Eatdrink #39 January/February 2013

№ 39 | January/February 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 37
culinary retail
Crazy about Cocoa Beans
The hallowed cocoa bean is trending big these days
By Jill Ellis-worthington
Terroir has long been the province
of wine; then coffee lovers hopped
on the bandwagon. The latest
commodity to relate the nuances
of origin with taste and quality is chocolate.
“Terroir is a tremendous factor,” says
Dave Cook of Habitual Chocolate Roasters.
“Chocolate is a deeper commodity;
it’s a big world
of cocoa, and it
tastes different
depending on
where it comes
from. There are
amazing chocolates
from all
over the world.”
He visits various
cocoa-producing
countries
several
times each year
to research the
best beans to
sell at his shop
in the Western
Fair Market.
Habitual carries
15 different
types of beans
from countries
like Madagascar,
Ghana and other exotic ports, and
makes four different kinds of chocolate
with each, providing a varied and delicious
selection selection for customers.
Peruvian beans are Cook’s current
favourite. “I’m a chocophile,” he says,
laughing. “I love to visit the countries and
try everything at least once. If I enjoy it, we
bring it home.”
Habitual sells only fair trade organic
chocolate from beans they roast on-site.
The ground beans are combined with
sugar, salt, and cocoa butter or powered
milk to form their popular chocolate bars.
The market stall also sells novelty bars
that combine their own chocolate with
dried and fresh fruit. Cook adds that
he’s working with local chefs on original
combos all the time.
One trend Cook is following now is combining
his
freshly made
chocolate with
local seasonal
products, like
North Shore
Erie wine. “It’s
made into a
reduction and
combined with
the chocolate
to make
a truffle, so
when you bite
into it you get
a burst of fresh
Ontario wine.”
Of course,
using local
ingredients is
a huge trend
right now in
the food world,
and along with
that goes the push for sustainability.
According to Kristine Steed of Rheo
Thompson in Stratford, sustainability
has become a focus for those in the cocoa
industry now, as well. “Most of the major
confectioners are going to be involved
in this (promoting sustainable growing
practices),” she explains, adding that
this was an important topic at a recent
international conference she attended.
Groups like The World Cocoa Foundation
are working with farmers in cocoa-growing