Specialisation alert

Chocolate…

Not the kind with the ingredient list of a chemical laboratory but those that contain COCOA in various forms –> butter, powder, nibs and liquor, enriched by nuts, and if necessary, a small amount of (coconut) sugar. That’s it, nothing else needed. It is possible.

That is, I am into dark chocolate, made sustainably as much as possible, the beans processed locally or at least it is made sure that its production benefits those who actually worked with the plants and the harvest.

Yes, it’s pricey but the majority of low-priced sweets we find on the shelves of any supermarket is not only detrimental to health but the way they are poduced is often bad for the environment and doesn’t benefit local workers. Those who work in those factories pay a high price so we can buy cheap (both quality and price-wise) ‘chocolate’ far from its source.

Why chocolate and why now?

I could say… why not? But it’s out of frustration. I failed to convince someone, again, who proofread my work, that Couverture chocolate is not equal to dark chocolate.

If my lifelong admiration for cocoa beans is not enough to convince you about my expertise, then citing a couple of university courses about cocoa production and agriculture of Africa, followed by readings and documentaries about the fair trade movement, its success and pitfalls, together with the history of plantations in and beyond Africa, will hopefully help my cause.

Make sure you check what you buy. Be it chocolate or else.

Photo: iStock

#specialisation #chocolateproduction #cocoaproduction #fairtrade #sustainability #research #writing #africa #cocoa #couverture #chocolate #couverturechocolate