Cleveland Chocolate Co.’s blueberry lavender dark chocolate bar ($7) holds a special place in Rebecca Hess’ heart.
Not only does the blueberry flavor harken back to her childhood memories on a blueberry farm, but the chocolate’s Haitian origins remind her of the two trips she took to the Caribbean country when she was a teenager.
Top those flavors off with the smooth taste of lavender and Hess is able to create a chocolate bar that’s both sentimental and tasty.
“That flavor profile really drew me in,” says Hess, the shop’s owner and chocolate maker.
The process of making the bar can take between seven to 10 days, with Hess and her staff being intimately involved throughout the process.
After she receives the fermented beans, they’ll sit for a day where they’ll start the winnowing process, which is when the cocoa separates from the bean’s shell. After that the bean is roasted and stone ground.
“We’re a chocolate shop that actually makes their chocolate, which is unique,” she says. “I’m not the first person to put blueberries and chocolate together, but we really let our ingredients speak for themselves.”clevelandchocolate.co
