Ceremonial-grade 100% Cacao Paste
Truth be told, there are no agreed-upon guidelines defining what qualifies as ceremonial drinking chocolate. So, we’ve developed our own approach, rooted in both history and science. We wash and dry unfermented cacao lavado using a specific technique, gently roast it, and grind it into a smooth paste with minimal processing—no conching, no tempering. We offer it in blocks or slabs, made from just one ingredient: 100% cacao. Tradition and technology come together in every cup.
History
The Mayan glyph for cacao is depicted as two twin fish, highlighting the ceremonial and mystical significance of the term, as it connects to the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya. In one of its most central narratives, the Hero Twins, Hunahpú and Xbalanqué, are reborn as fish, symbolizing cacao as a powerful metaphor for rebirth, movement, and water. As fish, the twins journey from the Underworld to the Natural World, eventually ascending to the Upper World to become the Sun and Moon.
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The word 'kakawa' embodied a summoning power, representing more than just cacao as a product. The 'magical' inscriptions found on ancient vessels with traces of theobromine in Mexico, dating back to the Mokaya, Olmec, or Maya eras, suggest that cacao preparation and consumption were deeply connected to mystical or religious ceremonies reserved for the upper classes.
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In essence, we believe that truly ceremonial cacao must come from Mexico or parts of Central America, where Mesoamerican civilizations first domesticated and revered cacao as a sacred tree and food.
Science
Our approach to ceremonial drinking chocolate is rooted in the belief that only unfermented cacao lavado from Mexico and Central America can truly be considered ceremonial. This ensures not only historical accuracy but also potential health benefits, as it preserves the bioactive compounds in the fresh, raw seeds as much as possible.
Dark chocolate is widely considered 'healthy' by both the general public and scientists. However, not all dark chocolate is created equal. The health benefits often attributed to it—such as anti-inflammatory effects and improvements in heart health and blood pressure—depend on how the cacao is processed.
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Around the world, cacao is fermented to reduce the bitterness and astringency of fresh cacao beans while developing flavor profiles. This applies to both commodity and specialty cacao, which are fermented with varying levels of precision. However, fermentation reduces the bioactive compounds that make fresh cacao uniquely beneficial. Studies indicate that after fermentation, total polyphenol, flavonoid, catechin, epicatechin, and radical scavenging activity can decrease by 54% to over 90%.
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Therefore, all else being equal, unfermented cacao lavado—which has been carefully washed and dried—will retain higher levels of beneficial bioactive compounds similar to those found in freshly harvested beans compared to fermented cacao. We have developed precise methods to properly wash the cacao and techniques to measure the concentration of key bioactive compounds, ensuring that our cacao lavado and processed paste maintain levels as close as possible to fresh cacao.
