h o w   w e   m a k e   c h o c o l a t e

1   s t a r t   w i t h   t h e   b e s t   r a w   i n g r e d i e n t s

Only three ingredients enter our chocolate: cocoa beans, cane sugar and cocoa butter.

We slow drum roast cocoa beans for each chocolate batch, releasing the cocoa’s unique flavors.

Cocoa’s character changes dramatically with different roasts. We publish cocoa roast levels on

each bar for your comparison.

 r o a s t   l e v e l s

light -just enough to soften raw cocoa’s acidic or green edge

medium - cocoa flavors develop to be balanced and flavorful

dark -full bodied, bold, intense, new flavor notes can develop while others may be subdued

Cocoa percentage % is the ratio of cocoa mass - nibs and cocoa butter, to sugar. Sugar must enhance, not overpower cocoa flavors.

Added cocoa butter makes the chocolate smooth, velvety. Too much will dilute the cocoa’s natural flavors. Changes to any of these variables can produce astonishingly different chocolate flavors.

3   s t o n e   g r i n d   a n d   c o n c h e   u s i n g   a g e - o l d   m e t h o d s

Solid granite rollers grind beans and sugar hour after hour as in ages past.

Heat, motion, aeration and time develop each chocolate’s flavor;

this is conching.

Changes in time and temperature result in dramatically different chocolate flavors.  We publish conche levels on each bar for your comparison.

c o n c h e   l e v e l s

none- primitive, natural, pungent, not appropriate for all cocoa, exquisite for some

subtle- softens primitive edge while retaining aggressive flavor notes

medium- balance between aggressive and subdued, mellow

long - flavor peaks and valleys softened to a melodic harmony

4   t e m p e r,   m o l d   a n d   f i n i s h   e a c h   b a r

Molten chocolate is heated and cooled to allow the natural development of cocoa butter crystals;

this is tempering.

Tempered molten chocolate is pumped into bar molds and cooled until solid, then wrapped and labeled.

Tempering is responsible for the sheen, snap and proper melting in the mouth when tasting - which should be vigorously pursued as often as possible.

This short video was shot down inside the chocolate making "gears and wheels" for an inside look at cocoa being transformed to chocolate.