Theo Chocolate

Another Seattle-based chocolate company, Theo was named for the hero who made it all possible — not the founder, but Theobroma cacao, or the cacao tree in all its glory.

When I visited Theo's in Fremont, Seattle's hottest area, I had the most authentic chocolate I'd had in a long time. The best part is that it is both organic and fair-trade certified.

This is a lovely way to fall in love with Theo: sampling all of their best tastes all at once. The 85 percent pure dark, the 70 percent coconut dark, the 55 percent salted toffee dark, and the 45 percent pure milk dark are among the highlights of the Organic Milk + Dark Chocolate Classic Sampler Variety.

• Foundation: 2005
• Location: Seattle, WA
• Signature: Organic Milk + Dark Chocolate Classic Sampler Variety
• Website: theochocolate.com