Seven Kilograms of Chocolate

Last week, the guys from Malagos Chocolates had a booth at our office again as part of the coop's retail expo. I always look forward to these times since it's the only time I get to replenish my stock of Malagos 65% dark chocolate.

Another thing I like about Malagos Chocolate, other than its taste, is that it's a (proudly) Filipino brand; the brainchild of the Puentespina family in Davao (famous for their orchid farms). According to their website, it "uses single-origin made from ethically grown and processed beans that have been carefully graded (according to international standards), fermented and solar-dried at our farms in Davao." This is a giant step forward for our chocolate industry, which has existed since the colonial Spanish times (think of the Tsokolate E episode in Rizal's Noli me Tangere). And for it to taste good is a sign of what the industry can offer the world apart from the tablea.

When I posted that photo on Instagram and Facebook, friends who are also hooked with this chocolate started requesting me to buy packs for them. At the end of the day, I was hauling a GiG bag full of half-kilo packs and 100g bars for several people, a total of 7 kilograms in all. That's the most chocolate I've carried, ever! Too bad not all of it is for me.

8 bags and 18 bars.

What made that load even more special is the 6 bars that the owners (Rex and Jen Puentespina) gave me. It was for a photo I took in Mt. Guiting-guiting, with Levi and Bunny holding a bar of chocolate while basking in the afternoon sun. They liked the concept so much that they want us to take more photos like that on our other climbs. I guess, in a way, my hashtag #PleaseBeOurChocolateSponsor actually worked!

To know more about Malagos Chocolate and other products from the Puentespina Farms, check out their website www.thegiftfarm.ph, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram. I heard their cheese is also excellent.