Manganji Temple Green Pepper & Almond Praline

Chef Koyama pickled Manganji Temple green peppers, a specialty from his hometown of Kyoto, in salt and soy sauce and then freeze-dried them. He found the counterpoint to their sharp, salty tang in dark 55% cacao chocolate with a perfect blend of tart and bitter tones. Mixing the freeze-dried peppers into almond praline created a crispy texture that first crunches and then melts in your mouth, bringing out the distinct acidity, zest and depth of Japanese pickles for a taste experience unlike any other chocolate.

The International Chocolate Awards

The International Chocolate Awards were launched in 2012 by members of the authoritative fine chocolate review website Seventy% and London’s week-long celebration Chocolate Week. The competition aims to honor excellence in fine chocolate from around the world, at all stages from the cacao plantation to the chocolatier’s kitchen. Today in the United States and around the world, the “bean to bar” movement is gaining momentum. This means one chocolate maker handles all aspects of production from roasting and processing cacao on the plantation to manufacturing and selling chocolates. Chef Koyama has had an eye on global trends such as this one for quite some time, and made the decision to enter the Americas Semi-final of the International Chocolate Awards, sensing an exciting incentive to explore new creative possibilities.