There's a new chocolate shop on Market St. in Ballard, dedicated exclusively to the products of Claudio Corallo, an Italian producer who grows beans on the African island of San Principe and processes them on the neighboring island of Sao Tome.
The other day I did a bit of tasting and picked up a little something to take home. I found the texture of the chocolate a bit grainy but I loved the flavor, which was complex and honest, even challenging in a way. With some of my favorite dark chocolates I'm satisfied eating just a little because they perfectly hit the spot. This chocolate left me wanting more because I felt like I hadn't quite understood what I'd tasted.
But more than the chocolate itself, I was really drawn to the shop's business model. It's owned by the folks who handle every step of the process, from growing the beans, to fermenting, processing, shipping and marketing them. These beans may be grown halfway around the world, but this is one short supply chain.
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