Another Rainy Day

It is sprinkling yet again. What a perfect day to curl up with a good book and stay in bed all day. What would make it even better? Why a cup of amazing hot chocolate made with real chocolate, no syrups or flavorings added. Then on top of that add a housemade raspberry marshmallow to complete the picture.

Your chocolate is waiting for you at Bittersweet. It will brighten your cloudy day.

The Halloween Parade is Coming!

Don't forget to come out this year to see all the little ghouls and goblins on parade in the Eighteenth Annual Rockridge Children's Halloween Parade. It is held on Halloween this year and runs from noon to 2:00. They are meeting at the Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Avenue, at 11:45 AM.

Be sure to swing by Bittersweet for your little treat.

See ya here!

Fundraiser For A Good Cause

Mark your calendars....Bittersweet Rockridge is doing a fundraiser for a wonderful non-profit, Lafayette School Mentoring Project, on Monday, October 26th. Just mention their name when you order and 20% of the proceeds will go to LSMP for the day.

We are very happy to support the community and those who are helping and supporting others.

The store will be open until 9:00PM on that day to accommodate those who wish to show for the cause. Please stop by, purchase a drink, and help Lafayette School Mentoring Project continue their good works.

Chocolate Club To Start This Month!

Chocolate Clubs are forming now, are open to the public, will meet once per quarter, to teach the ‘art’ and nuance of chocolate tasting

Seneca Klassen, chocolatier for the Bay Area’s three renowned Bittersweet Cafes, will host once per quarter chocolate tastings through newly formed Chocolate Clubs. Each of the three Bay Area Bittersweet Cafes will have its own club.

The Rockridge Chocolate Club will kick off on October 29 from 8:00-9:30 PM, the Danville store’s first meeting will be November 19 and the San Francisco’s Club will enjoy its initial meeting on December 17.

Forming now, the Chocolate Clubs at each store will be limited to 18 regular members plus seven open spaces reserved for on-the-spot sign-ups for each meeting. Annual memberships cost $20 which includes four chocolate tasting meetings (one per quarter) and a ten percent off discount card for Bittersweet purchases. Individual meetings will cost $5. The first Chocolate Club meeting at each store will cost $5 so people may attend and see what’s in store before making a full year’s commitment.

"Focused chocolate tasting is a great experience and offers a new way to really appreciate the amazing palate you find in chocolate," explains Klassen. "Like any other fermented varietal food, chocolate is affected by factors ranging from genetics to soil, climate and microbiology. We look forward to exploring this territory with our in-store chocolate clubs."

“The initial club meetings will introduce members to the various aspects of chocolate tasting so people will have an opportunity to see what the concept is all about, and the chocolate club membership might be a great gift for your favorite chocoholic,” says Bittersweet co-founder, Penny Finnie.

Klassen will guide members through the chocolate tastings at each store. He is the creator of Bittersweet Origins chocolate and makes the “bean-to-bar” chocolate in 50-pound micro-batches, making each bar unique. He uses cacao beans from the Dominican Republic, Bali and Venezuela for his Bittersweet Origins chocolates and roasts and prepares the beans in Bittersweet’s Berkeley production facility. Klassen spent this summer in Oahu, planting a 15-acre 7000-tree cacao plantation.

Sign ups for each Chocolate Club are available at each Bittersweet location. The first meeting is $5 to reserve your seat. Space is limited, so please act early.

Cloudy skies have gone.....

and the bats are once again flying in anticipation of Halloween. We are quickly selling out of our limited edition Halloween items, so if you are looking for that little something special you will want to drop in soon.

Also, we will be introducing our Single Origin drip coffee on Monday. It is a Guatemalan bean, Finca La Forencia. This is the primary bean of our Faultline blend and has a wonderful aroma. This is the perfect introduction to a Single Origin Coffee or if you are a well seasoned coffee aficionado, it is sure to please. Stop by and try a cup next week or take a bag to try at home.

Halloween Is Here!

Boo! Did I get you?

Treats and sweets for all your little ghosties, ghouls, and goblins have skipped into the store. If you are looking for the perfect chocolate treat we have things you won't find anywhere else. The ever popular Crispy Pop is back along with fall flavored chocolate caramels and gift bags filled with chocolate eyeballs. Bittersweet is the perfect stop for your Halloween Party gifts or satisfying munchie.

We even have a fun interactive Haunted Hunt Chocolate Game. Enjoyable for kids of all ages and filled with fun chocolate game pieces.

Stop in and check out the treats for yourself.

Wooooo, don't be scared. Our Ghouls are sweet!

Open Earlier!

Bittersweet is now open one hour earlier during the week. Starting today we are open at 8:00 AM Monday-Friday.

Now you can get your coffee and chocolate even earlier.

See you at 8:00 AM.