Theonistas Unite!

February 08 Newsletter

                             

February 5, 2008               Pheeeeelin' the Love for Valentine's Day Dear Theonistas, We cannot think of a lovelier, sexier, sweeter place to celebrate Valentine's Day than right here at our factory. Please join us for Belle Debauche -- that's right -- "debauche" as in debauchery...because the evening will be decadent in all the right ways. We promise. Come and feast your eyes on some scantily clad Theonistas and swingin' aerialists, savor oysters, chocolate and a spread of other aphrodisiac inspired morsels; drink, dance and embrace the unabashed pursuit of love with us! A final Valentine's Day inspired thought from all of us to all of you - "The greatest thing that you will ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."   We hope you will join us for a very special evening. -Deb, Joe and the Theo posse                                                                                                                                                                   A Unique Valentine's Event! Join Us Valentine's day, February 14th for "Belle Debauche" Doors open at 8pm A feast for the senses featuring luscious oysters, mouth-watering chocolate concoctions, tantalizing aerial and acrobatic performance, live music, dancing, and secret erotic surprises that will delight your imagination and ignite your passion. Bring your sweetie or find one here! 21 & Over Tickets are $65 advance, $75 at the door, and include food and all performances. Tickets available via brownpapertickets.com or stop by the store.                                                                                                                      Who is Theo? Rachel Taber is our Theonista of the Month! What do you do at Theo? I'm not sure if they realize this yet, but Theo pays me to socialize, party, and eat chocolate! I give tours and work in the retail store, and sometimes host private events after hours, such as birthdays, benefits, concerts, even wine-tastings! And eat chocolate. A lot. What is the most interesting thing about working at Theo? Learning about chocolate - there is a whole world behind it! Most people have no idea chocolate comes from a fruit - else they would stop calling it junk food! - and don't know all of the harvesting, fermenting, roasting, conching, and more that it goes through before it can land on your palate.I love tempting - I mean, enabling people to eat chocolate because it is health food! Fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium - I'm not kidding, read the nutrition facts on our Theo bars! I really geek-out on Mayan and Aztec history, on the molecular structure of cacao - Did you know chocolate is a natural antidepressant!? Theobromine, serotonin, phenylthylamine, tyramine, andandamide. Really, it's a benign love drug! No wonder Aztec kings would drink 50 cups before they would visit their harems! Sharing the Theo Chocolate Love with our customers, and with our farmers and the planet by being Organic and Fair Trade, is the best part of my job! What is your favorite Theo product?  I'm very into the Ivory Coast direct origin Theo bar - earthy and woodsy, nutty with a hint cinnamon or even coconut sometimes, and a slight sourness - it tastes exactly like I would imagine Ivory Coast would taste like! I close my eyes and picture an exotic steaming jungle.But ultimately, it's the good kharma that makes it so delicious. While over half of the world's cacao supply comes from Ivory Coast, Theo is the first American company to source any Fair Trade beans from there. Ivory Coast has been in the throes of a civil conflict for years, and has born the brunt of scandal about forced labor and unfair working conditions. It hurts me to think that with other companies, there is so much suffering behind the chocolate people give to lovers and use to celebrate holidays. However, with our Theo Bar, I feel inspired that at least some economic stability is going to our farmers in the midst of everything. It gives me hope that if enough consumers take matters into their own hands by demanding Fair Trade, maybe there is hope for a fair economy in the Ivory Coast and everywhere.Who knew!? You can change the world just by eating chocolate! What are you currently reading? "The Resurrection" by Leo Tolstoy What food would you be willing to drive all day for? Pho. I don't think I have a declining marginal utility for it. Last winter, I had on average 4 bowls of pho a week. Most Vietnamese restaurants in the U-District know me by name. What's your earliest chocolate experience? I have great memories of making chocolate chip cookies with my mother and two sisters after school, taking turns adding each ingredient, the smell that would waft through our house as they baked. In fact, sometimes I walk in to the factory when we are conching and the smell transports me back - not to a specific memory, but a powerful feeling of hominess hangs in the air. It's the best! What is your favorite Eco-Tip or Eco-Action? Recycled fashion! I buy almost all my clothes second hand. I feel better that they are not coming from a sweatshop or creating more pollution, and it forces me to have more creativity and individuality with what I wear. I'm all about St. Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army, where the proceeds go to programs to help get homeless people of the streets. Buffalo Exchange is great too!                                                                                                                      Nibby Chicken Chicken With Bell Peppers, Smoked Ham, Nibs & Paprika Serve this with a crusty bread to soak up all the juices. Prep: 40 minutes Total: 1 hour Servings: Makes 4 servings. Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces 2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips (about 4 cups) 2 medium onions, halved, cut lengthwise into strips (about 3 cups) 2 cups diced smoked ham 1/4 cup Theo cacao nibs 2 tspns smoked paprika 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley Preparation Heat oil in heavy wide pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper then add to pot. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to bowl. Increase heat to high. Add peppers, onion, ham & 1/2 tspn paprika to pan drippings & sauté until vegetables are soft & light brown, about 8 minutes. Return chicken to pot & add broth. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 tspn paprika. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, & simmer 10 minutes. Uncover, add nibs, & simmer until chicken is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley & serve.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    In This Issue   Belle Debauche Who is Theo? Recipe Upcoming Events                                               Upcoming  Events Fair Trade Conference February 8 & 9 at UW What is involved in implementing fair trade, particularly in a university environment? The speakers - scholars, corporate representatives, and activists - are all committed to fair trade but offer a variety of perspectives about implementation. CEO Joe Whinney will be on a panel discussing corporate responsibility on Saturday, February 9th, at 11:15am  at the Parrington Hall third floor forum .  .  .  . Cacao Crazy Dinner, Union Square Grill, Thursday, February 28, 7:30pm, please call for reservations 206.224.4321 .  .  .  . Wine Tasting We will be kicking off a monthly series of Wine & Chocolate pairing events on Friday, February 29th from 6:30 to 8pm. On the first Friday, the 29th, we will  pair some interesting yet approachable Zinfandels  with a selection of our chocolate bars and confections. This event is 21 and over, and includes a tour. The cost is $35 per person, due at time of registration. Call or stop by to reserve your seat!                                                                                    Recent Blog Posts Theo Chocolate in O Magazine! What is Dark Chocolate Made of? Awesome Theo Movie Montage                          How Many Types of Chocolate Are There? Theo Proud to be included in Green Swag Bags at  Sundance Be on the lookout for more informative chocolate articles from Dr. Chocolate - our own Andy Mcshea, Chief Chocolate geek!                                                                                                                                       Kiki Kane                         Theo Chocolate                         206.632.5100

December Newsletter

Year End Reflections December 3, 2007 A Word From Joe Whinney What a year it has been for Theo! I am grateful to everyone who has enjoyed our chocolate, sung our praises and given us so much love and support.  I've always viewed Theo as a critical link in the continuum from the earth to our hearts. There is much to be thankful for. I want to take this opportunity to express the gratitude I feel for my fellow Theonistas, who have done so much , including; Spreading  the Theo love to new customers in more than 40 states across the U.S. Making chocolate so delicious it makes me dizzy. Touring  thousands of people through our factory. Working  around the clock to keep our precious little factory humming. Blasting tunes that shook the office floor and always made me smile. Counting  the beans and paying the bills. Washing  the dishes. Cleaning  the floor. Touring  the country to spread the love Laughing  and dancing with me! Supporting me as I fulfill my lifelong dream! This year we have won numerous awards, the most prestigious being the "Outstanding Chocolate Award" at New York's Fancy Food Show. The award was wonderful but even more important than the votes cast to earn us our gold statue, are the votes cast every day by our customers when they buy our chocolate.  Thank you all for your combined passions for organic food, social justice and environmental accountability.    - Joe
In This Issue Year End Reflections New Theo Blog December Events Who is Theo? Winter Collection There is still time to pre-order your holiday gifts from Theo Chocolate! Spread the love with our beautiful winter themed confection boxes, in generous 18 or 32 piece sizes - just right for entertaining. Bar Gift Packs Wondering what to get your favorite chocolate lover? We have some tasty and tasteful ideas! We can customise a gift box to suit your needs  with any combination of our delicious products. Visit our Corporate Gifting page to get an idea of what we can do! Check Out  Our Blog !!! We are proud to announce the launch of our weblog Theonistas Unite! The blog is a great place to catch up on news dear to the heart of Theonistas everywhere -  chocolate news, recipes and pairings, Theo events and reviews, and much more. We invite you to visit often, and drop us a comment! Share the love. - Kiki Kane   THEONISTAS UNITE! Recent Blog Posts Theo Family Nib Recipes Theo Family Chocolate Recipes Menu for Hope Chocolate Can Save the Planet! Is it Beer or is it Chocolate? Photos from the Chocolate Show Chocolate: The Exhibition on Tour	Please Join Us For... PORT AND CHOCOLATE BY CANDLELIGHT DATES: Every Friday Evening in December(12/14,12/21,12/28) TIME: 6 pm - 7:30 pm WHERE: Theo Factory We tried to imagine the warmest possible way to ease into a winter weekend. The amazingly charming and knowledgeable Pamela Hinckley will be your host for an intimate "after hours" tour of our factory with a tasting of 4  of our seasonal ganache alongside 3 styles of Port; a Ruby, a Tawny and a Late Bottled Vintage. Plan on walking to dinner in one of the fun neighborhood restaurants after the event.  Attendees must be 21 years of age. $40.00 per person.   SWEET BEAUTY DATE: Wed., Dec. 12thTIME: 6 pm - 8 pmWHERE: Theo Retail Gourmet skin care products made with Theo chocolate might be just the right gift for devotees who want chocolate inside and out. Meet Lisa Francoise, creator of Sweet Beauty as she demonstrates her scrubs, lotions and bath products while we sip wine and eat chocolate. A short factory tour is also included.  Reservations required. $30.00 per person.   CHOCOLATE SOCIAL AND SALE DATE: Tues., Dec. 18thTIME: 6 pm - 9 pmWHERE: Theo RetailShop until you drop!! Our store will stay open late on this night so you can shop and nibble with us! Our chocolatier, Autumn Martin will be on hand making a special treat! We will serve savory snacks made with chocolate as well as our extraordinary sipping chocolate. This is the perfect time to purchase our luxurious Winter Confection Collection in beautiful 18 or 32 piece boxes. *PLUS* EXTENDED TOURS HOURSDATES: Monday, Dec. 17th - Sunday, Dec. 30th.   Normally our factory tours are at 1:00 and 3:00 on weekdays and 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00 on weekends. Beginning December 17th and lasting until December 30th there will be an additional weekday tour at 11 am and a 4:30 pm tour on Saturdays. Tours are $5.00 per person. Please be sure to call in advance for reservations 206-632-5100.     For further information or to make a reservation for any of our events, please contact Pamela Hinckley at 206-604-1442 or call our main number 206.632.5100               Theonista of the Month: Mackenzie Jahnke What do you do at Theo? I handle all of the orders that come from customers. That means if you don't own a store and you order some chocolate from us, I'm the one who makes sure it gets done. I also work in the store and give tours. What is the most interesting thing about working at Theo? That's a hard one. I think the most interesting thing about working at Theo is how much I love my job. I don't know too many people who look forward to going to work. I love the fact that every day I go to work knowing that I am helping make a positive difference in peoples' lives, and I am certain that I am not contributing to deterioration of our environment or the exploitation of human beings (it is truly guilt free chocolate!) Also, the wonderful customers. I've heard a lot of horror stories about customer service, but all my customers are so happy, I mean how angry can you be when you are eating chocolate? It's also the people I work with - they are amazing. Every day is so much fun and everyone is so caring and happy. And well, the free chocolate! I mean, wow, what more can you ask for than free chocolate? Forget everything else, it's all about the chocolate. What is your favorite Theo product? I can't actually talk about that. My favorite product is not on the shelves yet - it's top secret. I'm sorry, but wow is it amazing! What is your greatest passion in life? As a full time student who also has a job, it's hard for me to find time, much less think of outside passions. During the summer, I like to create period clothing from the 1860s and participate in Civil War reenactment. Don't laugh at me!!! What food would you be willing to drive all day for? When I was in 5th grade and living in Costa Rica, I went hiking in the jungle, and in a remote village some locals were selling all these amazing foods. I bought a huge multicolored sucker, and it was amazing. I tellyou I haven't forgotten the taste of that sucker and I don't think I ever will. If someone told me where I could find a sucker like that again, I would drive not just all day, but for months to get one. What is your earliest chocolate experience? When I was ten, I was super amazing at the pogo stick. I used to go to parks and ride my stick all up and down the play structures. In fact, I was so good at it, I used to set out a hat and people would put money in there for me. It was a really great way to make some extra cash, One day my sister andI went to the gas station to buy some candy, and there was a sale on some kind of chocolate bar, I forget which one. We went a little crazy and I ended up eating about twenty of them. After that, we went to the park so I could make some money from my pogo stick skills. Everything was going just fine until my stomach started to hurt from all the bouncing up and down, and you can probably imagine the rest. I'd have to say my first chocolate memory wasn't the best, It's a wonder I work with it today with that traumatic experience lurking in my past. What's your favorite eco-action? Put a brick or heavy object in the clean water tank of your toilet. it helps save water!  Get Nibby With It! Cacao nibs are well roasted, hulled and cracked cocoa beans. We source the finest cacao in the world, and carefully roast it in our own factory, using our double-roast process. First, we pre-roast the whole bean to remove excess moisture and facilitate separation of the shell from the nib inside. Next we winnow (separate the shell from the nib) and carefully finish roast to bring out the bean's unique characteristics. Nibs are the heart and soul of chocolate. (After the roast, nibs are ground into a paste and refined and conched into chocolate.)  But nibs deserve to be enjoyed in their less processed state because they are a delicious and nutritious ingredient for a wide variety of recipes. At Theo Chocolate, we are dedicated to fully exploring the role of  nibs and chocolate in savory preparations. Some of our current favorite nib preparations include: Wild greens salad with grapefruit sections, goat cheese and caramelized cacao nibs Oven roasted cauliflower with lemon, onions, gruyere cheese and roasted cacao nibs Braised beef with roasted cacao nibs, potatoes and rosemary Chicken curry with roasted cacao nibs as part of traditional accompaniments Creamy polenta with kale, pancetta, shitake mushrooms and roasted cacao nibs Bread crumb and cacao nib encrusted fried or baked chicken breasts Oatmeal with maple syrup and cacao nibs for crunch! Check out the new recipe pages on our blog: www.theonistasunite.com As a SPECIAL OFFER - If you place a minimum order of $30 or more on our web site, we will send you a free 6 ounce bag of nibs for your own recipe exploration! You must type "Get Nibby With It" in the comment section of the order form to receive your free nibs! You can also enjoy nibs in several of our other chocolate products. We make 2 forms of crunchy nib  brittle; enrobed(coated with chocolate) and naked (just brittle). These confections drive chocolate lovers wild . One of our best selling bars is 3400 Phinney  Nib Brittle. This dark chocolate bar  has just the right amount of brittle in it to make it very snappy and fun. Nibs impart a delicious cocoa essence, without added sweetness, to any dish. We know that once you have tried them, you will be a Theo-nib-sta like the rest of us!
Peace, love and chocolate from our family to yours this holiday season. Theo Chocolate 3400 Phinney Avenue N Seattle, WA 98103 http://www.TheoChocolate.com

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Theo Chocolate | 3400 PHINNEY AVE. N | SEATTLE | WA | 98103

November Newsletter

              

November Newsletter                                                                                                                                                                 Welcome to our November Newsletter   As the weather makes the inevitable shift from warmer, sunnier days to the reliable shroud of mist and rain we are accustomed to here in Seattle, we are all gently gathering ourselves in and enjoying the pre-holiday nesting period that defines the first few weeks of November. Our factory and confection kitchen are in full production mode, so that we can keep you, our cherished customers (and your loved ones) rich with chocolate for the holiday season. Our Theonista thoughts are turning to incorporating cocoa nibs, dark chocolate and dried fruits into hearty fall and winter recipes. Part of our mission at Theo is to bring chocolate "to the center of the plate." What better time to experiment than now, when we historically turn to chocolate as an integral element in the ways we celebrate? Try our luxurious Portobello mushroom soup recipe as a starter at one of your special meals.   In addition to conjuring creative ways to incorporate chocolate, we are inspired to create ways to incorporate all of you into our celebration of this exceptional time of year. For this reason, we are offering a very special schedule of events in our own retail shop this December. Please see the Upcoming Events section for all the chocolately details. If you're local, we hope you can join us for at least one of them. In our newsletter this month, you'll also find the second installation of our "Who is Theo?" column, highlighting Steve Popplewell, one of our very first chocolatiers! Steve has been an incredibly dedicated Theonista since the early days, and has consistently raised the standard of music in our kitchen, as well as the standard of our confections. You will get a glimpse of how easily Steve imparts *sweetness* into our confections when you read his heartfelt answers. In addition, we aim to arm you with all of the info you will need to make Theo-fied gift selections over the next few weeks. When you offer our chocolate as a gift this holiday season, we hope you will experience not only the yumminess of it, but also the heart and the intention behind everything we do. Also, we can't emphasize it enough -- get your holiday orders in early! Supplies are limited and we don't want to disappoint you! Wishing you great chocolate and great joy in the coming months. - Deb Music, VP Sales and Marketing

Newsletter October 2007

October 2007

                                                                                                                                   

Welcome to fall! There is so much happening as we head into what is traditionally thought of as "chocolate season" we can barely catch our breath in and out of the factory! Luckily, we have lots of dark chocolate at our disposal to keep us humming along. In the spirit of the efficiency required of us as we grow, I won't delay in moving you on to our exciting product updates, cool upcoming event info, and our new feature "Who is Theo?" We're asked this question all the time regarding the company name. For those of you who don't already know, Theo is named for Theobroma Cacao, Latin for the cocoa tree, literally translated to "food of the gods." (Who can argue with that?) But Theo is not only about the wondrous cocoa bean, it's about the amazing team of people toiling to transform the bean into the outrageously delicious morsels we all know and love to eat. This month's "Who is Theo?" column introduces you to Nathan, one of our bean roasters. Nathan was the perfect guy to kick off this column because in his role, he kicks off the entire manufacturing process -- and always with wit, sincerity and an increasingly sophisticated palate. Please indulge me for one more brief moment so I can share an honor with you! GRIST, the Seattle-based, fiercely independent, cutting edge environmental journalism website announced their GRIST LIST "15 TOP GREEN BUSINESS LEADERS" a week or so ago. Our own Joe Whinney was stunned to find himself in the company of folks who have long inspired him, like Yvon Chouinard from Patagonia and Nell Newman of Newman's Own Organics. We're pretty proud of him! Check it out: Grist Article OK, I'll let you move on now to the fun stuff...like Autumn's new fall flavors!   Warmly, Deb Theo VP Sales and Marketing                          OCTOBER IS FAIR TRADE MONTH! As the first and only roaster of Fair Trade certified cacao in the US, we strongly encourage you to support the the fair trade movement in whatever way you can. Fair Trade is an organized social movement which promotes standards for international labor, social policy, and environmentalism in nationalized communities, in order to help workers move from a position of vulnerability to one of economic security and ultimately, self-sufficiency. The movement focuses in particular on exports from developing countries into developed countries. It is a movement aimed at empowering disadvantaged producers worldwide. You can make a difference by purchasing Fair Trade certified products when given the choice -- we hope that you will.   This month we will be participating in several Fair Trade Events. We hope to see you there!   PCC Issaquah Saturday, October 6th 10 am - 2 pm 1810 12th Ave. NE Issaquah, WA   PCC Fremont Sunday, October 7th 11 am - 3 pm 600 N. 34th St. Seattle, WA Reverse Trick or Treating On Halloween night, we will be supporting the international "Reverse Trick or Treating" initiative created by Global Exchange. Children across the US and Canada will be giving out Fair Trade chocolate and fair trade information to the adults who traditionally give them candy in their neighborhoods! Halloween is the perfect occasion to highlight the condition of cocoa farmers across the globe. We are proud to be participating in this program. It's another great example of how much fun you can have while truly making a difference!