What is your shipping policy?

Warm weather policy starts April 19, 2021: We want you to receive your chocolate in perfect condition and as quickly as possible. In warm weather, we ship on Mondays and Tuesdays (and Wednesday if the destination is close enough to guarantee arrival before the weekend). We add insulation and an ice pack at no charge, and we strongly encourage you to choose an expedited shipping method if your order is traveling outside of New England. We cannot be responsible for chocolate that is heat-damaged when you open it, so please have someone be home when your package is expected to arrive or provide a safe, cool delivery spot. We may need to delay shipment altogether if the weather is too hot here or there, and will notify you if this happens. You will receive an email when your package ships. We do not ship internationally at this time.

What is your return policy?

Your chocolate is shipped in perfect condition and, as described above, we take every precaution to make sure it arrives in perfect condition as well. If it is damaged in transit, we will gladly replace it but cannot refund shipping costs. We cannot accept the return or exchange of chocolate that was received intact. Having said that, if you are unhappy with your order, we hope you will reach out to us. Our products are created for you, and we want to hear if we need to make changes to our product, our shipping methods, or anything else in order to keep you as a happy customer.

How should I store my chocolate?

Best is to keep it between 65 and 70 degrees and in low humidity (less than 55%) and darkness, like a pantry or cupboard. Refrigeration is a good choice as long as you first put it in something else with as little air as possible such as a baggie with the air forced out. Please let it come to room temperature before enjoying it. Hot temperatures as well as big swings in temperature make chocolate “bloom” or go out of temper, meaning the cocoa butter separates from the cocoa solids. When this happens, although there is nothing wrong with the chocolate, it will have chalky whitish/greyish patterns (that’s the cocoa butter) and a different mouthfeel. When stored in ideal conditions, your chocolate can be enjoyed long after you got it, but we like it the most when it’s as fresh as possible.

It refers to the percentage of cacao by weight in the finished chocolate. Because Tangle Chocolate has only two ingredients, you know that our chocolate consists of 70% cacao and 30% sugar.

Do you make other kinds of chocolate besides 70% dark?

Not right now...but what do you think we should make next? Please let us know!

What's the big deal about Tangle Chocolate being freshly made?

Some foods improve with age, such as wine and many cheeses. Others lose some of their taste over time. We find that the flavors in chocolate mellow. Now, this may not concern you, and you may have been perfectly content your whole life with chocolate that arrived in a shop perhaps many months before you purchased it. But we invite you to try our chocolate and see if you notice a difference in the number and quality of distinct flavors straight from the cacao bean that you can taste.

Is Tangle Chocolate single-origin? And what does that mean?

Yes, Tangle Chocolate is single origin. That means that all of the cacao beans used in our chocolate are from the same region. Those cacao trees experience the same soil, weather, altitude and so on that contribute to the distinct flavor of the chocolate. Tangle Chocolate uses cacao beans from a single region of Guatemala, the Cahabón region.

What's the difference between bean-to-bar and craft or artisan chocolate?

These words, along with other ones like "small batch" and "handcrafted," are used in an attempt to differentiate specialty chocolate from large-maker industrial chocolate. However, none of them has a legal definition in the U.S., so their presence on a label doesn't necessarily guarantee anything, which can be confusing and even misleading. Bean-to-bar chocolate means that the maker started with cacao beans, did all of the roasting and refining in house, and ended up with the finished chocolate. That describes Tangle Chocolate. Very large companies technically can be bean-to-bar chocolate makers too, but the term is generally used to describe small chocolate makers like us. The terms “craft” and “artisan” imply that the chocolate was made by a small company with lots of human involvement in the process, whether or not the chocolate is bean to bar...but again, without a legal definition, it's hard for us as consumers to know what "small" is. Industrial chocolate makers have noticed consumer interest in craft products, and some now use words like "craft" and "artisan" on their labels. In addition, while some “craft” or “artisan” chocolate companies are also bean to bar, others buy ready-made chocolate, melt it and perhaps add special touches, and then remold and package it with their label. If you're unsure about a chocolate company's label language, call them and ask any questions you have.

Is your chocolate certified organic?

Not at this time. Although the cacao beans and sugar that we currently use are certified organic, we have chosen not to go through the process to be certified organic as a company. This enables us to keep the door open in the future to using non-certified organic beans that we love. We understand that sometimes a farmer can't meet the costs and administrative duties associated with getting and maintaining organic certification even though their products are up to organic standards.

Is Tangle Chocolate Fair Trade?

No. We are committed to paying more than the Fair Trade price standards and to meeting or surpassing any ethical standards you can think of. We buy our cacao beans from good people who know their many small farmers (average farm size: 2.5 acres) and are super transparent about their practices and finances.

Is Tangle Chocolate vegan?

Yes! The only two ingredients are certified organic cacao beans and certified organic cane sugar.

Is Tangle Chocolate kosher?

Yes! Our chocolate is certified kosher by the Massachusetts Kosher Commission.

Is Tangle Chocolate gluten free?

Yes! There are only two ingredients in our chocolate, organic cocoa beans and organic sugar, both of which are gluten free, so our chocolate is gluten free.

Chocolate News | Tangle Chocolate

Jul 9, 2020

HERE’S AN EASY, FABULOUS SUMMER VACATION

This summer looks very different than it ever has before, but you can still have a little getaway. This is the year to level up some summer classics that will help you unwind and gain new appreciation of life’s little moments. We have one word for you: glamping! And eight ways to do it.

Jul 1, 2020

4TH OF JULY FUN — EVEN DURING COVID-19

In this year when lots of traditional activities have been canceled, we looked around the US for alternative ideas, and found inspiration in communities that have always done things differently. These takeoffs on lobsters, anvils and golf-carts will set you up with unique and unconventional ways to celebrate.

Jun 25, 2020

DEFINING CHOCOLATE: A GLOSSARY OF CHOCOLATE TERMS

This list of commonly-used words in the bean-to-bar or craft chocolate industry will help you express what you want, whether you are buying chocolate for yourself or presenting it as a gift to another premium chocolate lover!

Jun 11, 2020

MOVING TOWARDS JUSTICE IN THE CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY

In the fall of 2019, cacao-producing countries of West Africa with long-suffering cacao growers, instituted a radical policy that addresses centuries-old injustice. This article places this development in a historical context, explains what the policy is, and touches on the impact that one of the major chocolate industry players anticipates it might have.

Jun 4, 2020

FOUR WAYS THAT YOUR CHOCOLATE MAY BE COMPROMISING YOUR VALUES

You are someone who loves delighting everyone from your child’s violin teacher to your sweetheart with some special chocolate when they least expect it. And you want to choose chocolate that makes the world better as well as brightens the recipient’s day. How can you know that the chocolate you buy is in alignment with your values? Start with these four questions.

May 28, 2020

WHY IS OUR CHOCOLATE SO EXPENSIVE?

I love when people ask me that question because it gives me the chance to get them excited about the value of - and values behind - Tangle Chocolate. This world of craft chocolate (also known as bean-to-bar, artisan, or gourmet chocolate) could not be more different from the world of the $.99 cent chocolate you buy at the gas station, yet it’s all called chocolate. By the end of this article, you will have a completely new understanding of the differences in the products and the pricing.

May 21, 2020

4 MYTHS ABOUT HOW WE TASTE

Lovers of fine chocolate naturally find themselves developing a larger vocabulary for how to talk about chocolate, and a key component of that conversation is chocolate's taste and flavor. By replacing some common misinformation about the basics of taste with accurate information, we are better equipped to join the conversation!

May 14, 2020

GRADUATION SEASON RECIPE: FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE GRADUATION CAPS

In this year of the coronavirus and strictly backyard celebrations, here is an extra-special dessert to commemorate a graduation: flourless chocolate cakes with chocolate ganache and Tangle Chocolate tops with a white chocolate tassel. Alot of work? Yes. Worth it? Yes! Adorable even if imperfect and rich beyond belief.

May 7, 2020

THE TEN BEST CHOCOLATE JOKES

We all know that two ways to get someone to smile are to gift them chocolate or tell them a joke. But what would happen if you tell someone a joke about chocolate? Will their grin grow greater (try saying that five times fast)? Here’s some chocolate humor for you to try on friends and family.

Apr 30, 2020

WHY SHE WANTS CHOCOLATE, SCIENTIFICALLY SPEAKING

Did you know that the average American eats about 11 pounds of chocolate a year? And women consume far more than men, although men report liking it almost as much as women do. We read a lot about chocolate’s almost magical qualities, such as it triggering a dopamine release, but is it all true?

Apr 23, 2020

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLY-GROWN CACAO?

In honor of the 50th Earth Day (wow!), we take a look at how sustainably-grown cacao makes Mother Earth happy.

Apr 16, 2020

THERE’S A LOT OF GOOD IN THE WORLD, AND IT’S NOT LIMITED TO CHOCOLATE

COVID-19 has turned our world upside down, but there are gifts to relish in everyday moments nonetheless.

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