Chocolate: a Timeline of America’s Love Affair

A 30-second guide to 30 years in food history: the evolution of chocolate.

’80s

Luxe chocolate from Switzerland (Lindt), Belgium (Godiva, Neuhaus) and France (Valrhona), soon to be followed by Italy (Amedei), becomes America’s haute candy of choice. European chocolate boutiques appear on NYC’s Fifth Avenue.

Chocolate Desserts

’90s

Chocolatiers in America get more ambitious. Bay Area–based Guittard Chocolate expands its line of artisanal chocolates, Ghiradelli opens stores around the country and star pastry chef Jacques Torres gets ready to launch a chocolate factory in Brooklyn.

• Interview with Jacques Torres
• The Candy Man: Recipes by Jacques Torres
• Visionaries: Jacques Torres and Other Pastry Provocateurs

’00s

The eco trend hits the chocolate world. Dagoba is founded in 2001; a few years later, it opens one of America’s first organic chocolate factory in Ashland, Oregon. The Green & Black’s line becomes as ubiquitous in the U.S. as it is in the U.K., where it outsells Lindt.

Published September 2008