Zak's Chocolate Wins 2017 Good Food Award
(PRESS RELEASE) San Francisco - Zak’s Chocolate was named a 2017 Good Food Awards Winner in the Confections Category for its Cacao Nib Caramel.
Zak’s Chocolate is the first Arizona winner in the Confections Category and only the second ever winner from Arizona. The first winner was AZ Queen Bee Honey in 2015.
Zak’s award-winning entry is hand-crafted with: Zak’s House-Made Caramel, infused with inhouse roasted cacao nibs, coated with Zak’s House Blend Bean-to-Bar Chocolate, and topped with a caramelized cacao nib. The cacao nibs give the caramel a depth of flavor and slight crunch. Amongst the ingredients are locally-sourced, dairy fresh Danzeisen Dairy Cream.
An Awards Ceremony was held at the historic Herbst Theater in the San Francisco War Memorial, on the same stage where the United Nations charter was signed. environmentalist, activist and writer, Winona LaDuke gave the keynote address and medals were bestowed by renowned chef Alice Waters and organics pioneer Nell Newman.
ABOUT ZAK’S CHOCOLATE: Zak’s Chocolate, located in Scottsdale, AZ, is a family-owned small-batch craft chocolate maker and an artisan chocolatier. Owners, Maureen & Jim Elitzak turned a long-time hobby into Zak’s Chocolate in April 2015. Maureen is a Certified Master Chocolatier. Zak’s uses only ethically-sourced, fine flavor cocoa beans and makes 100% of their products using only their own chocolate, something rarely found in chocolate shops. Zak’s makes single-origin and house-blend chocolate for bars, truffles, brownies, hot chocolate and other yummy confections. Everything is done by hand, from sorting cocoa beans to wrapping bars. Zak’s even presses their own single-origin cocoa butters and cocoa powders, which can be used as a culinary ingredient by local professional and at-home chefs.
Awards:
- Best Chocolate Phoenix 2015 - Phoenix New Times
- Best Local Food Product - 2016 - Phoenix Magazine
- Finalist International Chocolate Awards 2016 - Peru San Martin 70%
- Bronze International Chocolate Awards 2016 - 55% Dark Milk Chocolate
- Good Food Awards Winner 2017 - Cacao Nib Caramel
- Website: zakschocolate.com Address: 6990 E Shea Blvd., Sweet 116, Scottsdale. AZ 85254
ABOUT THE GOOD FOOD AWARDS: The Good Food Awards celebrate the kind of food we all want to eat: tasty, authentic and responsible. Now in its seventh year, awards are given to winners in 14 categories: beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, cider, coffee, confections, fish, honey, oils, pantry, pickles, preserves and spirits. These are outstanding American food producers and the farmers who provide their ingredients. These winners push their industries towards craftsmanship and sustainability while enhancing our agricultural landscape and building strong communities. The Good Food Awards Seal, found on winning products, assures consumers they have found something exceptionally delicious that also supports sustainability and social good. http://www.goodfoodawards.org/2017-winners/