Maya Mountain Cacao
Village: San Jose Village
Watershed & Region: Branch of the Blue Creek - Toledo District, Southern Belize
Refined Cacao Paste (liquor): Grade A, Single-Village Sourced Beans, 8-10 day fermentation, Dried, Roasted, Winnowed, & Stone Melanged for 12-24 hours, Untempered
The Journey:Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC) is a centralized fermentery in Southern Belize that produces high-quality, centrally-fermented cacao and is our only single-village origin, long-term fermented & unwashed bean we source to have a stable product we can compare and contrast the flavor profile differences with the traditional short-term fermented, washed beans with. They work closely with 350+ certified organic smallholder cacao farming families in the Toledo and South Stann Creek districts, most of whom are indigenous Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya who have been producing cacao for generations. MMC’s 100% Belizean Maya team centrally processes all cacao at a post-harvest facility where three unique stages of sun drying create optimal flavor. The beans carefully produced by the farmers in Maya Mountain Cacao’s network and fermented by their team offer consistent, rich flavor notes of honey, pineapple, raisin, tobacco, and fudge. The versatility of this flavor profile allows for deeply satisfying dark milk chocolate, deliciously approachable 100% cacao, and everything in between. In 2019, MMC was awarded a Cocoa of Excellence Award, which placed it within the Top 20 Cocoas globally and was awarded an Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation in 2014. Through genetic testing we know that the majority of cacao cultivated by families in the MMC farmer network are Amelonado-dominant hybrids and other Upper Amazon Forastero hybrids. MMC is focused on being a sustainable, long term and transparent partner to farmers and producing uniquely delicious cacao that creates real positive impact for the communities of Southern Belize.
454g Brick :: $50.00 + s&h
Village: San Jose Village
Watershed & Region: Branch of the Blue Creek - Toledo District, Southern Belize
Refined Cacao Paste (liquor): Grade A, Single-Village Sourced Beans, 8-10 day fermentation, Dried, Roasted, Winnowed, & Stone Melanged for 12-24 hours, Untempered
The Journey:Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC) is a centralized fermentery in Southern Belize that produces high-quality, centrally-fermented cacao and is our only single-village origin, long-term fermented & unwashed bean we source to have a stable product we can compare and contrast the flavor profile differences with the traditional short-term fermented, washed beans with. They work closely with 350+ certified organic smallholder cacao farming families in the Toledo and South Stann Creek districts, most of whom are indigenous Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya who have been producing cacao for generations. MMC’s 100% Belizean Maya team centrally processes all cacao at a post-harvest facility where three unique stages of sun drying create optimal flavor. The beans carefully produced by the farmers in Maya Mountain Cacao’s network and fermented by their team offer consistent, rich flavor notes of honey, pineapple, raisin, tobacco, and fudge. The versatility of this flavor profile allows for deeply satisfying dark milk chocolate, deliciously approachable 100% cacao, and everything in between. In 2019, MMC was awarded a Cocoa of Excellence Award, which placed it within the Top 20 Cocoas globally and was awarded an Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation in 2014. Through genetic testing we know that the majority of cacao cultivated by families in the MMC farmer network are Amelonado-dominant hybrids and other Upper Amazon Forastero hybrids. MMC is focused on being a sustainable, long term and transparent partner to farmers and producing uniquely delicious cacao that creates real positive impact for the communities of Southern Belize.
454g Brick :: $50.00 + s&h
Village: San Jose Village
Watershed & Region: Branch of the Blue Creek - Toledo District, Southern Belize
Refined Cacao Paste (liquor): Grade A, Single-Village Sourced Beans, 8-10 day fermentation, Dried, Roasted, Winnowed, & Stone Melanged for 12-24 hours, Untempered
The Journey:Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC) is a centralized fermentery in Southern Belize that produces high-quality, centrally-fermented cacao and is our only single-village origin, long-term fermented & unwashed bean we source to have a stable product we can compare and contrast the flavor profile differences with the traditional short-term fermented, washed beans with. They work closely with 350+ certified organic smallholder cacao farming families in the Toledo and South Stann Creek districts, most of whom are indigenous Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya who have been producing cacao for generations. MMC’s 100% Belizean Maya team centrally processes all cacao at a post-harvest facility where three unique stages of sun drying create optimal flavor. The beans carefully produced by the farmers in Maya Mountain Cacao’s network and fermented by their team offer consistent, rich flavor notes of honey, pineapple, raisin, tobacco, and fudge. The versatility of this flavor profile allows for deeply satisfying dark milk chocolate, deliciously approachable 100% cacao, and everything in between. In 2019, MMC was awarded a Cocoa of Excellence Award, which placed it within the Top 20 Cocoas globally and was awarded an Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation in 2014. Through genetic testing we know that the majority of cacao cultivated by families in the MMC farmer network are Amelonado-dominant hybrids and other Upper Amazon Forastero hybrids. MMC is focused on being a sustainable, long term and transparent partner to farmers and producing uniquely delicious cacao that creates real positive impact for the communities of Southern Belize.
454g Brick :: $50.00 + s&h
It is with deep gratitude that we are able to turn this passion project of ours into a small business with the mission to directly support these Maya families while bridging this medicine to our loved ones of the North. We pour every ounce of our love into this process of Sourcing, Processing, Packaging, Marketing, and Distributing, so it can now be received into your hearts and hands, and so that we may continue cultivating a 20+ year relationship with Belize that is sustainable for many more years to come.
We offer sliding scale donation & trade value for all of our products to encourage making this medicine accessible, supportive, and to invite an energetic exchange that feels balanced according to each individual. Because we are a small scale business and source a majority of our beans from single-farm origins, we are only able to fulfill orders up to 5lbs per person this year to allow the opportunity for the medicine to spread throughout our communities far and wide. We appreciate your support and getting to share our love of these people and places with you in this way!
::INGREDIENTS::
100% Organic Cacao Paste
::SERVING SIZE::
Daily Dose: 20g-28g
Ceremonial Dose: 30-40g
Slice and chop cacao into a powder consistency and combine with 8-10 oz of liquid (water, milk/nut mylk, herbal tea) that is hot but under boiling temperature. Add an optional sweetner like raw honey or maple syrup and spice to your desire (bird pepper/cayenne, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric). Whisk or blend ingredients together until frothy and intentionally enjoy! Use as a substitute for cocoa powder in baking ingredients, or temper into a personally crafted chocolate bar!