Rococo Artisan Chocolate Review

I’ve always had a secret dream of being a food critic. So here. I. Go…

Have you EVER. Tasted SOMEthing. So good. That the simple memory of it makes your mouth water? The mind’s eye to salivary gland connection connection is closely-knit, yet in this particular circumstance, they may as well be attached at the lip because you’re just drooling? Well, I have tasted something so good like that. And this particular something that turns me into a mouth-watering monster is a little rectangle chocolate bar by the name of Rococo. I didn’t choose Rococo off of some fluorescently-lit grocery store shelf (which is a proven trigger for cravings, by the way*). Rococo chose me.

It all started when I decided to spend part of the week in The Dalles, Oregon with my family. My mom and I had some work to get done over the course of a few days, so she gave me her desk on the first floor, and she worked upstairs. The first morning, I made coffee like a good daughter should, delivered it to momma, then set up my work station and began trucking away. I did so for a good hour or two when a little tickle in my throat hinted that I should get some water. I got up and did so, but on my way back, I noticed a lovely little blue and white-patterned something in my mom’s Logaberger basket sitting on the desk. The basket was filled with cards and pamphlets from different businesses, but amidst the plethora of paper was this beautiful piece of artwork. I had to touch it.

So I picked it up and on the glossy, yet lovely plastic cover were whispy drawings of birds and honey bees and various patterns of chocolate bars which seemed to chirp and buzz at me to peak at what was inside. Keeping the seal of the small package was a sticker that read, “Morello Cherry, Rococo Aristan Bars.” Chocolate and cherries are my favorite! But the sticker acted like and old-fashioned wax seal, and I thought about how this chocolate must be special and mom is probably going to use it for something and perhaps Rococo himself (of herself) sent mom this one bar of artisan chocolate as a gift and mom was waiting for the perfect occasion to break the seal and celebrate something special.

So I broke the seal and opened it. The rest is basically history. I had the next two full days of work at my mom’s desk to convince myself that “just a little more won’t be noticeable.” Well, that Morello Cherry must have crack in it because I am the chocolate lover of all chocolate lovers and this Rococo bar impressed me. I am fine eating a corner of that 75% Cocoa “artisan” chocolate bar from Whole Foods, and I’m cool eating a whisp that fair trade, organic piece of chocolate from some local company from Portland. But the Rococo Artisan Bar? It is an example of true art in a chocolate bar–from the dreamy packaging that won my heart to the real cherries and dark, fragrant aroma and texture of the dark chocolate. Their tagline is “Once Bitten, Truly Smitten,” and myyyy am I smitten!

Anyways, from now on, I may taste others, as my food critiquing career has just started, but as of now, I settle for nothing less that Rococo. Tally ho!

-Emily Otteson

Find them on Twitter or Facebook or just visit their lovely website to get yours!**

*Proven by my own experience. I got a full-ride to Seattle Pacific University for pre-med at one time in my life, so you can probably trust me.

**As a disclaimer, they did not ask me to write this. I simply had to! Although, if y’all feel like sending my darling mother another, that would be pure and utter chocolate joy!