Meet New Zealand's First At-Home Chocolate Tasting Course

Boutique craft chocolate company The Chocolate Bar has launched its very own tasting course to spread the word about rare, exclusive and small batch chocolate.

Every month the Wellington-based chocolate experts will send budding enthusiasts four bite-sized pieces of the world's finest and most ethical chocolate, along with information about each bar and guidance on how to appreciate it.

The Chocolate Tasting Course works on a subscription basis month by month for $12.50. For the first six months you'll also receive a 'lesson' with each box. Each lesson will teach participants 'how to taste chocolate', how to pair chocolate with food and drink, and about the meaning of 'craft chocolate'. There's no final exam or qualifications awarded at the end of the subscription, but you can rest assured that you will be well schooled in the world of ethical chocolate.

The company prides itself on sourcing the highest quality bean-to-bar craft chocolate from across the globe. Bean-to-bar products are handcrafted all the way from the humble cacao bean to the finished product. It's not as sweet as the stuff being pumped out by conglomerate candy factories, and typically doesn't contain dairy. Boutique chocolatiers already in cahoots with The Chocolate Bar include Pump Street Chocolate (UK), Hogarth Craft Chocolate (Nelson), La Naya Chocolate (Lithuania) and Dick Taylor (California).

For more information about The Chocolate Bar and the Chocolate Tasting Course, visit thechocolatebar.nz.