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Utah Artisan Chocolate
The Design Appointment
With its complex taste experience, sustainable farming and global sourcing techniques, artisan chocolate is becoming one of the most fascinating trends in the culinary world today.
And unbeknownst to most, Utah is at the center of the movement. Within a 45 minute drive of Salt Lake City, Utah touts no less than eight bean-to-bar chocolatiers who source directly from artisanal farms and craft amazingly unique taste experiences.
Amano is the pioneer Utah chocolate brand. In fact it was the first American brand to be recognized internationally for its delicacies. In 2008 it won a bronze medal at the Academy of Chocolate Awards for a single-origin Madagascar bar and the accolades haven’t stopped. Since then it’s earned gold, silver and bronze awards at the International Chocolate Awards and elsewhere.
Art Pollard, founder of Amano is obsessed with quality and flavor. “I’m really particular about our sources and our processes,” says Art. While considered by many a newcomer to the world of chocolate, Art says the quality of Amano’s chocolates is due in part to carefully managing relationships with farmers. “Each of our bars says ‘Fairly Traded with the Farmer’ and we stand by that,” says Art. Art travels the world to ensure the highest quality of beans and that each grower is using sustainable growing practices, “we want to succeed together.” Art is now retired, but Amano moves forward with the techniques and culture pioneered by Art.
At nearly $9 per bar, Amano chocolate better be good and we can testify that it is.
We recommend the Raspberry Rose 55% bar. With 55% cocoa it’s much lighter than the Madagascar 70% and the fruity raspberry flavor with an after-hint of rose will really take your tastebuds for a ride.
The Amano chocolate factory is a mere 48 minute drive from The Ascent Park City. Make sure you schedule time during your next trip to visit and test their entire line of amazing, sustainable artisan chocolates.
If you’d like to broaden your interest beyond one of the world’s leading chocolatiers, another option is to head to downtown Salt Lake City, just a 32 minute drive from The Ascent Park City to Caputo’s Deli. Caputo’s features daily chocolate tasting classes where attendees will quickly learn the difference between single-source dark chocolate and the standard Hershey’s candy they grew up with. In the tasting class you’ll discover chocolate flavor experiences you’ve never even imagined.
Matt Caputo, owner of Caputo’s Deli admittedly estimates eating a pound of chocolate daily and features over 400 craft chocolates in his store. Clearly an expert in the best chocolates the world has to offer, Matt will gladly walk you through sampling some of the most extreme and amazing chocolates you can find.
Caputo’s offers chocolates laced with red peppers or even bacon. But its most popular offerings feature other Utah-based chocolatiers like up-and-coming Coleman & Davis and drinking chocolate from Mezzo.
We can’t think of a more satisfying way to live life more elevated than through exploring the best chocolates in the world. So book your trip soon to join us at The Ascent Park City—the unique destination for living an elevated life that just happens to be in middle of the unknown Mecca for the chocolate artisans that create best chocolate you’ll ever taste.
Whether it’s being featured in Architectural Digest, designing amazing living spaces for the rich and famous in Los Angeles or getting her hands dirty renovating her own cabin in Michigan, Sarah Sherman Samuel makes a point to set mindfulness as the foundation for everything she does. Colors and Patterns Sarah’s career is a designer’s dream—starting with a fine arts degree, moving onto advertising design and eventually into product design for surface goods, Sarah’s work ultimately got picked up by Target. During her time specializing in pattern-based artwork she refined her personal aesthetic and launched her blog and own line of products. Since then, demand for Sarah’s interior design expertise has kept her fully-booked with major projects. From Mandy Moore’s dreamy 1950s home to luxury resorts (more on that in a minute) Sarah transforms lifestyle experiences with her unique approach. “Colors and patterns are the building blocks to mindful design,” says Sarah as we sit down for tea on Main Street in Park City, Utah. Sarah’s designs pay special attention to surfaces, spatial relationships and social settings. “Connection is the key.” The Project Her most recent project, a luxury destination hotel, The Ascent Park City, on the world-famous ski slopes of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah is the pinnacle of Sarah’s Mindful Modern design.
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