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"It is dark as the AlChemist walks along the corridor, rough stone under his feet, air warmed from well smoldering hearth fires stirring his cowl. He opens a hewn timber door, worn smooth at the threshold over years of use. He breaths deeply the comforting smells of this laboratory. Hints of wood and smoke linger in the air from the last time he roasted raw materials for his elixirs. Another smell, heady and almost intoxicating, brings a smile to his face as he remembers the smell wafting up as he was last grinding his pastes and powders. He looks about. Everything is in place. The roasting drum is cool in the hearth. The mortars and pestles are laid out neat and tidy, only a small amount of deep brown paste marring their finish. The cracking mill is sitting ready, waiting for the next batch to be crushed fresh out of the roaster. It is time to begin his magic, his devotion, his passion, his Alchemy, yet again. He prepares himself for the work ahead. The roasting, the cracking, the winnowing, the grinding, the mixing. The transformation of base materials into something more than they were. The transformation of cocoa beans to chocolate, the work of Chocolate Alchemy."
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As you may have seen, most of the Venezuelan varieties have been moving very quickly. We are out of Rio Caribe F1 and Carenero Superior. Wholesale stock of Ocumare is gone (along with the F1 and Carenero). The good news is that more of the Rio Caribe F1 is on it’s way, along with a […]
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OK, this one may or may not be fair, but I swear it is cocoa bean and homemade chocolate related. And something I’ve been meaning to address for some time. So, give it a go, and I’ll use it a spring board a little later.
Filed under: Cocoa Beans, What's new & Updates, Macro | 2 Comments »
I have some interesting offerings coming up. A selection of various Ghana and Indonesian cocoa that I had the opportunity to share with you. I am still working out how I am going to offer it. Maybe as micro lots. Maybe some as blends. Stay tuned.
And as far as opportunities go, the same thing happened […]
Filed under: Products, Cocoa Beans, What's new & Updates, Cracking & Winnowing | No Comments »
As promised, I have restructured the 25 lb discount for whole beans. Across the board, I’ve cut the existing prices almost 40% from the base price and only about 20% higher than the price for whole bags. For instance, that takes 25 lbs of Ivory Coast from $11.30/lb to $6.94/lb if you get 25 lbs. […]
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With the addition of a new origin (Costa Rica), and the return of one (Ecuador), that puts the total number of varieties available to a new high for Chocolate Alchemy. Sure, not as many as available as coffee, but not insignificant either. The Costa Rican is from the Umpala region, and has a nice […]
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The reviews for the Rio Caribe F1 and Rio Caribe F2 are now up. In addition, I’ve added a special Venezuelan Sampler Pack for while these four varieties last. And lest that not be enough, two more new beans arrived late last week. A mild, slightly earthy Trinitario from Costa Rica (which is both Fair […]
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