Askinosie Chocolate

I recently visited this proclaimed chocolate store– didn’t realize it was my previous boss– hopefully he’s a much better pastry chef than boss– no screaming, condensing rants… Chocolate was ok-​but nothing compared to Vosges or any gourmet chocolate– but hopefully he’s a much happier person as a chocolatier vs attorney.

I wish my review could be as in depth as some of the others in regard to how the chocolate is made. In fact, I probably can’t tell you anything new that hasn’t been said before. So I’ll just make mine short and sweet (!) …
This chocolate is delicious. My husband and I went to visit their little storefront where a very informative young man was passing around samples and telling stories about each one. I’m not sure how many people were there to actually buy anything, but you could tell this guy wasn’t the least bit concerned about it. The samples were flowing let me just say. Had we stopped long enough to listen to what he said, my review may be a little more informative. However, what I can tell you is the variety of flavors and uniqueness of each bar will leave you figuring out which one (s) to take home right away. Unfortunately, because of the almost $ 10 price per bar, it makes it very difficult to buy one of each.
We settled on a tin of Mexican Sipping Chocolate (thinking of cool autumn nights ahead), a jar of the chocolate/​hazelnut spread, and the Mexican dark chocolate bar that had a sugar crystal texture that melted on your tongue almost instantly followed by a mild vanilla bean flavor. Can’t wait for dessert this week! And once this is gone, we will definitely go back for more.
If you’re in Springfield on a Tuesday afternoon, stop by for a factory tour. I’m regretful we were unable to do this, but next time I’ll be sure to plan better.

Askinosie values quality of working conditions of its workers all the way down the production line and it values the quality of its chocolate. The chocolate is all fairly traded. They give tours about the making process, which I have not been on yet.
They have dark and white chocolate, variations of each. All have very distinct tastes. I especially like the Ancho Chile and Pistachio Dark Chocolate bar.
I love the heart behind this company, and they also have some of the best chocolate I’ve ever had!

A coworker bought all of us office girls a chocolate bar from Askinosie’s. I hadn’t heard of it before that! I loved the packaging, the concept, and of course the chocolate. They have an amazing website and I cannot wait to visit the store!

The chocolate factory tour was so interesting! My children and I made a homeschool field trip out of it. What a wonderful little factory with a terrific purpose. Amazing chocolate too! Thank you!

I went to the newly opened Surfas in Costa Mesa
and found 3 kinds of their chocolate bars. I chose San Jose Del Tambo from Ecuador (70% dark) and i find the chocoate very good. Flavorful yet on the light side. Creamy smooth, readily dissolved and the cocoa butter gives a moist feeling that lingers. Not sweet.
I like the idea of sourcing from small farms and the packaging uses biodegradable, non-​GM material from sustainable source. $ 8 for 3oz bar is not cheap but i think it’s worth it.

I received a tip that these guys provide chocolate to my favorite coffee shop in Kansas CIty, Parisi, so during a trip to Springfield, I just had to stop by! I really enjoyed visiting Askinosie Chocolate and learning about the passion and dedication behind their delicious product.
They only give tours on Sundays, and I was there on a Saturday, so I was only able to browse the merchandise. The girl let me and another lady sample the chocolate.
I ended up buying some goat’s milk chocolate for $ 8. I’m glad I stopped by; happy to support these kinds of businesses!

Try and find a bad chocolate. I dare you.
You probably wont, but if by chance you do, you’ll have a wonderful time tasting all of them to try to find one that isn’t up to par!

I have to admit that I’ve not actually been to the Askinosie factory/​storefront but after a chocolate tasting with Shawn at Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor last night I have to give them props. First off, they make some amazing chocolate. I took a friend with me who hadn’t really strayed into the waters of really good chocolate and had little experience with bean to bar (being a chocoholic, I’ve definitely eaten my fair share of cocoa beans and tried more than a few varieties of bars in my day) and I daresay this tasting changed her life. «I’ll never eat a snickers again!» she whispered to me upon first bite.
The chocolate is smooth, snaps perfectly and each bar (coming from a single source in one of 4 locales) is each unique and delicious. In addition to a tasting of finished bars he also took us on a tasting through the whole process starting with whole roasted cocoa beans, onto chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, etc. It was fantastic. Also surprisingly fantastic? Their white chocolate. I’m usually not much of a white chocolate fan since it’s a bit too sweet for me (I like my chocolate dark) but this one was fantastic, made with goat milk with a bit of a tang (try their bar sprinkled with cocoa nibs, it’s incredible). We tried different levels of dark, bars they’ve collaborated on other companies with (a coffee bar with Intelligensia, a malted bar through Jeni’s ice cream, etc), and everything was outstanding.
Even more amazing was what we learned about the company – how much work they do in their community (helping a local homeless shelter create a study room for the kids, running programs for elementary school kids to come into the factory to learn the business, etc) and how they work so closely with the farms they buy from abroad. You can even see the photo of the lead farmer who picked the beans used in your bar on the wrapper. It really personalizes the whole process. They offer profit sharing with the farms and farmers, and even take the finished chocolate back to the farmers so they can try it (most cocoa bean farmers never try a finished piece of chocolate which I never considered). I also loved hearing about Chocolate University, their program for local kids. In the high school program they had a group of Juniors work to pick a new female farmer to work with in Tanzania then they went to the Tanzania and even helped bring a fresh water well to the town where the beans are grown. There’s even more they do (like help feed kids in the village, provide textbooks for the town school, etc) but I could be writing all day if I recap all that. But it’s just impressive that they’re not only committed to the quality of their product but also the people involved in the process. It’s really refreshing and touching.
I don’t have a reason to make it down to Springfield, unfortunately, but if I ever do the first stop I make will be their factory. In the meantime I’ll keep buying their delicious chocolate and supporting the amazing work they do from my own local shops that sell their products (Zingerman’s). If you are in the area I highly suggest taking the tour of the factory. All the money they raise from these tours (only $ 4 a person) goes straight into supporting Chocolate University and the programs they implement here and abroad.
Bravo, Askinosie. You set an amazing example for us all!

I’ve just come home from dabbling in the chocolates of Belgium and Germany and I still feel like giving this place 5 stars. With it’s modern bright exterior it is inviting and truly a piece of eye candy for the sometimes overlooked stretch that is Commercial Street.
You walk in and cocoa inundates your vulnerable chocolate adoring senses. I like that the factory is also in plain view as you catch glimpses of the chocolate formation process. And, if a glimpse isn’t enough they offer tours every Tuesday which are just a few dollars to attend. If you’d prefer to bask in all the chocolate glory alone, then they also have private tours available for a modest price.
I haven’t even been on the tour yet, and I am happily addicted to this company. The design was the instigator of my affection for Askinosie. It has thoughtful and engaging packaging for the chocolate, and the space successfully mimics a clean and modern aesthetic. The staff was tremendously helpful and more importantly they were able to discuss the different types of chocolates, their origins, and even the nuances of flavor. The dark chocolate from the Philippines with sea salt has become the standard by which I now hold other chocolates too. It is bitter sweet and buttery up front and then it is punctuated by a hint of sea salt flavor.
I can’t help but love a place that sucks you in with free samples, pleasing design, and an ethical operation.

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days working at the Askinose factory recently and I’d give them five stars just for being the most wonderful people to be around. Even if they were all jerks, however, they’d still get five stars. This is truly delicious chocolate that can stand toe-​to-​toe with any chocolate on the planet.
So much of their operation is done by hand and that attention to detail can be detected in every product they offer (Chocolate Bars, Nibs, Powder, etc). The beans are carefully sourced for their quality from farmers that they maintain working relationships with (and profit sharing). As if the chocolate wasn’t enough, you can feel good because the money is benefiting real farmers in less developed parts of the world.

I was introduced to their chocolate by a co-​worker (thanks Chris!) and wow! You get to eat high quality chocolate and you get to see where the proceeds go, what more can you ask for?! I’m just upset I didn’t find out about this sooner. would have made great Christmas gifts. If anything, you have to check out the website and hear their story… awesome. My personal favorite are the nibs, perfect for sprinkling on everything!

The only reason for four stars and not five is the price. And I still feel a little guilty for not just giving them that one because of the expense the endure to make such a high quality product. If you pay for their chocolate, you’re not paying for the name, you’re paying the farmer that grew the beans, then you’re paying for the beans to get to Springfield MO, Then you’re paying for the process of taking that bean and turning it into a beautiful bar of chocolate. Their Website can give you a lot more info, all I’ll say is, This ain’t no Hershey Bar, and you can tell from the packaging to breaking off the first piece to the first bite. Something really special to have in town.