Ceremonial Cacao Paste

100% ceremonial cacao paste, in a solid block

This is ceremonial grade, whole Chuncho cacao and nothing else. It is processed at origin in Peru, 100% bean to bar, by the family that grows it, and set into solid blocks. The cacao butter and the cacao solids stay together. Nothing is taken out and nothing is added, which is what separates it from baking cocoa.

What it tastes like

Creamy, fruity, nutty and floral, with no bitterness.

How much to use

• 10 to 15 g for a daily cup.
• 15 to 30 g for a stronger daily cup.
• 30 to 42 g for a full ceremonial cup.
• About 35 g a person is what facilitators usually plan around for a circle.

How to prepare it

Shave or chop what you need, melt it into hot water or plant milk, and whisk. Paste gives a thicker cup than powder and takes a little longer. If you want a cup in about a minute, our Pure Ground Ceremonial Cacao is the same cacao taken a step finer.

Sizes

1/2 lb (227 g), 1 lb (454 g), 1 kilo (1,000 g), and 5 lb for circles and retreats.

Where it comes from

Chuncho is a native cacao of southern Peru. It grows just outside Cusco, in the jungles of the ceja de selva, the eyebrow of the jungle, where the Andes meet the forest. Quechua and Machiguenga farming families have grown it there since at least the 16th century. Chuncho trees give 30 to 40% less fruit than hybrid varieties, and many farmers have cut them down for that reason. Chuncho is one of the most expensive cacao beans in the world, and we don't charge you more for it. We buy directly from one multigenerational farm family that supports a community of 150+ farming families, and pay 3x above fair trade so that keeping Chuncho in the ground still pays. Every batch is lab tested for heavy metals.

Questions

Paste or powder? Same cacao, same farm. The paste makes a thicker cup and takes a little longer. The powder dissolves in about a minute.

How do I store it? Keep it cool, dry and sealed, away from heat and humidity.