What bean-to-bar means, step by step
Bean-to-bar means a maker started from cacao beans and did the rest of the work itself. Here is what those steps are, which ones happen on the farm, and what the phrase leaves out.
What the percentage on a chocolate bar does and does not tell you
The number on the wrapper tells you how much of the bar's weight came from cacao. It says little about the balance of solids and fat, and nothing direct about how well the bar was made.
Why chocolate turns white in a warm car, and what to do about it
The pale film is usually fat bloom, where softened cocoa butter rises and sets again on the surface. Makers say the bar is still safe to eat, and it can be melted and re-tempered if you want the shine back.