About Zise Chocolate and Me

     Food and feeding others is my favorite love language; chocolate is  my favorite food; science is my training; attraction to complexities is a family trait, and creating Zise Chocolate has been a logical extension of them all.

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     My journey started while was still a practicing pediatric neurologist and epileptologist interested in the welfare of children and families across the globe. As an advocate for epilepsy awareness, children with epilepsy and developmental disabilities, I enjoyed presenting engaging, informative, fun epilepsy talks and events. While practicing a favorite parent (now friend) shared an article outlining how the majority of industrial chocolate is made with child and slave labor. 

 

     January 2019 an injury left me disabled. Suddenly I then found that chocolate making presented the challenge and creative outlet I needed.  I directed my time in retirement to sourcing ethical cacao and using this to make exciting rare and wild chocolates as well as Ecuador Nacional chocolate, considered "The Most Coveted Chocolate in the World." (Smithsonian Magazine, 10/2023)

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     I can't explain just how much I reveal in the joy and awe I see on the faces of people at my events. It is really a ball to encourage people to share their perceptions my various chocolates, to discuss chocolate tree-to-bar, to teach how to coax the surprising array of flavors from wild & rare single estate chocolates and to introduce my fanciful caramels and bon bons.

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     Some programs include my other passions: stewarding our planet, preserving indigenous cultures, biodiversity, social equity, history and culinary anthropology,.  Chocolate events are easily tailored to include any of these interests.  

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     Converting others to craft chocolate is surprisingly not too different from awareness campaigns I founded when treating children with epilepsy.  Please see my chocolate resources where you can learn more about supporting good products made by good people - not just for their amazing flavors brought out by experts in choosing beans, roasting and small batch processing of chocolate, but also so that you can feel good as you promote social justice and environmental sustainability.  (Ethical Craft Chocolate producers can be found as winners of the Good Food Awards.)

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     My community and Rabbi supported my development as a chocolate educator. For them I started her A Modern Chocolate Passover Seder based on Rabbi Prinz's Chocolate Haggadah. Of course, this seder features her fine craft chocolates each in a symbolic role.  Chocolate eggs in salted caramel? Yes please!  Let me know if your community would like to have a memorable decadent seder with 4 cups of chocolate!   (In case you are wondering, Zise is from the Yiddish word for "sweet" or "sweetie" and is pronouced zee-se) 

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     I hope to see you at the Bower's Museum's Annual International Chocolate Festival in Orange County, CA as well as at an event of yours soon.

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​ In my world, ingredients Matter

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     As a physician, I know first hand how important diet is and how changes in diet has helped many patients and herself.  I also know that eating well is part of a quality life even with needing to be gluten free.  I enjoy making and sharing homemade chocolate dipped gluten free shortbread, award winning Billionaire Bars: chocolate enrobed caramel & shortbread, and chocolate dipped GF Oreos. Just ask!  My friends and family on restricted diets and even those on chemotherapy are often able to eat and really enjoy great chocolate made with the fewest, purest ingredients such as organic Oregon whole milk powder, fair trade organic cocoa butter, and the finest chocolate beans. 

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     No soy is used in my chocolate and sunflower lecithin is only used in my Espresso Chocolate - a dark "white" chocolate made from Kean Coffee's micro-roasted La Vides family farm Guatemala beans, organic whole milk powder, cane sugar, organic fair trade cocoa butter and the tiniest bit of sunflower lecithin. If you love strong great coffee, you gotta try it. 

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     Please note: although I make every effort to ensure my kitchen area and utensils  are free from allergens prior to starting chocolate work, I create in a home kitchen where allergens are present at times. Contamination is possible.   

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           Some of my other special chocolates include:  

• Gianduja - "milk" chocolate  with hazelnuts instead of milk

• Oat Milk Chocolate: made without nuts & diary

• Pure Dark Chocolates simply cocoa butter, ground chocolate nibs and sugar​

• Non diary (nut milk based) chocolates and caramels

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