By desesperately searching for Cacao traders in Toronto as wanted to prepare an authentic mexican hot chocolate from my favourite "My Sweet Mexico" cookbook, I bumped into these AMAZING guys 'ChocoSol' who to me is a very inspiring community/social enterprise!.. They basically stand for fair trade, organic and artisanal Chocolate. They import Chocolate from communities in Oaxaca, Mexico where they have built relationships and support community growers. The more I read about industrialized cacao and the slavery created by the excessive demand and the unconcious exploitation of natural resources from both, consumers and multinational companies, the more I convince myself that we all need to support sustainable initiatives that ultimately come from people who are trying to make a difference. I found this interview with Chocosol & this chocolate slavery article online that really inspired me to question where my food is comming from and making sure that the integrity and soul of those involved is kept whole.
Believe me when I tell you that the taste of Real Cacao and artisanal chocolate is highly superior than any other I've ever bought. From now on I'll make my own chocolate at home. This has really opened my eyes to do the right thing and strongly support those that also know change has to be made.
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Fascinating, now you've got me curious. I'd love to try some of that chocolate!
ReplyDelete*kisses* HH
I'll bet that their chocolate is Amazing. In Nashville, we have Olive&Sinclair Artisan Chocolatier, who use only sustainably raised fair trade cacao beans.
ReplyDeleteIt makes all the difference--flavor and value
I've also tasted pure Mexican chocolate (from Boston's Taza company) and I do like it, but not as much as the creamier textures of European and American chocolate. It's great the ChocoSol is supporting sustainable initiatives, and I hope one day I get to try their chocolates too!
ReplyDeleteThank you for including a link to my blog, Cooking in Mexico ("article" link in your post above). For chocolate lovers, it is important that we not support chocolate producers who buy from growers using child slave labor, a common practice in West Africa where much of the cocoa is grown.
ReplyDeleteKathleen