Documents Created
3.3.4 History and Definition of Chocolate. A description of it's MesoAmerican and European histories and how how chocolate terminology is legislated today.
3.3.5 Bean to Bar- We walk through the botany and how a cacao bean becomes a bar of chocolate including teh fermenting and machinery needed to yield one of earth's most magical creations.
3.3.6 Chocolate: The Superfood. The pros of eating chocolate. IT's good for you.
3.3.7 Tempering -- The magical process that yields the shine and the snap we love in edible chocolate bars.
3.3.8 Ganache is any chocolate that is emulsified with water. From glazes (or even hot chocolate) to truffles, we explore the world of emulsification and recipes.
3.3.9 Cordials outlines some of my experimentations infusing wonderful aromas and flavors into alcohol.
Any Next Steps, New Goals
Next Steps
- Get many of the articles, videos and writings up on my website.
- Continue experiments with Raw Chocolate.
- Become a chocolate maker. Take the bean to the cocoa mass.
- Visit Costa Rica and explore chocolate making.
- Gather distribution material for Baja farmer's market (boxes/symbol).
- Play with a lemon balm elixir with honey. Melissa is bee-loving.
Best Practices
- Send chocolate to people I like.
- When tempering, pour off a little at different temps to see how tempered is different although some will work
- Use the last bit of the bowl of chocolate for experiments on heat or throw in rice krispies
- Make a hardcopy of the design/action-sheet/curriculum in order to have something to mark when making changes.
Relocalization
I want to reiterate that the theme of relocalization of production and distribution of goods and services is paramount to my lens into the permaculture movement. Within this OP, I attempt to display the value in creating businesses with fair trade ethics and value wildcrafting and locally sourcing materials. Essentially in line with homesteader ethics of creating the products we want that we are able to sell, share, barter locally. Sharing information as a resource for any home Do-It-Yourselfer's is another way to challenge the industrialization of all production. Relocalization and small scale business go hand in hand.
Key Outcomes
- Curriculum for Chocolate school
- Article on Magic of Chocolate: History, Botany, Nuturition, Production
- Article on How to Temper Chocolate
- skill of tempering chocolate
- understanding the emulsion of ganache
- understanding of sugar and alcohol and colors and timing on different flavorings
- 13 wonderful flavored chocolates: chocolate covered cherries, peanut butter nib cup, white or dark covered espresso beans, gran marnier ganache and candied orange in dark or white, triple ginger tantric ganache in dark chocolate, maca tahini cups, ghee maple caramel in white chocolate, bitter caramel and salt in dark chocolate, rosemary honey pyramids, bee bread hearts.
- 8 Cordials that I am inspired to continue production: love potion, circulatory tonic, nervine, jug of punch, cacao/honey, adaptogenic whiskey, chai whiskey, royal usquebeath.
5 P's: Political, Patrix, Personal, Professional, Pathway
• Personal Great personal growth during this OP. I designed a curriculum to learn an area where I have passion and implemented this learning. Personally, I have joyfully made chocolate 20+ times in the last 2 months. I have made several batches of a dozen different cordial infusions. I have read books and wrote articles and played with things that bring me joy.
• Professional Clear opportunity to utilize my chocolates within my caterings. Possibility of opening up product lines of chocolate or cordials or features within already existing events. My flower essence business partner was also fascinated with some of my floral ganaches like my rosewater ganache in chocolate. This will also become a page on my website. I'm considering having 2 weeks a month (maybe near Valentines day) where I ship out my packages to those interested.
• Planetary I hope that I can be another foot soldier in the sustainable local business movement. I hope I share information so that more of all our basic needs (like chocolates and cordials) can be done on a home-scale.
• Patrix Seizing production away from corporations happens in two ways in this OP. Primarily, I aim to empower myself and others to learn the skills we want to do. Secondly, in creating a small scale business, I hope to be part of the localized business that seemingly have more respect for nature and people than profits and production.
• Pathway I feel I am moving steadily forward on my Master's pathway. I feel inspired and hopeful at how well and quickly I can learn something when I set my passion and design mind toward creating a curriculum.