Creating a confection worthy of rendering one speechless is no trifling endeavor.
As with all true chocolate, THAT Chocolate commenced its journey from the humble cocoa bean. A tray of these precious seeds was roasted lightly, then crushed beneath a marble roller, scattering some fragments to the winds while others adhered stubbornly to the stone. The process was meticulous, the marble wheel descending once more, applying just the right pressure. Slowly, the once unyielding beans began to yield, their texture growing sticky, an intriguing transformation. Yet, in this early stage, the taste remained harsh and the consistency, coarse.
Endlessly curious and ever the experimenter, I shared these early renditions with strangers and acquaintances alike. I tasted alongside them, feigning my own first impressions, all the while scrutinizing their silent reactions. The true nature of this creation revealed itself when, at last, a woman, after letting the paste linger upon her tongue, uttered, “If I were to describe chocolate, this would be it.”
Thus, it was born—a chocolate paste; neither bar, nib, nor drink, but something altogether new. Its form was simple, yet its potential, boundless.
To experience a perfect chocolate paste is to partake in a rare symphony of sensations—peaceful, exhilarating, sensual, and enigmatic, all at once. It is an indulgence that invites one to pause, to savor, and, just perhaps, to glimpse a world beyond words.
Truly one of the greatest movements of my life is that; the world of chocolate.
-Maren Muter