How I became a chocolate maker

I remember it like it was yesterday: It was a warm spring day in Lima, and I was roasting coffee on my rooftop terrace in Barranco.

Amanda and Richard were there, and they brought different cacao samples. That afternoon I roasted cacao for the first time!

Awakening the chocolate maker

About five years earlier, I had opened a boutique coffee shop and, over time, became a barista, roaster, and coffee shop owner. I still love coffee and will continue to source and roast the best coffees I can get my hands on. Yet, since I opened up my heart to cacao, there was no turning back: the chocolate maker in me had woken up.

shot that wakes up the chocolate maker in me

 

Initial learning

I had no idea how, but I was determined to make chocolate from the best cacao in Peru. So I started asking my coffee farmers for cacao sources. At the same time, my friend Amanda kindly introduced me to the beautiful world of artisanal chocolate making.

The curve

While I was eagerly absorbing knowledge about making chocolate, Richard accompanied me on my first roasts until I developed a connection with the dark matter myself.

The cacao connection

To get anything done here, you need to get to an agreement with the spirits ruling the task at hand, then be patient and watch it happen, slowly!

Taking a bus, starting a business, go out for dinner, sourcing cacao, making chocolate. It all has nothing to do with logic or effort! If/when it finally happens, it will feel like magic and not like a product of planning and diligent work.

Looking for guidance in the area, I connected with Serap of Cacao Mama, who told me the same: find and grow your connection with the spirit of cacao, align with that, and the rest will flow.

The cacao ceremony

And so it went. I used my beans to make traditional cacao beverages and used my meditative moments in the morning to find and nurture my connection with the spirit of cacao.

Nothing like a shot of pure cacao to get you up in the morning :) I focussed that energy inwards, and it opened up my heart and got a conversation going with the cacao spirit.

cacao ceremony

First chocolate

My first batches of chocolate I made from ceremonial grade beans for my ceremonies. Nowadays, whenever I consider a new source, I will always make a batch ceremonial chocolate and try it. Only if it's good enough for me, I'll consider making chocolate from it.

The cacao message

If you've ever been high on chocolate, you'll know that the main feeling is love. It's a fantastic heart-opener and a great teacher for those who are willing to listen.


The message I kept getting was: "The world needs more of this energy."

Motivation

I don't see this as a business. It's a mission. A mission to share the love with the world and open up hears. Of course, it has a business side of it to make things work in today's world. hat's an excellent opportunity to do things differently. 

Origin

Hence I decided not to trade cacao and process it somewhere else but make chocolate from it close to its source. That way, all the added value stays local, and I can work with a great variety of Peruvian cacao. 

That also means I only work with Peruvian cacao. As you can read in this article, that still leaves me with a large part of the cacao genetics :)

Direction

So this is how I got where I am today. I hope the direction I'm taking is well received, and the world is welcoming my message and cacao. So far, I have found many excellent human beings to work with that resonate with this and look forward to the beautiful connections that are yet to form.

Synergy

If you feel like being part of this in any form or way, Please don't hesitate to contact me and let's see how we can build synergetic collaboration.

Spread the love, one bar at a time!

Geoff

 

Special thanks

To all the people that influenced me and helped me on my way. Including but not limited to:

 

 

 

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