Ritual Chocolate was founded in 2010 by Robbie Stout and Anna Davies and is based in Park City, USA. The company makes small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate by hand using classic European methods, and offers single-origin chocolate from Belize, Peru, Ecuador and Madagascar, as well as drinking chocolate and cacao nibs. In this episode, Robbie tells us how the grinder would keep them up at night when he and Anna began Ritual in their Boulder apartment, details the checklist they use when choosing a cacao origin, and shares a great story about the farmers behind the bar we taste in the show.

Please join us in tasting the Peru Marañón 75% bar. Learn more at www.theslowmelt.com. For more information on Ritual, head to their website (www.ritualchocolate.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 20% discount on all products, including the Peru Marañón 75% bar, from now through October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by www.BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 

This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:

- Chocolate Alchemy: Supplier of the largest selection of fine flavor cocoa beans, chocolate-making equipment and volumes of free chocolate-making information. Use code "slowmelt" at www.chocolatealchemy.com to receive 10% off any retail cocoa beans.

- Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

- Cacao Cucina: Reliable and rugged chocolate-making machinery built in the USA. Use code "SlowMelt10" at www.cacaocucina.com/contact-us for a 10% discount through September 1.

- Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at www.blueapron.com/chocolate.

Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at www.theslackers.com.

The Slow Melt Makers Series

Makers Series 4: Ritual Chocolate

Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat, was founded in 2011 by Vincent Mourou and Samuel Maruta and is based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The company is the first artisan chocolate maker based in Vietnam, and works in close collaboration with farmers, cooperatives and cacao experts to make Vietnamese chocolate a widely recognized origin for gourmet chocolate. In this episode, Sam talks about experiencing “chocolate withdrawal syndrome” when traveling as a French youth to Japan, the kismet timing of meeting his co-founder on a jungle trek in Vietnam, and the frustrations of organic certification processes.

Please join us in tasting the Dak Lak 70% bar. Learn more at www.theslowmelt.com. For more information, head to their website: www.marouchocolate.com. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at www.chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by www.beanbaryou.com.au (in Australia). 

This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:

- Chocolate Alchemy: Supplier of the largest selection of fine flavor cocoa beans, chocolate-making equipment and volumes of free chocolate-making information. Use code "slowmelt" at www.chocolatealchemy.com to receive 10% off any retail cocoa beans.

- Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

- Cacao Cucina: Reliable and rugged chocolate-making machinery built in the USA. Use code "SlowMelt10" at www.cacaocucina.com/contact-us for a 10% discount through September 1.

- Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at www.blueapron.com/chocolate.

Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at www.theslackers.com.

Makers Series 5: Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat

Cacao Hunters was founded in 2013 by Carlos Ignacio Velasco and Mayumi Ogata and is based in Popayán, Colombia. The company is dedicated to finding, preserving and promoting heirloom varieties of cacao in indigenous and post-conflict regions of Colombia. Currently, it supports more than 1,500 families growing cacao throughout the country. In this episode, Carlos tells us about his start in the coffee industry, finding “hidden treasures” in cacao varieties that have been hidden for years in the Colombian jungles, helping local farmers grow and sell better cacao, and the Japanese elements of his packaging design, inspired by his business partner Mayumi.

 Please join us in tasting the Arhuacos 72% bar and apologies for the slightly fuzzy audio from inside the chocolate factory. Learn more at www.theslowmelt.com. For more information on Cacao Hunters, head to their website (www.cacaohunters.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount on all products, including the Arhuacos 72% bar, from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at www.Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by www.BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 

This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:

- Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

- Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at www.blueapron.com/chocolate.

- Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.

Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at www.theslackers.com.

Makers Series 6: Cacao Hunters

Theo Chocolate was founded in 2006 by Joe Whinney and Debra Music and is based in Seattle, USA. The company is known as being the first organic, fair-trade certified, bean-to-bar chocolate maker in North America, and offers chocolate made with beans from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru, as well as confections and caramels. In this episode, Joe tells us about experiencing Mayan cocoa drinks and working on cacao farms as a young conservation volunteer, the many ideas he had to support these farmers that eventually led to building the Theo factory in Seattle in 2005, and why organic certification is important to them.

Please join us in tasting the Bread and Chocolate bar. Learn more at www.theslowmelt.com. For more information on Theo, head to their website (www.theochocolate.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 50% discount on their fantasy bar line, including the Bread and Chocolate bar, from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at www.Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by www.BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 

This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:

- Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

- Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at www.blueapron.com/chocolate.

- Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.

Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at www.theslackers.com.

Makers Series 8: Theo Chocolate

Fruition Chocolate was founded in 2011 by Bryan Graham and is based in Woodstock, USA. The company is known for stone-grinding cocoa beans as a means, Bryan says, of accentuating their inherent flavor. Fruition Chocolate won the gold medal for “Best in Competition” at the 2016 International Chocolate Awards. In this episode, Bryan tells us about his pastry chef training, the story behind the Corazon de Dahlia bar and how the proceeds help children in Peru, and about recreating flavors in chocolate that he loved in his youth.

Please join us in tasting the Corazon de Dahlia Milk Chocolate Quinoa Crunch bar. Learn more at www.theslowmelt.com. For more information on Fruition, head to their website (www.tastefruition.com), and use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount from now until October 15, 2017. You can also purchase an exclusive bar bundle, including all nine bars featured in the Makers Series, at www.Chocolopolis.com (in the U.S.; use code “slowmelt” for a 15% discount), and find most of the bars in a subscription box by www.BeanBarYou.com.au (in Australia). 

This episode is brought to you with the kind support of these sponsors:

- Rottar Grinders: Chocolate grinders designed and built by a chocolate maker in the USA. Learn more at www.rottar.com.

- Blue Apron: $30 off your first order with free shipping at www.blueapron.com/chocolate.

- Audible: Get a free audiobook of your choice and free 30-day trial at www.audibletrial.com/chocolate.

Soundtrack: "Soldier" by The Slackers. Hear more at www.theslackers.com.

Makers Series 9: Fruition Chocolate

Welcome to The Slow Melt—the first podcast to cover the continuum of chocolate. Hosted by Simran Sethi, The Slow Melt uses chocolate as the thick, delicious lens through which to explore the world—from flavor and physiology to chemistry and conservation, from global markets and gender to climate change, social justice and beyond—highlighting the people, places and processes behind this $100 billion industry. To listen to older episodes, please visit www.theslowmelt.com.