Earth Day & Chocolate

Last year I had several posts for Earth Day including one on  my favorite Organic, fair trade chocolate. I have a few more to add to that list. Check out my 2009  post for Earth Friendly Chocolate.


One of my new favorites is Alter Eco Chocolate.  I love the Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bar that has the crispy crunch of the quinoa, that is blended with the 61% cacao. I also like their Dark Cacao Chocolate with Crunchy roasted nibs. And, for you milk chocolate fans, there are lots of  choices. Not all their bars add other flavors. Their Dark Blackout 85% Chocolate will knock your socks off!

I also like Divine Chocolate and Theo and Askinosie and Amano. There are many others. This is just a short list. Check out this year's list and the winners and runners-up from the San Francisco Chocolate Salon in this category. What's great is that there are so many more chocolate companies.. and companies that are organic and fair trade. Yay!

Links: Fair Trade Cocoa Campaign at Global Exchange

Want to take Action for Fair Trade? Global Exchange has lots of links.

Want to cook up something for Earth Day?  How about some Dirt Cupcakes?  or

Mud Pie 

(adapted from the evite blog)

1½ cups chocolate wafer cookies, crushed into small pieces
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 pint coffee ice cream, softened (buy local: save the earth)
1 tablespoon Kahlúa
1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup whipping cream, plus 2 tablespoons
 ½ cup dark corn syrup
12 ounces 70-85% dark chocolate, chopped

Combine chocolate wafer cookies and butter and press into 9-inch pie plate. Place in freezer.
Mix ice cream, Kahlúa and brandy.
Whip 2 tablespoons whipping cream, fold in to ice cream mixture, and pour into pie shell.
Cover and place in freezer.
Meanwhile, bring 1 cup cream and corn syrup to a simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth.
Cool until lukewarm, about 20 minutes.
Pour sauce over mud pie and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.