My Ingredients

Cacao: Sourced from responsible small-holder farmers dedicated to preserving Fine Flavor and Heirloom cacao varieties; most (if not all) are farming traditionally (regeneratively) in multi-crop agroforestry systems (forest orchards and milpas) and are either certified organic or "default" organic (which means they farm organically but can't necessarily afford the expensive certifications).

Sugar: I use organic unrefined natural cane sugar.  Sometimes called "organic evaporated cane juice" (which means it is derived from the first "spin" when the sugar is in its liquid state being extracted from the cane and then allowed to crystallize).  I like it because it still has all the available nutrients and minerals and still has the echo of its natural molasses.

Milk: Sourced from the last processor in the United States still preparing the milk properly and specifically for chocolate.  While it is carefully handled and very special, it is not certified organic.

Oatmilk: Certified organic, gluten-free, dairy-free.  I use this in the vegan dark milk chocolate.

Cacao Butter: (AKA cocoa butter) Certified organic, natural and unprocessed.  I usually source from Dominican Republic because that's my favorite and not as sharp as some can be.  I also really love some of the Pervuian cocoa butters and a few others hailing from mesoamerican regions.  

How I use the ingredients in recipes: In the very dark chocolates there are only two ingredients (cacao and sugar).  No additional cacao butter is used or needed (because there is plenty already inherently there in the beans with the very high % chocolate).  Sometimes, and depending on the bean, I may add additional cocoa butter for the lighter darks, and definitely for milk chocolates and white chocolate.  This creates the proper viscosity for a better flow, mouth-feel and workability in tempering.  

Pretty simple list of ingredients, right?  That's to allow the cacao's personality to shine! 

If I do a special run of inclusion bars (adding fruit, nuts, spices etc), I will list those extra ingredients separately on their packages.