Image by Alexander Stein from Pixabay
How surprising is it that we've all suddenly found ourselves unable to enjoy the little things we used to take for granted? You know, like eating out with friends or just having a family celebration in some fancy-shmancy restaurant?
GIF from GIPHY
So now, we've been confined in the four corners of our homes, with mostly nothing to do but twiddle our thumbs on our smartphones until... a dreaded craving consumes your very being out of the blue-- you just can't quite put your finger on what it is you exactly want... Well here's a 'lil snack to tide you over in the meantime:
GIF from Pinterest
Is that chocolate? Did someone say chocolate?
GIF from GIPHY
Yes. I guiltily admit to having developed a recent "fondness" for a certain brand of chocolate:
Philippine Bean to Bar ChocolatesTheo & Philo Artisan Chocolates
Disclaimer: This post is not meaning to come across as an advertisement but as a foodie's journey into discovering one of the best (locally made) chocolates she's had so far.
And like how I express my delight through my previous food posts, I've made it a personal mission to try every unique flavor Theo & Philo has to offer, starting with:
Check out my Instagram
I'd like to think that the main 'sway' of every chocolate brand is how they make even their plain flavors a scrumptious experience, which I enjoyed having with Theo & Philo's 44% Milk Chocolate and 70% Dark Chocolate-- with the first variant being a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth goodness that didn't leave my throat feeling scratchy after a bout of sugary-sweetness. The latter variant is true to its name, but unlike the bitter pieces of blocks I've tried with some brands, Theo & Philo's leaves you craving for more!
Regrettably, I've only tried the upper two as seen in the above pic (just 'cuz the others were given as gifts)-- the dark chocolaty-ness is nicely contrasted with the slight sourness that the calamansi provides. As with the adobo (a beloved Filipino cuisine), I was curiously welcomed with bits of pepper here and there, which wasn't exactly that overwhelming and still surprisingly provided you with the right amount of sweetness as expected of a chocolate bar but also leaves you with the nostalgic taste of a good home-cooked meal of adobo.
The Pili Nut & Pinipig was the only one I didn't get to try in the above pic, but the Labuyo Chili would make up for that by leaving a slightly spicy tang on your tongue (and probably the area around your mouth). Though you can calm youself with a taste of ground coffee beans with a bite out of the Barako bar.
GIF from GIPHY
Curiously, the Green Mango & Salt wasn't much to my preference but I'm chucking that to me not really being a fan of the real stuff in general, though I'd like to think that once I've had the 65% Dark Chocolate with Mango, Chili & Cacao Nibs, I'd have an entirely different opinion on chocolate-mangoes in its entirety. Though I am very delighted to introduce to you another beloved Filipino dessert in the form of the Milk Chocolate Turon-- generously mixed with bits of banana (and do I taste some langka (jackfruit) in there??), the only thing missing in this experience would be the lumpia wrap that binds all its goodness inside.
GIF from tenor
Lastly, I can't really consider myself fond of their chocolate bars if I hadn't had a taste of their Limited Edition Tanduay Asian Rum Gold Caramel Filling, now would I?
It just goes to show how excited I was in eating this delectable thing when I wasn't able to document the creamy-boozy filling that was the center of surprise!
GIF from Pinterest
And I did say that was the last until...
I blame the chocolatiers behind this creation... (when will they stop with the innovations!!)
