For the last few months we've been going on a world tour of flavor, with subscription themes ranging from Thailand to Guatemala and beyond. This month, we journey to Peru: the land of alpacas, ayahuasca, the Andean Mountains, and where a section of the Amazon river flows. It is also the historical home of the Incan Empire, one of the largest and most advanced societies of South America. It is the Incan people we have to thank for the two unique ingredients we've incorporated into chocolate this month - giant Incan corn, and maca root - both staples of local diets for thousands of years. Another fun culinary fact about Peru is that this is where we the origins of all potatoes in the world can be traced to, with the domestication of this worldwide staple starch taking place in the Andean mountains almost 10,000 years ago. Thankfully for you, we did not choose to make potato chocolate this month!
As usual, our monthly chocolate subscription boxes feature an assortment of limited edition bars made exclusively for subscribers, and a rotating assortment of bars from our year-round catalog of chocolate bars sweetened with coconut sugar. All subscription levels will receive both of the limited edition bars below, plus one or more additional bars from our list of award winners & best sellers. As always, our chocolate subscription boxes include free shipping nationwide.
Oh maca, how I love you so... This wonderful root grows high in the Andean mountains, and strangely enough is in the same botanical family as cabbage & kale, though it tastes nothing like its edible cousins. To me, the flavor is malty, earthy, and sweet, and a little like molasses. It pairs beautifully with chocolate, and if you've ever purchased a superfood chocolate bar, chances a small amount was blended in. This super plant has many health benefits, from boosting energy, mood, and libido, to balancing hormones and enhancing memory. It is a staple in my morning smoothies when I need an extra kick to get moving, and I always used it in the homemade chocolate "fudge balls" that I used to make almost 10 years ago before I apprenticed as a chocolatier and learned traditional chocolate-making techniques. Pro-tip: if you want to get some maca yourself to try (whether in capsules or in a powder to add to foods & smoothies), make sure you get maca that has been cooked to breakdown some of the components of it that are hard to digest (commercially, this is called "gelatinized" maca). Traditionally, maca was always cooked before being consumed, so of course I always use this type myself when playing around with it in the kitchen.
A couple years ago, I never would've thought that I'd be typing the phrase "heirloom corn nuts," but honestly, this is the best name for the crushed up crunchy bits scattered across the back of these bars. The Incas developed a strain of corn with gigantic kernels, which are traditionally fried and salted as a yummy snack. This is where the gas station corn nuts are derived, though I can guarantee you won't find "ranch flavor" corn nuts anywhere in Peru! You also won't find any of the other junk ingredients found in the cheap corn nuts we have in the states. These are the real deal and definitely the original inspiration for the modern junk food version. Interestingly enough, various types of corn are traditionally blended with cacao and hot water and served as a beverage or porridge in many Latin American countries, from Mexico all the way down to Peru. With this bar, the smashed up fried kernels add a lightly sweet, salty crunch that pairs perfectly with a rich dark chocolate base.
All Joy subscribers ($22.50/month including shipping) will receive the two limited edition bars above made exclusively for subscribers, plus our infamous Dark & Salty bar. Don't miss the wonderful Slow Chocolate blog post we did covering our Peruvian pink salt!
Euphoria subscribers ($45/month including shipping) and Transcendence subscribers ($90/month including shipping) will also receive an additional assortment of Turkish Coffee and Ginger & Rose bars.
Salinas de Maras salt pools in Peru's Sacred Valley, where we source all of our pink salt from
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