Thursday, May 7, 2009

Chuao Spicy Maya Hot Chocolate - Ended

When we went to see Ray Bradbury were staying at the Omni California Plaza hotel in Los Angeles. Because they are great they have a select guest program. One of the many perks is complementary beverages for two each morning. One hot and one cold. For me the choice was simple. I do not drink coffee and I carry my own tea bags everywhere. I also love good hot chocolate. Nice hotels usually serve up a decent cup of cocoa. My order was for hot chocolate and orange juice. When I took the first taste of the hot chocolate I was surprised. It was spicy! It was "Hey, I feel that all the way down my throat" spicy. I told my husband he had to taste it and he loved it, too. Each morning (and some evenings)I ordered this strange hot chocolate and wished I knew how to make it myself because I was going to miss it when I was gone. When I came home I wrote a little blurb on my blog about the Omni California Plaza and how much we enjoyed it. I mentioned the hot chocolate. Then I did a little research and found it it was Chuao Chocolatier's Spicy Maya Hot Chocolate. No wonder it was spicy! I thought I tasted cinnamon and pepper!

Let me tell you about Chuao.

Chuao is a small village located in northern Venezuela famous for its cacao plantations. Some of the finest cocoa beans in the world are produced in Chuao. The village is surrounded by mountains and dense rainforests to the south and by the Caribbean Sea to the north. Visitors must come by boat from along the coast, or by foot, crossing the mountains and the luxurious cloud forest from Turmero near Maracay. Did I mention that I used to live in Maracay, very near Chuao? It's a beautiful place.

In the Chuao plantation there are pure Criollo and hybrid varieties of cacao grown. Criollo beans from Chuao are of very high quality, and are considered Venezuela's finest beans.
Besides Spicy Maya hot chocolate, Chuao Chocolatier also offers Abuela (meaning grandmother) and Winter varieties. Hot chocolate isn't even Chuao's claim to fame. They have chocolate bars and bon bons and choco-pods, among other items. The first time I saw Chuao chocolate I was in World Market. I brought some "Caracas" bars home for my husband. I thought they were a nice little novelty since my husband is from Venezuela. He was thrilled. I had no idea when I was at the hotel that I was having Venezuelan cocoa from Chuao. I still sit here shaking my head about all the wonderful things to come from Venezuela.

One of the Oompa Loompas from Chuao sent me a package with two tins of Spicy Maya hot chocolate. One for me, and one for you! Here is how you can win:

First, go to Chuao Chocolatier and take a look at all their wonderful offerings. Then come and tell me which one you think would be your favorite.

Follow Chuao on twitter and tweet this message:
Chuao Spicy Maya Hot Chocolate will tease your taste buds and leave you begging for more. Enter to win @ http://tinyurl.com/dgb76a Please RT
Sign up for the Chuao newsletter - 1 entry
Follow this blog on blogger - 1 entry
Follow my other blogs on blogger - 1 entry each
Subscribe to my any of my blogs - 1 entry each
Put my buttons on your blog - 2 entries each
Blog about this giveaway - 5 entries
Fave me on technorati



Because this is such an amazing treat I want you to share it with your chocolate loving friends. If your friend enters and says you sent them in their entry you may come and take another entry. (One entry per friend, please)

I will choose a winner on Monday, May 18th. U.S. entries only, please.

Good luck!

79 comments:

  1. I'd love to try the Abuela hot chocolate. I'm thinking it would be a new favorite of mine.
    quelleheure4[at]gmail{dot}com

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  2. I tweeted! http://twitter.com/quelleheure4/status/1731560210

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  3. I added you to my Technorati faves (quelleheure4)

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  4. I subscribed to the Chuao newsletter.

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  5. I'm following A Funnel Full of Soup!

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  6. spicy is me chocolate my middle name

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  7. Yummy! Thank you for the giveaway.

    I'd love to try the Abuela Hot Chocolate

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  8. The % origins bar set would be my first choice, since you get to taste 3. After that the field is wide open.

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  9. I love chocolate. I would try the Chocopods Candela box. Yum

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  10. Following on twitter and tweeted http://twitter.com/drala625/status/1746414692

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  11. Signed up for newsletter

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  12. I subscribed by email.

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  13. OH the chocolate sea shells look yummy

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  14. http://twitter.com/dwalline/statuses/1758509363

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  15. Without a doubt my favorite would be the winter hot chocolate. I love winter and hot chocolate. Thanks for the great giveaway.
    spackattak7(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  16. This all looks so wonderful. I'd love it all, but I think my favorite would be the Chinita Nibs Bar Set.

    judy(dot)greenberg(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. I'm a subscriber. Thanks.

    judy(dot)greenberg(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. I've subscribed to the Chuao Newsletter.

    judy(dot)greenberg(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. I've also subscribed to Full Funnel of Soup.

    judy(dot)greenberg(at)gmail(dot)com

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  20. chocopod banana box sounds yummy

    newsaroundtheblogs at live dot com

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  21. follow chuao on twitter and posted a tweet
    http://twitter.com/NwsArdtheblogs/status/1768890813

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  22. I think that Abuela Hot Chocolate sounds Yummy :)

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  23. I have no clue what it is but I'm going to live on the edge and say I want the ChocoPod Modena Box. I see Strawberry, Chocolate and Caramel that's all I need to know.

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  24. Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/auntiethesis/status/1773145158

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  25. I'm following your blog..always!

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  26. I'd love to try the Abuela Hot Chocolate! Although the Early Grey Chocolate Bar looked delicious too! Hmm... both please? lol

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  27. I tweet'd. :) http://twitter.com/MommyAmy

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  28. I blogged about your giveaway! http://atozgiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/05/chuao-hot-chocolate-giveaway.html

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  29. I also love hot chocolate. I'd like to try their WINTER hot chocolate. The blend of spices for that one looks good to me.

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  30. I love spicy. I love chocolate. Combining the two would be a taste of heaven!!

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  31. I would choose the Abuela Hot Chocolate. I love good hot chocolate and it's so hard to drink the other.

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  32. My mouth is watering! I would love to try the chinita nibs bar!

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  33. I would love that box of 25 assorted bonbons. I love a good cup of cocoa, too, and I make my own frequently. I am working my way through a stack of recipes. It is not easy to make a good cup of hot chocolate and it is expensive ingredients.

    Thanks for having the giveaway!

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  34. tweeted - http://twitter.com/phxbne/status/1798034972

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  35. follow Funnel Full of Soup - but can't see how to follow here.....

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  36. That was hard! I am going to say the Firecracker Truffles
    saradavis1 at gmail

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  37. follow on twitter and tweeted http://twitter.com/SaraMama/status/1803302599

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  38. I would love to try the "Spice Up Your Life" Chocolate Assortment. Oh wow, these sound WONDERFUL.
    YiddishBitterRose at gmail dot com

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  39. tweet: http://twitter.com/ReizaM/status/1812971265
    YiddishBitterRose at gmail dot com

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  40. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  41. Winter hot chocolate sounds divine.
    sweepeedee@gmail.com

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  42. love this: Firecracker Truffles

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  43. I get their newsletter too

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  44. I would die and go to heaven if I had the "The Fiery Taste of Chuao Chocolatier" Chocolate Assortment.

    email in profile

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  45. I'd like to try the Caracas Bar Set

    tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

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  46. I would love to try the Firecracker Truffles. I've been a fan of the Abuela & Spicy Maya Hot Chocolates for a while now; they really are delicious!

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  47. I subscribe to your RSS feed

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  48. I subscribed to the Chuao newsletter

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  49. I follow this blog on Blogger

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  50. I follow Auntie Kitten's Antics

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  51. I follow Funnel Full of Soup

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  52. OK...these sound YUMMY! ChocoPod Passion Box ChocoPod Passion Box
    Six (6) dark chocolate filled bars with passion fruit caramel

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  53. I am following on twitter as susieqtpie and I just tweeted!!!

    http://twitter.com/susieqtpie/status/1831961967

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  54. I joined their newsletter as arteachersusan at gmail dot com

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  55. I follow your Totally Suck/Rock Blog as arteachersusan at gmail dot com

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  56. I follow Aunties Kitchen Antics!!

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  57. I just gave you a Technorati review as susieqtpie

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  58. I'm following you on Venezuela Scope!

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  59. Your cute button is on my blog! http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/

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  60. I have the Funnel full of soup button on my blog!

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  61. I have your cute Funnel full of soup button on my blog!!!

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  62. The Firecracker Truffles sound good!
    digicat{AT}sbcglobal{DOT}net

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  63. I follow on Blogger
    digicat{AT}sbcglobal{DOT}net

    ReplyDelete