Have you ever wondered why Valentine’s Day is so inextricably coupled with the world’s most beloved food? Right, there’s your answer.
Ok that was a bit of a giveaway, but this is the idea of an AMA — Ask Me Anything. About Chocolate. All your questions… what kind of chocolate should I get my loved one, do I need to worry about lead and cadmium, how long have humans been noshing on the stuff… answered. Have at it!
And that question about Valentine’s Day and chocolate of course does go a little deeper.
How do see climate change affecting the growing patterns of cacao? The biggest piece of this ask is of course are in danger of chocolate going extinct? More specifically tho: if the growing range of cocoa changes do you see it migrating to other previously inaccessible geographies? Should we perhaps try to help it in that direction?
Hi Peter, will reply to this later today—can't now as I need to prep for a chocolate tasting I'm doing at a tech firm this afternoon. Oh the sweet irony
Ironically, it's the rampant demand for commercial chocolate that's driving deforestation (which contributes to the climate crisis) in West Africa. 70% of the world's cacao supplies are grown there, often in illegal plantations in the middle of what are supposed to be protected forests. And of course cacao trees and their ecosystems are susceptible to the ravages and disruptions of the climate crisis, so yes, cacao could go the way of the dodo along with other crops if we don't change agricultural practices.
It's unfortunately not as simple as the growing range migrating, and you certainly couldn't "help it in that direction." The heat stress on the planet is fundamentally altering ecosystem health both on land and in the sea, which in turn impacts global weather systems. It's all very tightly intertwined. The first immediate, material step we can all take as individuals is literally stop buying commercial chocolate. Cold turkey. Market forces speak loud!
Thanks for this! It's fascinating to notice when "voting with our dollar" works versus when it doesn't. Good to know the best way to help chocolate is just by refusing the bad stuff!
Hope you've been doing well, Birgitte! I've always wanted to try growing cacao, I live near DC. Is there any advice you would shout from the rooftops for a newbie?
Depending on the DC rooftop, it might be best if I came down and whispered the advice in your ear... you know, traffic noise :)
Cacao only grows within 20 degrees north and south of the Equator, so DC unfortunately is off the cacao map. Only place in the United States where you can grow it is Hawai'i, so unless you're willing to move there... you'd have to move to a cacao growing country. You could try growing a solo plant in a greenhouse, but cacao trees are highly social beings and need to be part of a community to thrive. Kinda like us humans!
Birgitte, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on my next chocolate bar. I'm looking for VERY spicy, and very good chocolate (so I slow down and enjoy the actual flavor instead of inhaling). I love spicy stuff, and I enjoyed the Bonnat 'Hacienda El Rosario' 75% Dark Chocolate Bar. Any specifics?
That is a very good question Andrew. You'll find most spicy chocolate bars really aren't very, and this is coming from someone who can't stomach wasabi :) A few years back I judged the Spicy Chocolate Awards, and my worldview of chocolate was blown open. Peppers I had never even heard of were blended with some of these chocolates. Here are some of my favorites from that competition:
• Passion Lime Habanero Chocolate by Chocolats
• Chocolate Spicy Sunset by Banyan Tree
• Chili Cocoa Nib by The Chocolate Fetish
• La Kama Moroccan Spice and Lime by CocoTutti Chocolates
And if you'd like to experience a few different types of heat, try the Spicy sampler box from Delysia Chocolatier
Email me if you have trouble finding these! Often the award entries are made for a limited time.
"Enough" is such a limiting term... I like to think in terms of abundance. So you can have "enough for the day" or "enough for now" but certainly never "enough for a lifetime"
May we always be open to new and surprising flavors, in life and in chocolate!
Is there any version of reality where I can continue to enjoy Reese's peanut butter cups without destroying the planet and/or funding slavery? BTW, I haven't purchased any mass market chocolate since our collab last fall.
Yes, there is Amran! And you're in it right now, here on The Cacao Muse. Any chocolate you see reviewed or featured (especially on the Holiday Tour) is not mass market industrial. You want craft or artisan, direct trade, ideally single origin so you know exactly where it comes from. Sadly, some of America's favorite snacks... Reese's, M&M's, Snickers, all that, are tangled up with the forced labor markets in West Africa. But trust me, once you come over to the craft side, you'll never miss the commercial stuff. I just ordered a box from Ratza Chocolate in Florida... heaven. Try their Cinnamon Cayenne...
How do see climate change affecting the growing patterns of cacao? The biggest piece of this ask is of course are in danger of chocolate going extinct? More specifically tho: if the growing range of cocoa changes do you see it migrating to other previously inaccessible geographies? Should we perhaps try to help it in that direction?
Hi Peter, will reply to this later today—can't now as I need to prep for a chocolate tasting I'm doing at a tech firm this afternoon. Oh the sweet irony
Ironically, it's the rampant demand for commercial chocolate that's driving deforestation (which contributes to the climate crisis) in West Africa. 70% of the world's cacao supplies are grown there, often in illegal plantations in the middle of what are supposed to be protected forests. And of course cacao trees and their ecosystems are susceptible to the ravages and disruptions of the climate crisis, so yes, cacao could go the way of the dodo along with other crops if we don't change agricultural practices.
It's unfortunately not as simple as the growing range migrating, and you certainly couldn't "help it in that direction." The heat stress on the planet is fundamentally altering ecosystem health both on land and in the sea, which in turn impacts global weather systems. It's all very tightly intertwined. The first immediate, material step we can all take as individuals is literally stop buying commercial chocolate. Cold turkey. Market forces speak loud!
Thanks for this! It's fascinating to notice when "voting with our dollar" works versus when it doesn't. Good to know the best way to help chocolate is just by refusing the bad stuff!
Hope you've been doing well, Birgitte! I've always wanted to try growing cacao, I live near DC. Is there any advice you would shout from the rooftops for a newbie?
Depending on the DC rooftop, it might be best if I came down and whispered the advice in your ear... you know, traffic noise :)
Cacao only grows within 20 degrees north and south of the Equator, so DC unfortunately is off the cacao map. Only place in the United States where you can grow it is Hawai'i, so unless you're willing to move there... you'd have to move to a cacao growing country. You could try growing a solo plant in a greenhouse, but cacao trees are highly social beings and need to be part of a community to thrive. Kinda like us humans!
Wait ok that's so fascinating, I'll put my question as a reply to the original thread but it also goes here!
Birgitte, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on my next chocolate bar. I'm looking for VERY spicy, and very good chocolate (so I slow down and enjoy the actual flavor instead of inhaling). I love spicy stuff, and I enjoyed the Bonnat 'Hacienda El Rosario' 75% Dark Chocolate Bar. Any specifics?
That is a very good question Andrew. You'll find most spicy chocolate bars really aren't very, and this is coming from someone who can't stomach wasabi :) A few years back I judged the Spicy Chocolate Awards, and my worldview of chocolate was blown open. Peppers I had never even heard of were blended with some of these chocolates. Here are some of my favorites from that competition:
• Passion Lime Habanero Chocolate by Chocolats
• Chocolate Spicy Sunset by Banyan Tree
• Chili Cocoa Nib by The Chocolate Fetish
• La Kama Moroccan Spice and Lime by CocoTutti Chocolates
And if you'd like to experience a few different types of heat, try the Spicy sampler box from Delysia Chocolatier
Email me if you have trouble finding these! Often the award entries are made for a limited time.
This one sounds good:
Spicy sampler box from Delysia Chocolatier
I think a variety would work well, and then I could have a baseline for comparison. Just to ask: should I just go directly to their website?
Yes it's https://delysia.com/
Curious to know what you'll think!
I will do that! Thank you again!
(also: Thanks!)
Is ever enough of chocolate flavors?
"Enough" is such a limiting term... I like to think in terms of abundance. So you can have "enough for the day" or "enough for now" but certainly never "enough for a lifetime"
May we always be open to new and surprising flavors, in life and in chocolate!
Never enough of chocolate, love to taste them all 😊😉
Is there any version of reality where I can continue to enjoy Reese's peanut butter cups without destroying the planet and/or funding slavery? BTW, I haven't purchased any mass market chocolate since our collab last fall.
Yes, there is Amran! And you're in it right now, here on The Cacao Muse. Any chocolate you see reviewed or featured (especially on the Holiday Tour) is not mass market industrial. You want craft or artisan, direct trade, ideally single origin so you know exactly where it comes from. Sadly, some of America's favorite snacks... Reese's, M&M's, Snickers, all that, are tangled up with the forced labor markets in West Africa. But trust me, once you come over to the craft side, you'll never miss the commercial stuff. I just ordered a box from Ratza Chocolate in Florida... heaven. Try their Cinnamon Cayenne...
Will check it out!
Also, there is the Slave Free Chocolate List you can check a chocolate brand against, super useful >> https://www.slavefreechocolate.org/ethical-chocolate-companies