It was her birthday, so we spent the weekend together. 
Ruhiyyih and Matt drove over, and we brought our grand-daughter Daisy. My oldest daughter treated all of us to a tour of the Theo Chocolate Factory. 
Theo Chocolate Factory is committed to "changing the definition of “quality” by uniting creative excellence that results in deliciously award-winning chocolate with our unwavering commitment to changing the way the cocoa industry conducts business."
"At Theo, we believe there is no luxury in products that benefit us today, while jeopardizing future generations ability to meet their needs. When you taste our chocolate you will experience our passion and integrity in every luscious bite." 
Samples of everything were available in the shop and on the tour. These are chocolate nibs, roasted beans that are cracked and then de-shelled by a winnower. Most nibs are ground, using various methods, into a thick creamy paste, known as chocolate liquor or cocoa paste. This liquor is then further processed into chocolate by mixing in more cocoa butter and sugar, vanilla and lecithin as an emulsifier.Organic, with fair-trade practices, Theo promises "there is something for everyone from the adventurous 'foodie', to those seeking the simple comfort of a delectably creamy milk chocolate bar."
Rahmat enjoyed the Spicy Chile Dark Chocolate bar. It is 70% dark chocolate, balanced with the warmth of guajillo chile and cinnamon, the tanginess of pasilla chile and a subtle hint of citrus. It was also my favorite chocolate bar, exciting the palette with a wonderful aftertaste.
I purchased a small box of handmade cream-based ganache each of a different flavor - hazelnut crunch, fig-fennel and almond, rum, and peanut-butter! They are little treasures, decorated with an embellishment on top.After the tour my grand-daughter and I spent the night at Laurel and Mehran's, enjoying a wonderful dinner and a facial mask with massage. The next day we went shopping at Whole Foods and went for a walk to look at eagles nesting over the water. This was how she made her birthday special for us.
