OUR FIRST MICROLOT CHOCOLATE BAR
DESIGNED AND MADE IN COLLAB WITH CATICA CHOCOLATES
MICROLOT CHOCOLATE
DESIGNED AND MADE IN COLLAB WITH CATICA CHOCOLATES
FROM SPECIALTY COFFEE TO MICROLOT CHOCOLATE, A NATURAL STEP FOR US
“In April, 2021 the Franco team approached the Catica sisters about collaborating on a micro-lot specialty chocolate bar with a specific flavor profile in mind; since then we have been playing with and testing different varieties, fermentations, drying processes and roasts to bring to life a co-creation of our two brands”
Franco and Catica started working together in October, 2019, shortly after Eugenia and Cata had launched their brand - in fact we were Catica’s first customers. After trying samples of their chocolate we immediately fell in love with the distinctive fruity, rich flavours and perfectly creamy mouthfeel, as well as the passion that this woman-powered project brought to the table. We recognized kindred spirits in one another in our shared appreciation and care for the natural world, as well as our concern regarding our impact in it.
Eugenia selected her two favorite cacao varieties from their farm and meticulously put them through fermentation and drying trials, bringing out the maximum potential that the beans have to offer. Using a specialized convection oven, Cata, Jen and Nela each tested different roast profiles. Once roasted, Cata tested grinding the beans along with raw sugar for different lengths of time and with specific temperature changes, until achieving the perfect texture and mouthfeel. After trying samples of the chocolate with different roasts, we loved how each one produced such unique flavors we simply couldn’t choose between them! So we decided to share all of them with you in the form of three different bars.
ONE MICRO LOT, 3 DIFFERENT ROASTING CURVES FOR 3 DISTINCT FLAVOR PROFILES
“We love that the same beans, fermented and dried in the same way can offer such different experiences by changing only one factor, in this case roasting!”
We wanted to show that, in the same way you can highlight certain aromas and flavors depending on the roast profile given to coffee beans, cacao beans have a huge range of aroma and flavor complexity that can be altered during the roasting phase, which is one of the many ways of enhancing the unique properties of each bean.
Cata used her tried and true roast profile, carefully heating the cacao beans with slight variations in temperature; the same way that Catica roasts all the cacao used in the making of their brand’s signature 70% chocolate. This roast curve delivers an elegant, distinguished chocolate with notes of flowers, lactic acidity, tamarind, fresh berries and light ginger aftertaste.
Jen wanted to experiment with a slow, low temperature roast to help maintain some of the cacao beans’ natural acidity and bring out the bright, fruitier notes. This produced a funky chocolate with very present notes of caramel, maple, vanilla, dried berries and coffee with milk aftertaste.
Nela’s expertise in specialty coffee translated to her testing a roast profile that first used high heat and then a lower temperature. This produced a rounded, balanced chocolate with low acidity and notes of black pepper, good quality tobacco, toasted nuts and candied figs.
“Sisters Eugenia and Ana Catalina Valerio founded Catica with a strong desire to transform an old cattle paddock into a healthy, living and biodiverse environment that they could steward. The farm, called Hacienda Cacaitos, is located in Colorado, Pococí, in the province of Limón in Costa Rica, only a kilometer away from the Tortuguero National Park.”
In 2014, after having selected fine flavor varieties of cacao, the sisters began the process of transforming 30 hectares of land into a lush ‘cacaotal’ (cacao farm).
Eugenia manages all of the farm processes, which include the cultivation of the cacao trees, harvest, fermentation, and drying the cacao beans. A particularly important practice in Hacienda Cacaitos is conscious wildlife management; all workers are instructed to give the local fauna space to roam the farm without being disturbed, and they frequently encounter visitors like tapirs, agoutis, sloths and a diverse range of bird species.
In 2019 the sisters were rewarded with their first cacao harvest. Cata, who is in charge of chocolate production, began experimenting with different roasting techniques and grinding processes to make the most out of the precious beans. With meticulous attention to detail, they created a range of pure chocolate bars made with raw sugar. Over time they included other products that contain fruits, nuts, seeds, spices and herbs.
One of the most powerful philosophies of Catica is inclusivity; their factory is free of gluten, dairy and soy; they have a line of products that are sugar-free; and they are certified kosher. Eugenia and Cata strive to provide employment to women in areas where they typically struggle to find work, such as the cacao farm, and the majority of the Catica workforce is made up of women.
The Tasting Experience
“Enjoying chocolate is a lot like drinking a great cup of coffee or glass of wine. You can use all of your senses; sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste.
We like trying our chocolate by itself before combining it with any other foods. We do this in a calm place, without too many strong aromas. ”
First, observe the chocolate; look at the color, the glossiness, the uniformity of the texture.
Then, break off a small piece; listen to the sound it makes - snap! That is the satisfying sound of a properly tempered chocolate.
Gently rub the piece of chocolate between your thumb and index finger, allowing it to melt slightly. This will release its aroma; close your eyes and breathe deeply! What smells does it remind you of?
Put a small piece of chocolate on your tongue and allow it to melt there - don’t chew - so that it covers the inside of your mouth. Inhale and exhale deeply, allowing the flavors of the chocolate to enter your nose. Take note of the texture of the chocolate on your tongue and the roof of your mouth. What flavors do you taste? Is the texture creamy, silky, buttery, grainy?
“Repeat to your heart’s content!”