Interview/Tasting: Ali & Friederike Gower, Chocolate Tree | #PodSaveChocolate Ep 118

May is Tasting Month on PodSaveChocolate, with at least five episodes featuring tastings – most of them with interviews with makers. Episode 118 is dedicated to an interview and tasting with Ali and Friederike Gower of Chocolate Tree in Scotland. [ Updated ]
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Episode 118
I am not certain when precisely I first met Alastair (Ali) Gower and Friederike face-to-face, but my best memory is that it could have been at a London Chocolate Show (at Olympia, but maybe earlier when the show was held at Covent Garden). I know that I have spent time with them at Chocoa in Amsterdam.
Ali recently reached out to me concerning a topic that is near and dear to him, which is how some companies that are calling themselves craft chocolate makers or confectioners are not actually craft chocolate makers or confectioners.
This episode will not include any lengthy discussion of definitions, but that topic does segue nicely into a discussion of the history of Chocolate Tree (they were founded in 2005 – very early on in the bean-to-bar/craft movement).
How the company has presented itself and represented its work is instructive to specialty craft chocolate makers everywhere.

In this episode, Ali and I will also be tasting six bars – this is my proposed tasting order but that may change before the stream goes live:
- 85% Porcelana (bean origin: Venezuela)
- 40% Hazelnut Gianduia (bean origin: Colombia)
- 60% Dark Milk (bean origin: Perú)
- 100% (bean origin: Guatemala, sweetened with cacao fruit sugar)
- 70% Whisky Nibs: (bean origin: Perú)
- 70% Aztec Spice (bean origin: Mexico)
The Chocolate Dispensary (Los Angeles). Chocolate Tree will also ship internationally. Orders can also be placed through Cocoa Runners.
Questions?
If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, you can add them in the Comments below at any time.
Episode Hashtags and Socials
On Instagram: Chocolate Tree Scotland
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate
#PodSaveChoc #PSC
#LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife
Future Episodes
This episode will be pre-recorded because of a 15-hour time difference
Interview and Tasting – Warren Hsu, Fu Wan (Taiwan)
This episode will be pre-recorded because of a 14-hour time difference
Interview and Tasting – Neil Ransome, Siamaya (Thailand)
May News & AMA
Topic TBD
Interview and Tasting – Baianí Chocolat (Brazil)
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