YEE: National Chocolate Day @ Cacao & Cardamom

My very FIRST YEE!
Since becoming elite, I just never had an interest in going to a YEE. Also, going to these types of events alone sort of hinder me from going. Lol
When I got an email for a chocolate tasting, I thought to myself, «how could I pass up a chocolate tasting event?!» Plus, it was for those who have never been to a YEE or hasn’t been to this particular event this past summer. So, why not?
I was waitlisted and anxiously waited for a confirmation email that I was chosen to attend. After a few days, I received an email and holy mackerel! I was actually excited!
Shout out to the host, Chocolatier Annie and CM Farrah!
This event was very intimate, informative, and fun! I’m not a whisky drinker so I didn’t really drink the pairings. After my tongue experienced the taste of whisky, I was cringing. On the other hand the chocolate tasting was fantastic!
I think after finally giving in and attending my very first YEE, I look forward to going to many more!

This was definitely one of my favorite events of the year. Chocolate pairs very well with wine, but I would have never imagined to pair it with whiskey. Each pairing truly complimented one another.
The set up for the event was flawless and the staff was on point. Annie is an amazing chocolatier and I loved her back story. The shop is adorable and the chocolates were beautiful and delicious. My favorite chocolate wasn’t in the pairing. It was the Cardamom truffle. Simple, elegant, and full of flavor.
Thanks Farrah for another amazing event! It was also great meeting Farrah’s Canadian counterpart, Jenny.

Chocolatiering at its finest! It’s always great to know that you’re buying from someone who’s knowledgable and passionate about their product.
Their setup was great and the chocolates selections they had looked so good, I didn’t want to touch them. Maybe something you would put up as a decoration, but of course, they were amazing and complimented their whiskey selection me perfectly!
Their prices are just right and if you’re thinking of buying a gift, you should definitely come here and they have vegan options too, which is a huge plus! I would definitely recommend coming here for all things chocolate.

This was so far my favorite YEE, a huge thanks to Farrah & Annie for having an event at this location!
Annie is a chocolatier master who has a real passion for cacao. Her overall knowledge from the harvesting all the way to the moment the final product is placed in front of you is impressive & refreshing. She had me at Madagascar chocolate!
We started the event by admiring the beautiful shop, the contrast of the dark wood, clear glass, actual cacao fruit pods & the colourful chocolates makes it instantly appealing. After sitting & meeting with a few fellow elites at table that allowed coveersation to flow, we started by being introduced to Annie. We saw photographs of her many chocolate adventures around the world & steps to process the chocolate.
We were introduced to a roasted cacao bean, a 65% piece of chocolate followed by a fruity delicious piece of Madagascar chocolate that I feel in love with years ago!
We then proceeded to the tasting of the smartly crafted & delicious chocolates & the bourbon whiskey pairing. What a treat! They were complex, layered & all so different. The whiskey was well paired with the individual pieces but was a little stronger then I normally go for. The mango & chipotle were my favorite ones (the ones I took home were even better!).
We were offered a 10% discunt on purchases that night, score! The packaging makes for a beautiful gift to offer friends or family. I wasn’t able to check out all the different bars that they sell but I believe they have 30 from all over the world in the store.
I’m so happy I found out about this place & will be returning in the future to try more choclates & the various teas that they have.

I love the unique beginning of the event which gave us the opportunity to learn about the chocolate process and really demonstrated the owners passion for industry. The store had lots of character with the cacao plants, spices, and gorgeous display of chocolates. The chocolates were some of the prettiest I have seen and to my surprise some of the best I have tasted!
The event was well coordinated and allowed for Unilocalers to sit in small groups and get to know each other. The pairings with whiskey was unique and I liked how Annie was able to speak to the whiskeys and why they were paired with certain chocolates.
Overall great experience and great timing before the holidays — these chocolates will make for the perfect gifts!

This was my first Unilocal Elite event. Thank you for putting this together, Farrah and Annie!
I’m glad my first event was an intimate one. It was very personable and I was able to meet a few people. The event was very informative and I definitely walked out knowing more than I did walking in. The location was very easy to find and very clean! The chocolate pairing with the whiskey was perfect. I’ve never actually tried them together, but I’m glad I am now exposed to it!
My favorite chocolate has to be the guava flavored one. I’m glad this event was done right before the holidays. Now I know where to go to get delicious chocolates for treats and gifts!

First of all thanks to Farrah, Unilocal,and Annie for hosting this wonderful event. This definitely goes right up there in my top favorites. It was so well organized, very intimate and insightful, and of course. delicious. I was really thrilled to be able to get the RSVP in this small group!
I have never visited Cacao and Cardamom– I have seen Annie on several local tv stations and read about her in Houston Press. I always love supporting local Houstonians with a story, and Annie definitely has one! Plus, I always show love to female business owners… Girl Power! Her shop is simply beautiful– I couldn’t stop looking around. The truffles and bon bons are truly a work of art!
I will admit, I am not a huge whiskey drinker. I am a total California girl… aka a wine lover (ok maybe some vodka and gin too), but I really wanted to give the pairings a shot. I was so pleasantly surprised! Annie and Farrah did a great job getting me out of my comfort zone with whiskey. I really enjoyed the Herman Marshall– which also had a great story.
The chocolates were divine! I honestly cant say that I had one specific favorite. The hazelnut butter and the balsamic pb&j did stand out though.
I cannot wait to bring friends back to Cacao & Cardamom! Thanks again for such a wonderful evening with fellow Unilocalers!

Thanks to Annie and Farrah for organizing this incredible event!
AMBIANCE: Annie’s shop is chic and elegant and certainly fits into the classy area where it’s located, but I loved that she also has beautiful photographs of the chocolate making process from around the world AND actual pods (ah, I can’t remember if that’s the right word… I guess I failed the class after drinking too many unwanted whiskey samples of my tablemates ;) that are painted and hanging around the shop. Also, as others have mentioned, it was very intimate and the table set-​up was nice as it made it easy to have conversations and I really enjoyed talking to some lovely Unilocalers at this event!
CHOCOLATE & WHISKEY: I could not believe how incredibly amazing each chocolate was. Each one was so different, so complex, and ALMOST too beautiful to eat. All were delicious, but if you forced me to pick two, I’d say the hazelnut butter and the mango one (and I’m normally not big on mango). Whiskey was interestingly and carefully paired with each chocolate!
EXPERIENCE: Amazing! Annie is such a neat business owner and clearly very passionate about what she does. I loved how she walked us through the chocolate making process, dispelled misconceptions about «organic» chocolate and about health benefits of chocolate, and then walked us through each pairing. The intimate vibe and high quality of the chocolates and drink made this a wonderful night.
I know where I’ll go next time I’m looking for a unique gift! Thanks Annie & Farrah!

This was my 1^st YEE event in Houston but not my 1^st visit to Cacao & Cardamom. The group size was intimate and totally appropriate for the space. The focus on chocolate paired with whiskey was also a 1^st for me. I’ve paired a lot with chocolate — but I’ll be passing the whiskey pairing goodness on to others for sure. The tasting size was perfect as you can see on the pictures. Annie the owner gave us a lesson on where cacao is sourced & how it’s processed. She described her beginnings into this hobby & love for chocolate & spices then turned it into a business. If we could all live that dream. :-) Her chocolates are formed into Bön Bons with delectable fillings. I left there purchasing a 48 piece box with the intent to share with my work peeps — I did share but with trepidation. My work ladies were grabbing chocolate like it was a Black Friday Diamond sale! There were many different types of chocolate bars from around the world in the store and Annie’s explanation of cacao from different regions and their unique tastes makes me want to try all of them. Our small tasting of the chocolate wafer from Madagascar is a chocolate taste I want to experience again. She also had tea made from the cacao shells which smelled amazing! I will have that on my next visit. I have told many of this little hidden gem and I’ll be back many times over to work my way through all the delectable & beautiful chocolates. Thank you Annie & Farrah for a perfectly chocolate evening.

With this being my second Unilocal event and being my first «foodie» one, this one was very informative as well as delicious! Jenny And Farrah greeted us with a bubbily welcome. The event was well organized and the owner of Cacao & Cardomom, Annie, ROCKED her cute, little truffle shop with her amazing knowledge of the cacao bean and her wonderfully, uniquely flavor packed
chocolates!
The chocolates at this event were paired with different whiskies, and while I don’t care for whisky, I love me some chocolate and I had seen an add about Cacao & Cardamom and have been wanting to try it out. Then the YEE was listed and decided to go. Upon arrival the 5 different chocolates were daintily laid out on display along with the whisky pairings. The chocolates in order according to photo from left to right:
Chipotle-​smooth, but very spicy. A little too spicy for my palette. This one was not my favorite, but good if you like the chocolate and spice mix.
Hazelnut Butter-​Wow! This one was one of my favs. It was buttery and nutty all in the same. Paula Dean would have approved of this truffle ;-)
Guava Tamarind-​This one had a very interesting flavor combination. It was very citrusy, but had a uniquely sweetness to it. While it was a very good truffle, just not my style.
Mango Caramel-​OMG my favorite among the 5! Had a sweet smokiness when is burst in your mouth. The white chocolate in this set it off.
Balsamic PB&J-This one was beautiful done! It was like my childhood and adulthood all wrapped up in one piece of chocolate! A must try for you PB&J lovers!
I don’t remember all the whisky names (sorry) but the are covered by a few of my fellow Unilocalers in very good detail.
After having gone through our tasting. Annie generously offered each of us 10% off if we purchased additional chocolates. I purchased the 8 piece set and decided I would buy not only a few of my favorites from the events’ tasting, but try a few different ones as well. Here is what I got that was not on the tasting tray:
Blueberry Lime-​Yum! It was done in a white chocolate truffle and the flavor was lightly sweet and tropical with the lime.
S’mores-This one was so good I should have bought 6 more! It taste exactly as the name, no strings attached.
Five Spice Praline-​This one is another one of my favorites. It blends Chinese spices with a hazelnut praline. It almost reminded me of a Chai latte, only with chocolate!
Last but not least, I asked Annie, the owner, to pick out her favorite for me to purchase. She chose Cardamom Rose. This was probably the most uniquely flavored out of all of them. Throughout the smooth, white chocolate ganache, you can taste a hint of a rose water while encased in that rich dark chocolate.
Cacao & Cardamom brings out a world new world with chocolate and spices! I can’t wait to try more.

My chocolate horizons have been opened far beyond Hershey’s Kisses and M&Ms (and so have my whiskey horizons)! I am now chocolate cultured, no pun intended. The event was informative and quaint, yet festive. I appreciated how Annie provided some historical information. The store is a visual heaven and there are SO many different chocolates to experience. Of the five we tasted, my favorite chocolate was the Guava Tamarind. All of the flavor and mixture of flavors in one little piece of chocolate is sinful. My favorite pairing was the Hazelnut Butter with the Buffalo Trace Whiskey… that can be daily thing for me.
For fine, handmade chocolates, I do believe they are reasonably priced. I can’t wait to go back to do my holiday shopping and my own personal retail therapy. I was so stoked that not only am I writing this review, but I had to write a full scale pairing review and follow up for my friends. Yeah, it’s that serious.

I really enjoyed this event. It was intimate and very informative. I learned so much about chocolate and its history and found it so fascinating. Thank you Farrah and Annie for making this event so fun and tasty. Everything went smoothly and was so thought out.
The different pairings and chocolate were wonderful. The different flavors of chocolate were rich, creamy, nutty, buttery, and all different types of texture and flavor profiles that it’s hard to say no or stop eating! The different whiskeys were nice and I could distinctly smell and taste a little difference among them (not a whiskey drinker). The display/​presentation of the chocolate were beautiful to say the least. It truly was art!
Annie was great when explaining her path into chocolate and the history behind cocoa. I truly enjoyed her taking us with her in her journey in discovering chocolate. She was so friendly and down to earth! Everything she told us opened my eyes to chocolate in ways that I didn’t even know.
I will definitely come back to buy some chocolate in the near future now that I’ve got to taste what Cacao & Cardamom is all about.

From the moment I walked in, I was floored by the intricacy of these delicate chocolates. You walk in surrounded by all these amazing chocolate bars and unique bon bons.
I absolutely loved this event, and major props to the elite squad for another successful event. And Annie did such a wonderful job explaining everything to us chocolate newbies. Such a gracious and easygoing host. Learned a lot, and had a lot of fun too. The whiskey chocolate pairings were absolutely exquisite. My favorites would have to be the Hazelnut Butter, Mango Caramel, and Guava Tamarind. Such great flavor combinations, and even better with the whiskey!
— Garrison Brothers + Chipotle — May not have been my favorite individuals, but probably my favorite pairing. The sweet burn of the whiskey melts subtly into the spiciness of the chipotle.
— Wild Turkey Russel’s Reserve Single Barrel + Guava Tamarind — I absolutely loved the guava tamarind. It worked really well, and the white chocolate really complimented the fruity ganache
— Buffalo Trace + Hazelnut Butter — The simplest chocolate, but simple is not bad. It was like an extraordinary, delicate Ferrero Rocher. Creamy butter ganache with delicate and crunchy hazelnuts, dipped in dark chocolate. Yum.
— Knob Creek + Mango Caramel — I was looking forward to the mango caramel all night, and it did not disappoint. The moment you bite into it, the mango caramel filling kind of bursts forth from the shell. Quite delicious.
— Herman Marshall + Balsamic PB&J. Probably the most unique and adventurous one. I tried it, and while I’m not a huge fan of peanut butter, still was pretty tasty. Not my favorite, but still, something adventurous to try that I“m sure any peanut butter lovers will adore.
Also, props to Michelle M and Michelle V for being my home-​body partners for the night!

Cacao & Cardamom is my imported dark chocolates go to place. I purchased dark chocolates and truffles from here and got to chat with Annie for several times (and tried to learn all the amazing chocolate acknowledges from her!). It was absolutely fantastic that I could attend this event and mingle with other Unilocalers.
This event was very well organized and prepared. The shop itself is cute and classy, the atmosphere was very relax and fun. Annie started the event by introduce the chocolate making process, why single-​origin cacao is important to the flavor, and what makes a chocolate bar great.
We then get to try the roasted cacao bean which tasted a lot like coffee bean, then we tried the basic 65% chocolate, and the yummy fruity Madagascar dark chocolate.
We started the main event by trying five pairs of chocolates and whiskeys. I normally pair my chocolates with white wine so this was a very new experience to me. The hard liquor was too strong for me so I only took small sips from each cup. The chocolates were delicious! It was even more interesting to eat them after Annie explained how each of them being made.
I like all the chocolates we tried but my favorite truffle was mango caramel, it has a surprise explosion of flavors and it was very fun to eat. This chocolate even made the whisky more drinkable to me.
After the event, Annie generously gave all attendees 10% discount. So I bought 8 truffles and 2 imported dark chocolate bars home. (Truffles are all gone while I am typing this review.)
This event was very delightful and informational. Big big thanks to Annie, Farrah and Canadian CM (Sorry, I’ll eat more chocolates to gain better memory of people’s name)! I will definitely come back with bunch of chocolate fanatics!

So upon arrival of this beautiful venue, I was blinded by the numerous amounts of chocolate. Who doesn’t love a visual of that?!
I was graced with the presence of Michelle M. (My long lost home body that loves tea too), Matthew L. (The guy who accidentally drinks all his drinks before tasting the chocolate. Good thing you had mine as a back up!) and Marleigh (my old neighborhood friend).
The whiskey was definitely not for me… but oh man the chocolate was on point even without the whiskey!
–chipotle:has lots of spices that really blow my mind because isn’t chocolate sweet not spicy?! What a pleasant surprise.
–guava tamarind: very creamy and so delicious! It wasn’t too sweet either
–hazel nut: it’s the perfect variation of Nutella. Nutella is usually so sweet but this is like perfectly bitter sweet. The tiny pieces of hazelnut just topped it off perfectly. Probably one of my faves.
–mango caramel: a popular seller here! Definitely one of my faves as well. The burst of flavor was just an explosion of goodness!
–balsamic pb&j: this was probably my favorite. I love peanut butter, but not so much jam. The jam wasn’t an issue at all and the peanut butter was overwhelming, which it can be sometimes. This piece just really nailed it for me.
Overall I really enjoyed the tasting and feel that I have a new appreciation for chocolate now. I also feel I’m getting an acquired taste for dark chocolate! I definitely look forward to returning and trying out their hot chocolates, along with that chocolate tea… yum! I also ordered a box togo! I’m so excited to try that and perhaps lose some weight because the chocolate expert Annie says it’s good for us!
Thanks Annie for being extremely informative and really making us naïve chocolate lovers aware of the true chocolate history and facts! Thanks Farrah and her team for setting up this amazing event! So glad I was able to attend!

This was maybe my last Unilocal Elite event in Houston and possibly also my favorite. We came in and were immediately greeted by Jenny, Unilocal Community Manager for Edmonton, Canada. (This was awesome as I had an intern roomie from U. of Alberta this summer.)
I had never before been to Cacao & Cardamom, but I was immediately impressed by the shop. It’s not crazy huge nor is it claustrophobic. The owner has chocolate bars from 50 different countries, bonbons, truffles, teas, coffees, hot chocolates, greeting cards, and informational areas to help you get acquainted with what makes her place so special. Tonight was all about learning, which I love, as well as sampling.
Things I learned tonight:
:Owner and hostess: Annie (an amazing 20-​something and rocking her own business)
:Winnowing: Process of removing shell from cacao bean
:Single origin: it comes from one country
:Chocolate contains: mono saturated fat (healthy), fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A
(Annie recommends finding the bonbons that have no more than one gram of sugar each)
:Organic chocolate: The chocolate industry as well as the term «organic» are both highly unregulated. This is often just a selling point.
On to the tastings! Before us lay five bonbons and five sips of whiskey and a fancy pre-​tasting
Pre tasting
1. Chocolate bean roasted — Surprisingly, this de-​shells really easily between the fingers after being roasted.
2. Origin chocolate — This was to get us oriented on a fundamental taste of dark chocolate
3. Origin chocolate from Madagascar — This one showed us that the country of origin plays a significant role as this one tasted fruitier and tarter.
Pairings
1. Garrison Brothers Whiskey and Chipotle (red pyramid). Lovely little burn from both. ($ 82 bottle)
2. Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve – single barrel, caramel and rye notes ($ 50 bottle). Guava tamarind (purple with yellow, or the «LSU» bonbon).
3. Buffalo Trace – vanilla, cinnamon notes. Hazelnut butter. Oh this one was so deliciously creamy with that nutty taste at the end. I really liked this one.
4. Knob Creek (aged nine years in barrel). Rye based, oak, caramel, fruitiness. Mango caramel truffle. The mango caramel did not disappoint! I did not expect this pairing to be good, but it was.
5. Herman Marshall (77% rye, 100-​proof) – open air caskets to «let Texas in». Balsamic PB&J – Raspberry jam, white chocolate, milk choc, peanut butter, dark choc shell. I didn’t taste the balsamic in this one so much, but it was a very complex treat with such distinct layers.
Process to make bonbons and truffles:
1. Cocoa butter used to paint mold.
2. Thin shell of chocolate.
3. Ganache.
4. Set.
5. Chocolate for bottom seal.
6. Cool.
How did she get started? She was in Pakistan setting up early childhood development centers and studying her LSAT. On a vacation to Malaysia, she took chocolatier classes. She was well on her way.
By the way, Annie is my tea soulmate. She has some white Earl grey tea and chocolate rooibos. Michelle V and Matthew L are my homies (bodies).
Farrah and Jenny, I had an amazing time tonight.

It’s one of the most intimate Unilocal events I have ever been to so far. This chocolate hot spot is run by chocolatier Annie Rupani. The shop is tucked in the galleria chaos away from the chaos. The shop is beautifully decorated with all you can ever want to know about chocolate inside. In the window display they have real cacao fruit hanging. In front of the chocolate display she has ingredients on display that you can smell and read about on the back of the lid. She has several bars on display that has a lot of fiber and she has convinced us that it is SO good for you.
Here’s the breakdown on the wonderful notes that I took during the YEE:
Bourbon has to be made in America (just like champagne has to come from France) and distilled below 150 proof and below 120 proof in barrel in new American oak.
First pairing: Garrison brothers — oldest legal distillery in Texas paired with chipotle.
Second pairing: Bonbons are made with cocoa butter. And cocoa content. White chocolate is made with white pale stuff. Paint a thin shell of chocolate. And create a ganache. Emulsion between chocolate and something else; fruit or liquid or sunflower oil, or anything else.
Third pairing: Wild turkey’s Russell’s single barrel reserve. High in rye. Lots of caramel flavor. Paired with guava tamarind + guava purée.
Fourth pairing: Buffalo trace — most awarded whiskey in the world. Traces of vanilla, candy, fruit. Paired with butter ganache. Giandouilla (blend of buys and milk chocolate) incorporated with dark chocolate.
Aged in the barrel for 9 years. Also rye based. Bourbon attaches itself to the wood. Mango caramel — passion fruit milk. Omg: I thought the last pairing one was good but this one just takes the cake.
Fifth pairing: PB&J was paired with another wonderful whiskey. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name because I had to leave a little early.
Big thank you to Annie for having us here and thanks to Farrah and the Unilocal team. It was great to meet CM from Canada!