‘Why a Chocolate Origin Trip Should Be Next on Your Travel List.’
As conscientious 21st century travelers, we are continually seeking exciting and meaningful new adventures. From the nuanced wine tastings through the valleys of Napa and Sonoma, the ecstatic thrill of cliff-jumping lake Tahoe, and witnessing the active nocturnal life deep in the forests of Costa Rica, the world of travel is burgeoning with exciting options.
Amongst these trends, Chocolate tourism, similar to wine tourism, seems to provide a unique combination of ecological, cultural, and culinary adventures.
Admittedly, with so many travel opportunities available, it’s hard to envision the perfect travel experience. When my friend shared stories from his recent chocolate adventures through the Dominican Republic (DR), he excited me with so many compelling elements that I had to share his story.
Mark and I sat down with some DR dark chocolate, as he excitedly shared stories from his week-long trip through Dominican cacao plantations. His eyes lit up as he remembered arriving in San Francisco De Macorís, a central hub for cacao farms and processing facilities in the Dominican Republic, and then onward to the Zorzal Cacao Estate.
Nestled in the northern mountains of the Dominican Republic, American Craft chocolate companies have recently taken to Zorzal for its private reserve cacao beans and patented fermentation process. Zorzal’s story extends beyond cacao and is its pristine wildlife bird sanctuary and humanitarian empowerment efforts through chocolate.
A trip to such a cacao estate sounds like the ideal vacation for any traveler. His experience reminded me of my travels — experiencing the stunning array of biodiversity in Costa Rica, or learning about growing exceptional quality produce through my epicurean research. Marks adventure, however, comprehensively packaged these elements in a unique experience.
In June 2019, Pennsylvania based craft chocolate maker — Moka Origins- introduced their craft chocolate fans to experience Zorzal- a week-long Rainforest Chocolate Immersion trip. My friend Mark was a part of this immersion trip, and along with the rest of the group, got to visit this magnificent cacao estate and pristine eco-reserve.
As an epicurean seeker, the trip sounded exciting to me and made me want to experience such a tour.
I was ignorant about the harsh working conditions behind the commercial chocolate flavored candy at first, but being connected with the craft chocolate world, I have a fonder appreciation for all kinds of chocolate — craft and commercial. And so, I ask you to consider these reasons while contemplating your next travel destination.
Here are 4 reasons ‘Why a Chocolate Origin Trip Should Be Next on Your Travel List.’
1. Immersive Nature Therapy in Ecological Reserves:
We have all experienced that blissful serenity that captivates our senses as we walk through dense forest or hike a challenging trail.
The bustling flora and fauna of the Dominican rainforests comes to life every night. When the group camped out in the forests, the bustling fauna was so loud that they had trouble hearing themselves over the campfire. Although I love my sleep, I would definitely trade some rest for such immersive nature therapy.
Zorzal Estate boasts a 1,019 acre wildlife sanctuary dedicated to the Bicknell Thrush — a endangered bird species that migrates annually between the DR and North America.
Use your Chocolate Immersion Adventure for yourself — as a way to sight unique wildlife, connect with yourself, and swim in tropical rivers. With so many colors, sounds and hidden treasures, the world’s chocolate belt is a photographers delight.
2. Promoting Conscious consumption:
As conscious consumers, we pride ourselves in considering the various ecological and ethical factors behind the products we purchase. From the clothes we buy to the food that we eat, we are increasingly more mindful about the source and quality of our products.
Cacao Origin trips such as Moka origin’s Immersion Trips programs, seem to promote such mindful consumerism. Moka’s simple mission- to pay premium wages for premium quality beans and support the farmers sustaining the chocolate industry- is one that fuels its meaningful partnerships
Besides being such a unique and exciting experience for visitors, chocolate tourism helps empower cacao farmers by allowing tourists to become advocates for these farmers and their painstaking efforts, back at home.
3. Understand the Craft Chocolate Industry and Advocate for Cacao Farmers
Walking through the dense plantations of Zorzal, Mark learned to harvest and break open the cacao pod. The group tasted the freshest cacao beans and witnessed the various stages of processing the cacao bean before craft chocolate makers like Moka Origins to showcase the nuanced flavors of the particular bean in a bar form.
Dedicating days, or even weeks to developing the perfect roast profile, it is clear that craft chocolate makers are not corporations. They are passionate individuals that work together with the countless farmers to source premium beans and make a quality product that further fuels their pride, passion, and contentment.
Marks stories of his Moka Origins Chocolate Immersion experience gave me a better insight into the companies “Buy Moka, Impact Lives” mission. The company invests its profits into supporting and empowering cacao farming communities around the world, and by introducing their Moka Box subscribers to The Zorzal Immersion Trip.
4. New Culinary Pairings
Back when I started working in Kitchens when we referred to chocolate in the kitchen, we usually picked up a bag of Valrhona or Callebaut to incorporate into our luscious chocolate mousse or decadent Chocolate torte. These are great quality chocolate, but working with commercial chocolate, I lacked an understanding of the various nuances culinary and potential of Bean to Bar Chocolate.
Although Callebaut’s commercial chocolate bars have fed my sugar addiction in the past, my recent involvement with the craft chocolate world has made me more mindful of my chocolate consumption habits, and empowered me to speak more educatedly about it in a culinary context. Similar mindfulness is gradually taking over the culinary world, where top chefs and culinary educators are investing in a more comprehensive craft chocolate education.
In 2015, The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) had invested in setting up the ICE Chocolate Lab, “where students get to take part in the bean-to-bar chocolate process, giving them a firsthand education on the importance of ingredient sourcing, refining, and selection.” Such a focused chocolate education only serves to expand the quality of chocolate-related events and innovations the culinary world takes up.
Thankfully, culinary trailblazers such as Alice Waters (Berkley California) and Alain Ducasse (Paris, France) are gradually partnering with bean-to-bar chocolate makers for their gastronomic showcases. By understanding the intricate flavor profiles of different single-origin beans at the farm level, through Moka origins immersion program, Mark has gained a deeper understanding of how to pair chocolates with different foods. Just as Alain Ducasse, Mark and I have recently taken to grating bars of chocolates over our buttered toasts. (Trust me, it’s incredible)
Next time you are baking a sour dough, opening a new tuscan, tasting a new lager or sipping on some fine Guatemala coffee, consider how they would pair well with a Single-origin Dominican Republic, Cameroon, or Sierra Leone bar.
Join Moka on its next Origins Adventure, get your hands dirty working with cacao farmers craft chocolate, and join the American Craft Chocolate movement in advocating for those who allow us to sustain our chocolate consumption.
