I want to share with everyone a new and very powerful diet that I have been working on.  Being the modest fellow that I am, I call it "The Nathan Diet". Now, I was planning on coming out with a book, doing a DVD, infomercials, etc. However, considering the seriousness and urgency of the problem (and considering the entire diet consists of just seven words) I have decided to reveal this amazing diet now.

Please get a pencil and paper. I'll wait....

OK, here it is:

"Don't eat ANYTHING advertised on national television."

If you follow this diet, I promise you will lose weight, become healthier, happier and live longer.

Why avoid "food" advertised on national television?  Because all of these products are, necessarily, mass-produced, have long shelf-lives, and are cosmetically perfect.  These are all things that militate against freshness, wholesomeness and naturalness.  Let TV ads be your guide in what NOT to eat.

I routinely get asked why we don't put cacao percentages on our chocolate bar boxes.  To better answer this question I have prepared a comprehensive FAQ on cacao percentages.  I hope this helps.Q.  Why don't you list cacao percentages on your chocolate boxes?

Went to visit Seneca Klassen on his farm outside of Haleiwa (Oahu).  This farm is truly a labor of love.  Seneca, almost single-handedly, has cleared and planted several acres of cacao.  His trees are starting to produce pods, and he should be making commercial-sized batches of chocolate soon.  Please check out his website:  http://kokachocolate.wordpress.com/

Visited Tom Menezes at his Alae Estate farm outside of Hilo.  We are using his nibs in some of our bars.  Tom is a cacao pioneer in Hawaii and probably one of the most knowledgeable cacao farmers in the state.  He's also an amazing ag scientist.

Tom intercrops his cacao with banana.

While visiting Sharkey's farm we got to sample some of his fresh cacao juice (made from the pulp of cacao beans).  It's one of the most refreshing juices I've ever tasted - tangy and tart yet sweet.

Did a quick trip to the Hamakua side of the Big Island.  Visited Nat Bletter of Madre Chocolate (http://www.madrechocolate.com), Tom Sharkey (http://www.konasharkscoffee.com) and Tom Menezes of Hawaiian Crown (http://www.hawaiiancrown.com).

Sharkey is a fascinating fellow - an equal mix of farmer, philosopher, tinkerer and bon vivant.  He has a beautiful small farm (which you can visit) with a variety of crops (including cacao, coffee and vanilla).