Here you’ll find my personal stories. I write about the places I visit, the events I attend, and the people I meet along the way. Ranging from chocolate festival visits and tasting events to workshops, courses, and behind-the-scenes moments.

Through time and events, I got to know so many amazing and passionate people, all working in chocolate. There is so much to see, taste, feel and learn!
I had a lot fun (and nerves) when preparing to give my very first chocolate tasting, but I loved it and ended up giving more. These posts are reflections of my own experiences, shared here to hopefully entertain you, and maybe invite you to explore on your own. Maybe we can explore together?

Experiencing chocolate and cacao

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  Chocoa 2025 – Academy style
  In February 2025, I attended Chocoa in Amsterdam. I scraped together some of my savings and purchased an Academy ticket. I booked a return train trip, asked Tessa (my fellow cacao enthusiast) if we could share accommodation, and headed to Amsterdam with a notebook, an open mind, and a lot of curiosity. Why was I there?Why go there for the week and not just enjoy the chocolate festival weekend? That’s a fair question, as I am not a cacao farmer, nor a chocolate maker. I don’t work in the cocoa supply chain. As a matter of fact, my job couldn’t… Read more: Chocoa 2025 – Academy style
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  Making drinking chocolate like the Aztecs (xocoatl)
  I remember my first encounter with cacao. For our honeymoon in 2017, we planned a round trip through Costa Rica. Being so close to the equator, a chocolate tour was an absolute must. I had to dig around a bit, but eventually I found one at La Tirimbina in Sarapiquí, where we got to work hands-on and made chocolate in a traditional way (without machines). All the photos on this page were taken by me or my husband. After a 20-minute walk, we arrived at the small plantation, although it can hardly be called that, as only a few Theobroma… Read more: Making drinking chocolate like the Aztecs (xocoatl)