Rare & Precious

The Dancing Lion is home from Guatemala.

And what a trip it was! I’ve followed the path of Theobroma Cacao from healthy pods at Finca Los Ujuxtes–near source of its domestication some 4,000 years ago–through the fermenting and drying process, the conching and near-magical conversion to some of the world’s finest chocolate, and finally into the collaborative creation of some innovative new truffles and bonbons.
	Finca Los Ujuxtes is a mystical place, where the cacao is grown Maya-style scattered in the rainforest, where the stove is wood-fired, where the stone swimming pool is fed by a local spring, and where the nearest modern civilisation is  hours away. Jorge, the owner is jovial and pleasant beyond description, and Eduardo, the overseer is in his own way as quality-minded as the sharpest Malcolm Baldrige expert.
Back at Danta Chocolate in Guatemala City, we surveyed the fruits of our labours as I packed some 30 kilos of chocolate bars for the flight back. The weather was fine as I hugged my new friends and we parted for what will certainly not be the last time.
And now, here I am in New Hampshire with 30 kilos of fine Guatemala chocolate from Danta. Dark Finca Las Acacias 75%, thenew Las Acacia Milk Chocolate, the hauntingly complex Dark and Milk chocolates from Finca Los Ujuxtes, and of course, the incomparable White Chocolate with Nibs. And with the rather low shipping costs, this batch of bars is $6.00 each.

Chocolate from the origins of cacao. The real stuff. It’s good to be home.