{"title":"Shop All","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"ecuador-single-origin-chocolate-sample-copy","title":"Bolivia Tranquilidad Wild Harvest Single Origin Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWildharvest Tranquilidad — Bolivia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out these teeny beans. Tiny but mighty! (Mighty tiny?) Don't be fooled, they pack a huge flavor wallop. They are a little tricky to roast and it can get a bit sad during the winnow (the nibs are so small much gets winnowed off with the shells) but these beans are so fun to work with because they are just little flavor STARS. And the aromas! Whoo! My precious!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar or in 0.4 oz Tasting Tiles - in your choice of Extra Dark 80% and\/or Dark \u003cem\u003eMilk\u003c\/em\u003e 61%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Boliva Tranquilidad\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wild harvest, Beni department\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Direct trade, HCP Heirloom Designee\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e The extra dark leans towards tart elderberry - grape too - with jasmine and a light earthiness with a brown sugar sweetness while the creamy dark milk version brings forward the elderberry or almost a wild berry - like a wild berry cobbler with cream!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter (milk varieties include whole milk powder)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark-\u003cem\u003emilk\u003c\/em\u003e bar contains milk. (The dark bar is completely vegan)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotes from the farm and Volker Lehmann: \"\u003cem\u003eTranquilidad Natural Forest Estate of around 600 hectares is owned by Volker Lehmann and his family, as private enterprise. In over 15 years Volker Lehmann increased the Wild Harvest activities all over the Beni department on areas of the size of Germany, involving hundreds of mainly indigenous families and dozens of organizations. Since 2014, after receiving the HCP recognition for Tranquilidad, production is concentrated in Tranquilidad and neighboring collection areas between the villages of Huacaraje and Baures. All cacao is fermented and sundried at Tranquilidad fermentation and drying facility.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHarvest time in Tranquilidad is once a year between mid December to mid February. It could vary regarding the appearance of the rainy season starting in October and ending around end of May. The amount to harvest per tree varies also from year to year. In general the amount per tree is small as well as the pods and the beans, which are half the size of cultivated cacaos varieties. The cacao trees grow tall in its natural habitat and can reach 8 – 10 meters. People harvest the lower trunk by hand and use long sticks with a wire sling to get to the fruits in the upper parts. Sometimes they climb into the tree when there are many fruits, or they get eaten by monkeys and birds. The people like to come early in the morning, when mosquitoes are still less active, to collect in small groups or by family and make piles of pods. After 2-3 hours they sit at the piles and open the pods placing the fresh beans in bags. Once full the bags hang on poles to collect the dripping juice that people love to drink right there and to sell some in the villages. After that, between noon and early afternoon, they bring the bags by foot or on bikes to the harvest center, where they are weighed and payed directly by weight and quality. The price is generally agreed at the start of the harvest and varies if there are more or less to pick. People are free to sell to the best offer or take home. The beans go then straight into special designed wooden fermentation boxes. The post harvest protocol was developed in 2003 and is mainly adapted to the size of the beans including slow sun drying.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Extra Dark 80% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48307894419670,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Extra Dark 80% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48307894583510,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 61% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48307895075030,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 61% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48307895238870,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Bolivia_Tranquilidad_bars.jpg?v=1780185594"},{"product_id":"bolivia-tranquilidad-wild-harvest-single-origin-chocolate-copy","title":"Costa Esmeraldas Ecuador Single Estate Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCosta Esmeraldas — Ecuador\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eTravel with us to the northern Ecuadorian coast and taste our expression of Nacional Cacao. Here you will find harmony between the sea breeze and the last patches of coastal cloud forest.\u003c\/em\u003e\" The Salazar Family\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh yes Salazar family, we for sure will be traveling there with every precious taste!  Gorgeous red beans beautifully fermented and meticulously cared for.   Be sure to read about the Salazar Family in the notes below because they are doing amazing things at their farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar or in 0.4 oz Tasting Tiles - in your choice of Dark 75% and\/or the Dark \u003cem\u003eMilk\u003c\/em\u003e coming in at a big 64%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ecuador\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Costa Esmeraldas (Single Estate)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenetics\/Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ecuadorian Nacional Hybrids\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Direct trade, uncertified organic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark bar has cherry, fudgey brownie, apricot jam, raisin and raspberry notes and something else interesting I can't quite place but I'm wondering if it is the special wood they use for the fermentation boxes. See what you think. The dark milk bar mirrors all those but has a beautiful creamy veil over all. Not too sweet. Really lovely.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter (milk varieties include whole milk powder)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark-\u003cem\u003emilk\u003c\/em\u003e bar contains milk. (The dark bar is completely vegan)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the Salazar Family: \"\u003cem\u003eWe operate a family owned cacao orchard in the northern coast of Ecuador, in the Esmeraldas province. Since 2008 we have made efforts to rehabilitate cattle pasture and mono-crop forest plantations into agroforestry systems where cacao is intercropped with fruit and local trees. One of our goals is to protect primary and secondary-growth forest. In here we can host local and endangered species that are left without a home due to the continuous expansion of the agricultural frontier.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCacao produced in these agroforestry systems is carefully and meticulously processed, resulting in true exotic flavours featuring: Clean and clear raisin browned fruit note, and fresh fruit notes, floral, blueberry, coconut. Herbal or green bitter taste. Good balance to the core attributes. Mild sweetness. Astringency has a \"velvety\" quality. *\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCosta Esmeraldas won the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cocoaofexcellence.org\/producer28919-ecuador-costa-esmeraldas-cacao-company\"\u003eCocoa of Excellence\u003c\/a\u003e cacao liquor tasting evaluation and award 2019 edition.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTravel with us to the northern Ecuadorian coast and taste our expression of Nacional Cacao. Here you will find harmony between the sea breeze and the last patches of coastal cloud forest.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThere are myriad and diverse wildlife in the region which are able to travel through our orchard via wild-life corridors. We aim to leave better soil, water and wildlife corridors for the generations to come. The Salazar family began to change the environment by implementing a new model, cultivating cocoa, fruit trees and species from the area, which creates an environment that attracts species of local flora and fauna to re-inhabit the place. After a period of research, they set out to produce the best cocoa beans in the world; taking care of every step of the cultivation, harvest and postharvest; in a meticulous, careful and detailed way in order to enhance the flavors and aromas of its beans. It is thanks to this effort, perseverance and commitment that it has become recognized as one of the best cocoa beans in the world.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark 75% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48309159395542,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark 75% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48309159428310,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 64% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48309159461078,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 64% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48309159493846,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Costa_Esmeraldas_bar.jpg?v=1780257320"},{"product_id":"costa-esmeraldas-ecuador-single-estate-chocolate-copy","title":"Pangoa Peru Single Origin Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003ePangoa — Peru\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bean comes from a small district in the department of Junín called Pangoa, a fertile area within the VRAE region. (Valle de los Rios Apurimac, Ene y Mantaro) (often VRAEM). Its name is believed to be derived from the Asháninca dilect's word pangotsi meaning home or house—a nod to the hospitality of the ancestors of this area. I find notes of fresh raspberry but also a decided citrus note that puts me in mind of Yuzu fruit - but in a gin and tonic! Don't ask how that popped into my head but there it is! So, a fine welcome, Cacao Voyagers, and please join me in a Cheers! to vibrant, beautiful and hard working Peru.  Salud Pangoa!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar and 0.4 Tasting Tile, dark only (72%).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pangoa, Peru\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Junín, Central south jungle mountains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenetics\/Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Local VRAE Natives and other Natives mixed with Criollos and Trinitarios\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sustainably Sourced, Organic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fruity and floral with jam and herbal notes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the producer: \u003cem\u003eMainly made up of Native VRAEs (including VRAE-15 and VRAE-99), Local Natives, and some Criollos and Trinitarios, this bean origin has a flavour profile that leans toward fruity and floral with herbal notes.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt's farmed and harvested at altitudes of 600-1400 metres above sea level by the Nomatsigenga and Sonomoro Indigenous communities, then fermented in Tornillo hardwood boxes—an exceptional type of wood for fermenting that does not add flavours to the cacao. The fermentation process lasts six days with a bean rotation done every day after the first two days.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAfter a very well-controlled box fermentation, the Pangoa beans then get transferred to mounds to dry, stirring the mounds for two to four days depending on sun exposure. From there, the mounds are spread out over covered tarps or mesh shelves where they finish drying in the shade. The total drying process typically takes around seven days but can vary due to cloud cover and weather conditions.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAside from its unique flavour profile, what makes this bean intriguing is the role it's played in reshaping the Pangoa region. Historically, this has been an area with considerable coca leaf production—a crop with various medicinal functions that's inextricably linked to the indigenous way of life which, unfortunately, also happens to be the main ingredient in cocaine. As a way of freeing people from the oppressive farming conditions and to disrupt the illicit cocaine supply chain, the Peruvian government alongside other international governments have been incentivizing alternative crop growing, like coffee and cacao.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor over 15 years, this international collaboration has assisted farmers with networking, infrastructure, management, security, and certifications (organic), helping the people of this region achieve more dependable income, more environmentally sustainable farming practices, and a better way of life.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSo, when we say this is a “good” bean, we’re talking about more than just taste.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark 72% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48309296038102,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark 72% \/ .40 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":50388967817430,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Pangoa_peru_bar.jpg?v=1780267755"},{"product_id":"pango-peru-single-origin-chocolate-copy","title":"The Redemption of White Chocolate (aka Dominican Republic Caramelized White)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDominican Republic\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat to know about THIS White Chocolate dear cacao voyagers: It is \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003epure as the driven snow\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, made with only THREE ingredients; natural unfiltered organic cacao butter (still a little bit of cocoa solids offering up light flavor and aromas), caramelized milk to golden perfection and natural raw unprocessed organic cane sugar. THIS IS THE REDEMPTION OF WHITE CHOCOLATE.  Available in the Large 3oz Grand Adventure Bar size and the .40oz Tasting Tiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dominican Republic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fair Trade, Organic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Caramel and toffee goodness, dulce de leche, subtle nutty notes, delicate chocolate aromas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Organic cacao butter, organic cane sugar, whole milk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens: \u003c\/strong\u003eMilk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eOTHER\u003c\/span\u003e \"white chocolate\": Did you ever wonder why most commercially produced \"white chocolate\" is so... uhhh... gross? And greasy, waxy or slimey? Take a look at the ingredients and you'll see why. There's all kinds of stuff in commercial \"white chocolate\" that shouldn't be in there including weird fats and all kinds of unpleasant nasties.  Not a fan.  Super disappointing.  Check out their list of ingredients.  Sometimes it actually says on the package in very small print: \"\u003cem\u003ewhite chocolate flavored\u003c\/em\u003e\".  It really has nothing to do with actual white chocolate.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo lets also talk about the other white elephant in the chocolate room: That age-old debate about whether or not white chocolate is \"real\" chocolate. Let's take a look at properly made white chocolate: Cocoa butter, sugar, milk. Maybe vanilla. But that is it, period.  Is it \"real\" chocolate? You decide: Pretend I am holding up a cacao bean for illustrative purposes. This bean is roughly made up of somewhere between 46% to 58% cocoa butter (depending on genetics) and the rest is cocoa solids. (cacao\/cocoa - semantics). When we make dark or milk chocolate, we use the whole bean. And trust me, we want all the cacao butter residing in that bean to go into the chocolate. That is the gold right there. In industrial chocolate processing, the butter is often pressed out leaving a by-product (which is cocoa powder) (and which BTW, still has about 26% butter in it and that's why its sometimes hard to mix into milk or water). The cocoa powder is sold off to make things like cake mixes and other chocolate products. The butter though. That's where the money is. That is sold off for big dollars to the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries (after the cocoa butter has been further filtered and deodorized). Anyway, back to this bean I'm holding up. We are using more than 50% of this bean to make real white chocolate.  It's the same cocoa beans we use to make dark and milk chocolate.  So, I leave this decision up to you - IS white chocolate (the good stuff, I mean), real?  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"White 33% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48309374517462,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White 33% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48309374550230,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/caramelized_white.jpg?v=1780274247"},{"product_id":"bolivia-tranquilidad-wild-harvest-single-origin-chocolate-copy-1","title":"Soconusco Mexico Single Origin Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSoconusco — Mexico\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCacao Voyagers, we have arrived to the Cradle of \u003cem\u003eCultivation\u003c\/em\u003e where it all began. The epicenter. I can't even tell you how thrilling this is!  Roll back your time machine to before the Spanish.  Before the Aztec Empire.  Before the Maya.  Nope go further further, before the Olmec.  Keep going.  Here we find the Mokaya.  Someone should seriously write a Michner-esque type novel about this area.  It would write itself.  This is our opportunity to taste history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar or in 0.4 oz Tasting Tiles - in your choice of Dark 71% and\/or Dark \u003cem\u003eMilk\u003c\/em\u003e 60%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Soconusco\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRegion:\u003c\/strong\u003e Chiapas, Mexico\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fino de Aroma \"Mexicano\" (hybridization between criollo and amelonado)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Organic, Fair Trade, Make Mine Fine (Fine Chocolate Industry Association)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Predominant chocolate, wild berries, red berries, nuts. But wait, there's more! This lively chocolate has flavor notes all over the map. It's also roasty and floral, there's coffee, there's grapefruit zest, there's a bitter root which I can't identify, there's a tobacco note too - not that I know anything about tobacco. Maybe a wood resin or tannin. There's also a mineral effervescence. Read on if you're curious as to the \"why\"!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter (milk varieties include whole milk powder)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark-milk bar contains milk. (The dark bar is completely vegan)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Soconusco “Bitter Prickly Pear” is one of the most famous of cacao growing lands. (Not the \u003cem\u003ebirth\u003c\/em\u003e place of cacao which is thought to be in the headwaters of the Orinoco and Amazon.  How it came to be way up here in Mexico is another subject).  The Soconusco ethno-history consists of layers and layers of cultures that inhabited this small strip of land in Chiapas Mexico bordering Guatemala (which at one point was part of the Guatemalan kingdom). Geographically and Geologically isolated with the Pacific Ocean on one side with its estuary’s, swampland and massive mangroves.  Then, on the other extreme are the Sierra Madre de Chiapas Mountains that quickly jut up over 14,000 feet.  North and South are bordered by rivers that are often torrential and impassable. In the middle of it all is piedmont with extremely rich alluvial soils. So you can see why the early hunter-gather folks that came through to collect shellfish and hunt in the jungle would have noticed the natural safety and plentiful food - it makes sense that this possibly was the first farming settlement. There is a plethora of academic papers on this rich historical area but here’s a link to a quick and interesting overview article starting with the Mokaya “people of the corn” who are thought to be the first to cultivate cacao (and corn). \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/mexiconewsdaily.com\/culture\/who-were-mokaya-mexicos-corn-people\/\" title=\"http:\/\/mexiconewsdaily.com\/culture\/who-were-mokaya-mexicos-corn-people\/\"\u003ehttps:\/\/mexiconewsdaily.com\/culture\/who-were-mokaya-mexicos-corn-people\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver thousands of years (3800ish) the Soconusco became known for the very VERY best Criollo (Cree-oh-yo) cacao. The trees so special and revered they were handed down as inheritance and for dowrys. The very product that made this area rich and famous also made it a target. Things got brutal to say the least. The sacred bean consumed mainly by the elite and which had also become the currency of the land was already being extorted by the Triple Alliance\/Aztec Empire for tax and tribute when the Spanish arrived looking for gold. The Spanish quickly realized the “gold” \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c\/em\u003e the cacao. Across centuries, everybody wanted it for their very own. One of the things I found really interesting is that the twice per year extortion -- errr I mean tax and tribute dates -- corresponded identically with the two cacao harvests!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe may never know exactly what the cacao tasted like back then. Layers of cultural differences, catastrophic diseases, shifting environmental and economical factors; this rich area eventually was gutted. Groves stood abandoned, there just weren’t enough specialty farmers to tend this specialty crop. Then came some unfortunate “help” by the government in the 1970’s and 80’s which diluted the precious few remaining Criollo when they handed out Forestero seedlings which were more robust and prolific, but sadly not anything like the pure Criollo. However, cacao easily cross pollinates and the surviving Criollo remnants of old mixed with the new which now gives us an impressive diversity of flavors. It is still incredibly special and we can be so thankful that some farmers did stay and they passed down their knowledge and stories. They are the remaining guardians. And we get to taste this history. As you sit with this chocolate, let it melt on your tongue and it will tell you it’s long and lively story. All will be revealed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the producer Agrofloresta Americana: \u003cem\u003eThis is the product of the effort of farmers from the Tuzantan community, a mountain in the Sierra Madre. We call them Soconusco Comunitario because they come from a community of farmers, called ‘El Vado’ located in Tuzantan, Chiapas. This community gets its name from the ford (vadoin Spanish) in which they are located, which is mid way on the mountain of Tuzantan. The soils here are very clayey and during rains are really not transit-able. It is between 350-500 masl (1150 to 1640 ft). The cacao is brought down by foot and sometimes with horses. This is the home of about 20-35 small farmers. These are old cacao plantations with no plot-divisions and with community paths. Some farmers are starting to renew plantations slowly. This community is dedicated to cacao, coffee, grazing and honey. One of the leaders of the community is Levy Matias. He is 30 years old and got his cacao plantation from his father 6 years ago. His hectare has fruits and timber trees. He also helps other farmers gather and get their products to market.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSoconusco cacao is a blend of Trinitario, Criollo and Forastero with varied flavors; starts with a predominant chocolate note, red berries and wild berries with a good balance between bitterness and acidity. Soconusco is divided into three regions; coastal, low and high regions. In Tuzantan, as a general rule, the greater the height, the greater the flavor profile in this region. In the low region it normally takes about 6-7 days to get a good fermentation, whereas in the highlands, depending on profile, protocol and season, it takes about 5-6 days to get fermentation. In Tuzantan, they also produce beans, papaya, pumpkin and corn in the milpas as well as hunting. The farmers drink cacao and pozol and some even make chocolate.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark 71% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48309620605142,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark 71% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48309620637910,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 60% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48309620670678,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 60% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48309620703446,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Soconusco_bar.jpg?v=1780331097"},{"product_id":"bolivia-tranquilidad-wild-harvest-single-origin-chocolate-copy-2","title":"Puerto Quito (Sleeping Beauty) Ecuador Single Origin Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003ePuerto Quito — Ecuador\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI know that as parents (chocolate makers and their beans) we should not have favorite bean children. (So I won't say this is my favorite). (But it has me completely beguiled). This is my Sleeping Beauty chocolate fairy tale. And I'm the evil queen. Over the years this bean was making me look bad and has given me so much grief - so much so that I threatened to banish them completely from my queendom.  I sealed them up in locked barrels and put them so far back in the bean room that they would never be seen again for 1000 years and then someone else could throw them away. Until my grandson Logan whispered to me to try it again. Once again, everything went wrong. Weird stuff happened. The scale turned off and on three times without me doing it and after that it gave out strange readings. (Batteries were in perfect condition).  During the roast - which I cannot walk away from because I'm plotting the on the graph every 60 seconds - my mechanical pencil flew out of my hand and broke into as many pieces as it possibly could and I had nothing else to write with so I'm scrambling trying to find a tiny piece of lead to plot my roast.  Then the roast went completely sideways all by itself (I did not even touch the flame OR the damper or any other controls) and it suddenly-flat lined for no reason and never got anywhere near the End Of Roast temp I wanted. Then, the entire room smelled like very strong strawberries - and stayed that way for TWO DAYS.  This bean never smelled like strawberries before nor did it have that flavor note. There's more mysterious weirdness, but let's get to the chocolate. (ssshhhhh, ok, it is now my favorite but don't tell Puerto Quito).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar or in 0.4 oz Tasting Tiles - in your choice of Extra Dark 70% and\/or Dark \u003cem\u003eMilk\u003c\/em\u003e 55%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Puerto Quito, Ecuador\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Local Co-op with 25 producers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenetics:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nacional Arriba\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Direct trade, HCP Heirloom Designee, Organic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tart cherry, marzipan, apricot, delicate warm spices and light nuttiness. The dark milk version echos all of this but in a fun and delightful way. Additionally, the Heirloom Cacao Preservations international tasting panel had high praise for the beans (which cracks me up) and described them as rich and complex, but balanced caramel and nutty notes, followed by complex fruit and astringent notes with a long-lasting, velvety chocolate finish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter (milk varieties include whole milk powder)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePuerto Quito cacao personality type: One part Imp (a sometimes troublesome and usually mischievous being\/bean), and one part Justify (the racehorse). Justify is the 3 year old Thoroughbred who swept the triple-crown back in 2018. An unknown, untested underdog whose youthful and prankish naughty personality made him just as likely to jump out of the gates and immediately veer off the track to go nibble grass in the center field or, they hoped, he would put the pedal to the metal and run like the wind. Hopefully towards the finish line. Nobody knew! They knew he had potential. But was it potential to be a winner? Or potential to be a screwball?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLikewise, Puerto Quito has a gleam in its eye that makes one weary. What are you going to do this time, dear Puerto Quito? Are you going to do as you're asked? Are you going to sweep the chocolate version of the triple-crown as your regal lineage would have you do? Or are you going to throw off your jockey and go eat some hay? Maybe gallop over into the crowd and see if anybody has a slice of apple? Nobody knows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne time while attending a cocoa roasting seminar given by the most knowledgeable cocoa bean roaster in the country (IMHO) and someone who also has a bit of inner prankster; he had offered up to us students to \"bring your most troublesome beans to the seminar so we can roast them together and learn by doing\". Haha! I chuckled an evil chuckle (being a little impish myself). I brought Puerto Quito. And yep, even the most seasoned cacao roasting pro had to step back and scratch his head. And then (!) he had to go back and roast yet another batch - because he could not quite believe a bean could be THAT squirrel-y. HA! Vindicated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePuerto Quito does have quite a lineage. It is the #5 designee in the Heirloom Cacao Preservation lineup (HCPcacao.org). La Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios Artesanal Nueva Esperanza (ASOANE) is an association of 25 producers of artisanal agriculture located in Puerto Quito, Ecuador. Cacao farming arrived to this region more than 75 years ago when Nacional cacao was brought in from the neighboring Los Rios Province – known not only for its complex flavor profile but its ability to co-exist with other plants and trees that promote habitats for midge pollinators, birds, and other animals. Its flavor profile from HCP looks like this: Aroma: rich chocolate base with a hint of wood. Flavor: very complex finish is balanced and long lasting with chocolate being dominant and a velvety chocolate astringency. Pronounced chocolate start is augmented with caramel and nutty notes. Mid-taste brings in mild fruit acidity and astringent notes that drive the nuts\/nut skin character along with complex plum\/dark fruit and other fruit notes. Trace of tobacco\/tobacco spice notes and hint of floral note go towards the spice and mint direction. Sounds pretty good, huh?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI know you haven't seen Puerto Quito in the Cocoa Forge lineup for a long time. Why? Well. I was mad at Puerto Quito. It would not behave. I was punishing it for its bad behavior and sent it to the back corner of the bean room to go think about itself. And so there it sat. For a long, looooong time. I seriously almost threw the whole lot away. Thousands of dollars in beans. That's how frustrated I was with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFast forward. I wanted to make some chocolate that reminds me of my grandson, Logan. It had to be surprising, it had to have flavor that hits you like a wrecking ball. It needed to be sweet and pure with a side of chaos. It had to be spicey. It had to be uniquely itself, no question, no mistaking it for any other. Well. There's only one bean in the bean room with this reputation. I wearily opened the barrel. It smacked me upside the head with aromas – aromas that should not have been there. Not after all the time spent in the corner. It should have been subdued and mellow. Haha! Nope. And did it behave? Nope. It gave me a run for my money. Roasting it was like doing a steeple chase. But, in the end, Puerto Quito ran like the wind, just like its royal genetics promised.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark 70% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48312368922838,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark 70% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48312368955606,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 55% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48312368988374,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dark Milk 55% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48312369021142,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Puerto_Quito_snow_white_bar.jpg?v=1780339790"},{"product_id":"pangoa-peru-single-origin-chocolate-copy","title":"The Light in the Darkness (Ecocacao 85% swirled with Caramelized White 33%)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Light in the Darkness — Ecuador \u0026amp; Dominican Republic\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis might be my favorite way to enjoy chocolate (besides tasting it in a warmed\/liquid state).  But I love the way the sweetness plays with the bitterness.  Life.  In a bar of chocolate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bars (Because of the tricky double-pour these are often over 3 oz)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dominican Republic, EcoCacao (Esmeraldas region) Ecuador.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sustainably Sourced, Organic, Fairtrade, Direct trade,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Caramel with brownie\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, whole milk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Swirled Dark 72% w\/ Caramelized White 33% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":48312988532950,"sku":null,"price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/lightindarkness2.jpg?v=1788907474"},{"product_id":"costa-esmeraldas-ecuador-single-estate-chocolate-copy-1","title":"Eco Cacao Ecuador Single Origin Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003eEco Cacao — Ecuador\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocated in the coastal Esmeraldas region of Ecuador, EcoCacao is committed to preserving and regenerating the forests of Punta Galera, which is the last reasonably sized humid tropical forest next to the sea in the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Adventure Bar or in 0.4 oz Tasting Tiles - in your choice of Extra Dark 85% and\/or the Dark \u003cem\u003eMilk\u003c\/em\u003e coming in at a big 62%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ecuador\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cooperative\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenetics\/Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ecuadorian Nacional Hybrids\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Organic, Fair Trade, Direct Trade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark bar has cherry, fudgey brownie, apricot jam, raisin and raspberry notes and something else interesting I can't quite place but I'm wondering if it is the special wood they use for the fermentation boxes. See what you think. The dark milk bar mirrors all those but has a beautiful creamy veil over all. Not too sweet. Really lovely and subtle.  There are no bugles blaring on this one.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter (milk varieties include whole milk powder)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark-\u003cem\u003emilk\u003c\/em\u003e bar contains milk. (The dark bar is completely vegan)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotes from Uncommon Cacao: \"\u003cem\u003eSeveral NGOs have worked with EcoCacao and other UOPROCAE members since 2005 on environmental and cacao related projects, most notably a practice known as regenerative agriculture. The aim in this type of farming is to actually restore rainforest within cacao farms, rather than deforest in order to plant cacao. Since 2016, there has not been explicit funding for the regenerative agriculture project, and it has become obvious that for it to survive, the cacao needs to sell at a price that can sustain the training program, management, and audit of the regenerative practices that cacao farmers within EcoCacao are using. Uncommon Cacao partnered with Endorfin to pay regenerative premiums so this important project can continue.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn order to preserve the best varieties, EcoCacao is marking the best trees at all of the farms. They use seeds from those trees to grow saplings to plant in other areas. That helps them be certain that they are selecting for genetics that do really well in this micro- climate. Climate change is heavily affecting cacao in the area.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark 85% \/ 3 oz Large Adventure Bar","offer_id":48312989941974,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark 85% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48312989974742,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 62% \/ 3 oz Large Adventure Bar","offer_id":48312990007510,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk 62% \/ .4 oz Tasting Tile","offer_id":48312990040278,"sku":null,"price":3.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/eco901_Sue_Fitch.jpg?v=1777659082"},{"product_id":"monthly-sailings-4-grand-adventure-bars","title":"Monthly Sailings — Curated Flight Supscription (4 Grand Adventure Bars)","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery month, we curate a flight of 4 large Grand Adventure Bars and ship them straight to your door. Each flight is a passport to the world's finest cacao origins — no planning required, just pure discovery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDark Flight\u003c\/strong\u003e — Four bold, single-origin dark bars showcasing the depth and complexity of cacao from around the world.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDark Milk Flight\u003c\/strong\u003e — A bridge between dark and milk, these bars offer a creamy, nuanced experience with origin character front and center.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSurprise Me Flight\u003c\/strong\u003e — I'll choose for you!  A curated mix of my favorite bars of the moment, spanning origins and styles.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShips monthly. Cancel anytime.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cacao Voyages by The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark Flight","offer_id":50043623538902,"sku":null,"price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dark Milk Flight","offer_id":50043623571670,"sku":null,"price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Surprise Me Flight","offer_id":50043623604438,"sku":null,"price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/monthlysailings1.jpg?v=1785972812"},{"product_id":"eco-cacao-ecuador-single-origin-chocolate-copy","title":"Tamana Mountain, Trinidad Single Estate Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003eTamana Mt — Trinidad\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTamana Mountain Chocolates Estate is a family-run farm located in the central region of Trinidad.  In 2017 the family purchased a mature cocoa estate comprising 10 acres of Trinitario Cocoa trees.  Jacqueline and Martin Matthew along with their three children went on to win a Cacao of Excellence award in 2019!  They not only grow, ferment and dry their own beans but they don't stop there; they go on to make their own tree-to-bar chocolate and artisanal cacao products.  At some point, I was in the right place at the right time and was able to buy some of their coveted beans - all the more precious since they use all their beans in their chocolate business.  I only had enough to make a small batch and just have a few bars left.  This island chocolate is both vibrant and laid back all at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Adventure Bar in Dark \u003cem\u003eMilk\u003c\/em\u003e coming in at a high 64%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trinidad\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFarm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tamana Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenetics\/Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trinitario\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Buttery caramel, mildly fruity with herbal, earthy and lemon zest finish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, milk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens:\u003c\/strong\u003e The dark-\u003cem\u003emilk\u003c\/em\u003e bar contains milk. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrinidad has a unique cacao history and has played - and still plays - an important role not just in growing but in research and education. Cacao trees were introduced early on by Aragonese and Catalan Capuchin friars who brought, planted and farmed Criollo cacao which became one of the principal resources of the island.  So, that by itself is really interesting to me because that specific variety had to have come from up in the \"cradle of cultivation\" in southern Mexico\/Guatemala area.  That trek can't have been easy to pull off at that time.  But fast forward to 1727; disaster strikes.  The literature says 'blast' or 'blight' which some have interpreted as disease and still others as a hurricane.  That will remain a mystery but whatever caused the collapse, the plantations were wiped out and the trees died and the plantations were abandoned.  Thirty years later the Capuchin Fathers returned to re-establish their missions and this time they brought cacao seedlings of the variety which they were the first to call Forastero or \"foreign\".  Which is also interesting because these probably came from the Venezuelan native wild stands along the Middle Orinoco (Venezuela is only something like 7 miles away).  Once established the Forastero began to hybridize with what was left of the local Criollo trees, and a new variety, Trinitario was born.  Trinitario combined the taste qualities of Criollo with the vigor, hardiness, and high yields of Forastero.  And this novelty was spread throughout the cocoa growing world.  (Along with Forastero itself - which you can understand why it spread especially when the tree was introduced to farmers in different countries around the equator who had no idea about cocoa - let alone how to grow it!).  [History from The True History of Chocolate, Sophie and Michael Coe]\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark Milk 64% \/ 3 oz Large Adventure Bar","offer_id":50409366520022,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Tamana_Mt_bar_1_zoom_out.jpg?v=1789260964"},{"product_id":"pangoa-peru-single-origin-chocolate-copy-1","title":"Piura Blanco Peru Single Origin Chocolate","description":"\u003ch2\u003ePiura Blanco — Peru\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bean has an OMG component to its story.  We are heading to the arid coastal northwest part of Peru - you can see on the map where the bottom of Ecuador sort of splits Peru forming a western spur.  I have not been to this origin in person and had only seen photos which defied everything I have come to expect (lush tropical valleys of cacao growing lands).  My immediate thought about Piura Blanco was \"no way, someone had to have messed up the photos\".  But no!  This is for real.  These beans defy logic!  When I was making the chocolate I could smell the desert and the sandy rocky soils.  I felt like I could smell and taste mesquite or chaparral - but the brain can tell you stories when it sees photos right?  For sure though, there is a distinct mineral component that sets this origin apart in a very good and enticing way.  It's the Rocky Balboa of cacao.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in the Large 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar, dark only (68%).  Only a few left.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Piura Blanco, Peru\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLocation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Piura, Northwest arid coast\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenetics\/Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Native Blanco de Piura genetics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCacao certifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e Organic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tropical fruit, persimmon, lime marmalade with some mild malt and nutty notes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirectly from the Chocolate Alchemist John: \u003cem\u003e\"Piura Blanco is an outlier origin because it’s literally grown in the Sechura desert and is one of the very few of a handful of legit heirloom cacao cultivars. These communities have been growing this cacao for somewhere around 1000-1300 years since the time that the Moche or their predecessors carried seeds over the Andes from an area that is the present-day border of Amazonian Ecuador and Peru. There are very narrow river\/stream valleys cutting through the desert as they come down from the Andes and that’s where the communities cultivate cacao, rice, and a few other crops including mango and lime. As the European market and price sensitivity has gotten worse, they’ve been cutting down more and more cacao to plant mango and lime which have higher values in the domestic market.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThese particular communities are some of the only cacao producers where no other varieties (e.g., run of the mill Trinitarios\/hybrids, CCN-51) have worked their way into the mix.  By supporting this bean, you are helping the community of Puerta Pulache, to improve harvest and post-harvest process,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe color is like a dark milk chocolate from the ~30% white beans plus a portion of lavender\/pink, which is the natural color mix from this cacao population - there hasn’t been a deliberate selection for white seeds.\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere's more.  Directly from Cacaolife Peru: \u003cem\u003e\"\u003cspan style=\"font-family: montserrat,sans-serif;\" class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"\u003eThe history of this bean origin is pretty interesting. Ready? Here we go.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\" style=\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: montserrat,sans-serif;\" class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"\u003eThanks to a small break at the lowest point of the Andes, called El Paso de Porculla, the Mayo-Chinchipe-Marañón Amazonian cultures were able to make their way to the arid northern coast of Peru where they traded their cacao and other goods with coastal communities. Over millennia, amid tough growing conditions, these coastal communities helped the cacao adapt and thrive throughout various areas of the department of Piura—each area creating its own unique cacao bean origin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\" style=\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: montserrat,sans-serif;\" class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"\u003eOne of those areas is home to the bean known as Piura White. And it grows in what are now the provinces of Ayabanca and Piura. More specifically the districts of Las Lomas, Tambogrande, Montero, Paimas, and Suyo. It’s an exceptional cacao harvested at an elevation of ~50-400m that will surely take your chocolate making to the next level.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\" style=\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: montserrat,sans-serif;\" class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"\u003eTypically made up of ~30% white beans, Piura White is a mix of Native Blanco de Piura genetics that is light in colour and rich in complex dark fruit and citrus flavours with mild panela, malt, and nutty notes. It also has medium acidity and is extremely low in tannins—the likely result of these cacao trees not needing to ward off all the pests that come with more humid tropical climates, like Witch’s Broom. Piura White has done such a good job of adapting to this area’s low humidity and scarce water that if you transplanted them to the jungle today, they likely wouldn’t survive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\" style=\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: montserrat,sans-serif;\" class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"\u003eIt is precisely this bean’s geographic location and rare growing climate, along with its uniquely evolved genetics, that have given it its unparalleled fine-flavour profile and made it a premium cacao that has been commercialized for thousands of years. Many of the scientific theories today, supported by well-known researchers, like Dr. Evert Thomas and Dr. Juan Motamayor, and Bioversity International are that cacaos in Central America likely came from Peru—through naval trade with coastal communities in this area that obtained their merchandise from the Mayo-Chinchipe-Marañón Amazonian cultures.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\" style=\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: montserrat,sans-serif;\" class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"\u003eIf it weren’t for the Mayo-Chinchipe-Marañón cultures, who knows if cacao would have landed on the northern coast. And if it weren’t for the coastal communities who helped it thrive in the tough arid conditions, we may never have Piura White. And if we didn’t have Piura White, well, then we wouldn’t have one of the best fine-flavoured origins of one of the most sought-after bean genetics in the world.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Dark 68% \/ 3 oz Grand Adventure Bar","offer_id":50413108363478,"sku":null,"price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/Piura_bar.jpg?v=1789343499"},{"product_id":"the-next-port-of-call","title":"The next Port of Call","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDestination:\u003c\/strong\u003e Laguna Lachuá, Guatemala\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eETA:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 28\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eORIGIN:\u003c\/strong\u003e Guatemala\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREGION\/FARM:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lachuá\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTYPE:\u003c\/strong\u003e Iquitos Dominant, Trinitario, Amelonado, and Nacional\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCERTIFICATIONS:\u003c\/strong\u003e Organic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHOCOLATE MAKERS NOTES:\u003c\/strong\u003e Honey, strawberries, coffee, and… shooting stars!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanted among the lush limestone hills surrounding Laguna Lachuá, a pristine karstic lake in Cobán, Lachuá cacao has a complex personality shaped by its unique soils and surrounding rainforest. These local cacao trees have been selected for both performance and flavor. The result is bright citric acidity, bringing together tangy fresh berries with nostalgic notes of coffee, nuts, and chocolate. It’s approachable, lively, and a great introduction to heirloom and fine-flavor cacao.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Q’eqchi’ Maya farmer communities of Lachuá have planted more than 245 hectares of new cacao since 2014. In addition to protecting the lake and strengthening local livelihoods, they are developing a biodiverse agroforestry system with other crops, including cardamom and chili peppers. The cacao is a blend of Iquitos Dominant, Trinitario, Amelonado, and Nacional varieties, and it is certified organic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStand by for the newest batch coming up soon!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cacao Voyages by The Cocoa Forge","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50416819863766,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/2615\/4966\/files\/lachua_map1.jpg?v=1789496293"}],"url":"https:\/\/thecocoaforge.com\/collections\/shop.oembed","provider":"Cacao Voyages by The Cocoa Forge","version":"1.0","type":"link"}