Part 2: Although cacao’s birthplace is across the upper Amazon in South America, 70 percent of cacao comes from West Africa. In this two-part episode, we’re exploring the history and politics of chocolate and meet the farmers who make it all happen. Last week, you heard from Rick Scobey, president of the World Cocoa Foundation, and author and journalist Órla Ryan, who spoke about the historical significance and present-day cultivation of cocoa in Africa.


Today, Simran Bindra, director of East African cocoa supplier Kokoa Kamili in Tanzania, explains the growing popularity of specialized varieties. (Episode image courtesy of Kokoa Kamili.)


Learn more at theslowmelt.com.


This show is brought to you by Audible. Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.


If you like what you hear, please consider making a donation to support a second season at theslowmelt.com/donate/

Episode 9: Your Chocolate is Probably African (part 2)

The first podcast to cover the continuum of chocolate, The Slow Melt uses chocolate as the thick, delicious lens through which to explore the world—from flavor and physiology to chemistry and conservation, from global markets and gender to climate change, social justice and beyond—highlighting the people, places and processes behind this $100 billion industry. By better understanding chocolate, we can better appreciate it, more easily identify what we love, and support the makers and producers that create those kinds of bars.

The Slow Melt is hosted and written by journalist and author Simran Sethi. Guests include farmers, conservationists, manufacturers, tasting experts, scientists, social justice advocates, chocolate purveyors and, of course, award-winning chocolate makers.

Learn more at http://theslowmelt.com

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

Fruition Chocolate was founded in 2011 by Bryan Graham and is based in Woodstock, USA. The company is known for stone-grinding cocoa beans as a means, Bryan says, of accentuating their inherent flavor. Fruition Chocolate won the gold medal for “Best in Competition” at the 2016 International Chocolate Awards. In this episode, Bryan tells us about his pastry chef training, the story behind the Corazon de Dahlia bar and how the proceeds help children in Peru, and about recreating flavors in chocolate that he loved in his youth.


Please join us in tasting the Corazon de Dahlia Milk Chocolate Quinoa Crunch bar. Learn more at theslowmelt.com. For more information on Fruition, head to their website (www.tastefruition.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 


This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:



Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at blueapron.com/chocolate.

Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.




Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at theslackers.com.

Makers Series 9: Fruition Chocolate

Fruition Chocolate was founded in 2011 by Bryan Graham and is based in Woodstock, USA. The company is known for stone-grinding cocoa beans as a means, Bryan says, of accentuating their inherent flavor. Fruition Chocolate won the gold medal for “Best in Competition” at the 2016 International Chocolate Awards. In this episode, Bryan tells us about his pastry chef training, the story behind the Corazon de Dahlia bar and how the proceeds help children in Peru, and about recreating flavors in chocolate that he loved in his youth.


Launching October 6, 2017. Please join us in tasting the Corazon de Dahlia Milk Chocolate Quinoa Crunch bar. Learn more at theslowmelt.com. For more information on Fruition, head to their website (www.tastefruition.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount on all products, including the Corazon de Dahlia Milk Chocolate Quinoa Crunch bar, from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 


This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:



Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at blueapron.com/chocolate.

Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.




Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at theslackers.com.

Preview of Makers Series 9: Fruition Chocolate

Theo Chocolate was founded in 2006 by Joe Whinney and Debra Music and is based in Seattle, USA. The company is known as being the first organic, fair-trade certified, bean-to-bar chocolate maker in North America, and offers chocolate made with beans from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru, as well as confections and caramels. In this episode, Joe tells us about experiencing Mayan cocoa drinks and working on cacao farms as a young conservation volunteer, the many ideas he had to support these farmers that eventually led to building the Theo factory in Seattle in 2005, and why organic certification is important to them.


Please join us in tasting the Bread and Chocolate bar. Learn more at theslowmelt.com. For more information on Theo, head to their website (www.theochocolate.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 50% discount on their fantasy bar line, including the Bread and Chocolate bar, from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 


This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:



Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at blueapron.com/chocolate.

Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.




Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at theslackers.com.

Makers Series 8: Theo Chocolate

Theo Chocolate was founded in 2006 by Joe Whinney and Debra Music and is based in Seattle, USA. The company is known as being the first organic, fair-trade certified, bean-to-bar chocolate maker in North America, and offers chocolate made with beans from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru, as well as confections and caramels. In this episode, Joe tells us about experiencing Mayan cocoa drinks and working on cacao farms as a young conservation volunteer, the many ideas he had to support these farmers that eventually led to building the Theo factory in Seattle in 2005, and why organic certification is important to them.


Launching September 22, 2017. Please join us in tasting the Bread and Chocolate bar. Learn more at theslowmelt.com. For more information on Theo, head to their website (www.theochocolate.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 50% discount on their Fantasy Bar line, including the Bread and Chocolate bar, from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 


This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:



Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at blueapron.com/chocolate.

Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.




Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at theslackers.com.

Preview of Makers Series 8: Theo Chocolate

Cailo Chocolate was founded in 2016 by the Castillo and Carniello families and is based in Perth, Australia. The bean-to-bar producer sources its cocoa beans from the Bocas del Toro region of Panama and is known for small-batch chocolate bars that incorporate ingredients indigenous to Australia, such as ooray, lemon myrtle and mountain pepper. Hear from co-founder and chocolate maker Mark Carniello about his “aha” moment in Santa Barbara, California, shipping beans to the remote coast of West Australia, and bringing awareness to native foods through his flavor inclusions.


Please join us in tasting the Ooray bar. Learn more at theslowmelt.com. For more information on Cailo, head to their website (www.cailochocolate.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount on all products, including the Ooray bar, from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 


This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:



Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at blueapron.com/chocolate.

Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.




Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at theslackers.com.

Episode 9: Your Chocolate is Probably African (part 2)

Download our free app to listen on your phone