Three drinking chocolate methods — Mesoamerican-style, European hot chocolate, and modern craft — using homemade chocolate or roasted nibs. Includes alkalizing basics for better water dispersibility.
An origin guide to Ecuadorian cacao — Nacional genetics, the Arriba floral aroma, Esmeraldas quality regions, the CCN-51 controversy, and why Ecuador produces 60% of the world's fine-flavor cacao.
The two types of bloom distinguished visually and by cause. Fat bloom from crystal transition, sugar bloom from moisture — and the storage practices that prevent both.
Use a TQC grindometer to measure chocolate particle size during refining. Learn the method, what readings mean, and when to stop your melanger run.
The complete arc of chocolate history — from the earliest archaeological evidence in Ecuador, through Mesoamerican ritual use, European transformation, industrial revolution, and the modern craft revival.
Crack and winnow cacao beans to clean nibs using a Champion juicer, fan, and these exact methods. Includes the FDA husk limit and Dandelion's Ten-Minute Rule.
Decoding what bar labels actually tell you: cacao percentage components, regulatory definitions, 'bean-to-bar' vs 'craft' claims, single-origin terminology, and red flags for misleading marketing.
Roast cacao beans using the Behmor 2000AB or home oven with Nanci's three-phase system. Exact temperatures, times, and how to develop a profile for each origin.
A structured approach to evaluating craft chocolate using the IICCT flavor profile map, Dandelion's scoring system, and a methodology that builds your personal flavor vocabulary over time.
Learn to temper chocolate using the seed method with exact temperatures for dark, milk, and white. Covers why Form V crystals matter and how to test your temper.
An origin guide to Madagascar cacao — the world's most consistent single-origin flavor identity. Covers the berry and citrus signature, genetics, French colonial history, and roasting and formulation advice for Malagasy beans.
Detailed comparison of the three main craft chocolate melangers: Premier (~$250, 1kg), Spectra 11 (~$479, 9 lbs), and CocoaTown (30-kilo production scale).
Master the melanger refining process for bean-to-bar chocolate. Covers loading, refining times, particle size targets, conching, and common problems.
A complete guide to making milk chocolate at home using a melanger. Covers milk powder types, formulation ratios, tempering adjustments, and how to preserve milky flavor through lower conching temperatures.
An origin guide to Papua New Guinea cacao — wood-fire drying as defining character, how quality correlates with smoke integration, dark raisin-like profiles, and how to roast and conch PNG beans to work with the smoke.