office and any other startup office is obvious the moment you step in as the pleasant aroma of warm chocolate fills the air. more

Mike H, http://mikehuang.com

2007.12.13

Next Big Thing: TCHO Chocolate

You heard it here first: I'm predicting a sweet future for TCHO chocolate. more

Richard A, http://stylesavestheworld.blogspot.com

2007.12.12

The First Orders Arrive for Chocolate Beta Bars

One of the first to weigh in was Herbie Hancock, the jazz musician, who attended the conference. “Herbie liked the A,” said Mr. Rossetto. more

Katie H, http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com

2007.12.11

Wired founder starts chocolate company

The two decided to go into business together two years ago when Mr. Childs called Mr. Rossetto to tell him he had found a chocolate factory for sale in an old castle in Wernigerode, in the former East Germany. more

Mark F, http://www.boingboing.net

2007.12.10

Chocolate in Beta Testing, Offered by a Wired Founder

In a vast refurbished warehouse on one of this city's historic pier, Louis Rossetto, the co-founder of Wired magazine, is at it again. Only this time, his project has nothing to do with media or high technology. It is hand-crafted chocolate. more

Katie H, http://www.nytimes.com