One reason why I love chocolate so much is that it connects me to people. Working and playing with chocolate is like having a wide open door with a giant welcome mat in front of it. The chocolate is so inviting and easy to love. People want to lean in, learn more and open themselves up to new experiences. Chocolate is also a great conversation-starter and an easy way to create an instant bond with someone new. It's kind of like perpetually walking around with an adorable puppy or baby that has the capacity to draw people to you like a magnet. Truth be told, chocolate is my superpower!

For me, chocolate has become a creative expression and outlet. It's a way for me to explore and experiment with my senses. I enjoy thinking outside the wrapper and mixing and matching beautiful, interesting tastes with chocolate to expand my range of sensation. One type of pairing that I adore is honey and chocolate. Like chocolate and cacao, there are many different types of honey, and each honey has its own unique flavor profile. Honey is also similar to cacao in that it is a natural product which reflects its terroir.

Bees deliver nectar and pollen from flowers to their hive and turn it into honey. The diversity of the forage is part of what creates the honey's unique flavor. Climate, elevation and weather also affect the taste of the honey. Honey and chocolate both have their own accompanying flavor wheels and maps so that people who enjoy savoring them have a shared vocabulary.

One afternoon less than a year ago, I tasted craft chocolate and honey with my friend Adriana who is a local beekeeper (and by local I mean hyperlocal, as in she lives around the corner). Her various honeys were luscious on their own and when we mixed and matched them with several different craft chocolate bars, we enjoyed elevated and exquisite new tastes that soared far beyond the sum of their parts.

The next day, Adriana mentioned the enjoyable chocolate and honey high she experienced that lingered well beyond the actual tasting. I knew exactly what she was talking about because I had felt it, too. Now we partner together regularly so we can create beautiful chocolate and honey magic for ourselves and others. What's so fun is that now I get to connect not only with chocolate lovers but honey lovers as well! The welcome mat gets a bit more foot traffic as I expand my foodie horizons.

If you want to catch the buzz and learn more about the mechanics of tasting craft chocolate with honey, watch the video! Peace. Honey. Chocolate!