My favorite bite of NW Chocolate Festival!

Posted on by in Field Study.

I wandered the NW chocolate festival in search of a nib, piece or confection that would enlighten my pallet and open my imagination. Ok, so maybe that wasn’t initially what I set out for, but that is what I got when I popped a piece of Brown Butter Bourbon Caramel from Fruition chocolate into my mouth. The chocolate was smooth and creamy as it melted over my tongue, then as the thin layer of 66% dark chocolate melted through, my mouth filled with a bourbon infused caramel. The bourbon used was from a distillery near Fruition chocolate in Shokan NY. As the caramel spread through my mouth and mixed with the chocolate, new flavors arose, smoky and earthy undertones seemed to be coming in much stronger, it was perfectly balanced so the bourbon just let you know it was there. My thoughts were of a perfect east coast fall, waves of orange, red and yellows, crisp air, good dark chocolate and some craft bourbon. All in this one confection.

By Travis Rodriguez

History of Cacao

Posted on by in Permaculture and Chocolate.

The Latin name for Cacao  – Theobroma Literally means “Food of the gods. This strange looking fruit that grows straight from the trunk of the Cacao tree played a very important roll in the history of Mesoamerican culture. The Cacao tree originates around the area we now know as Venezuela and some places Amazon River basin. The crop moved north with civilization into Central America, becoming a staple of civilizations such as the Mayans. Mesoamerican people would dry the bean of the cacao tree, roast it using clay vessels and then grind it with a stone and roller into a fine paste. They would then add herbs and sweeteners such as honey or sap before shaping the paste into a ball and letting it dry. Once the cacao ball dried they would shave it into a cup to make a hot frothy cacao beverage. This beverage was highly valued and drank at special events like weddings.