A Hot Chocolate With…is a series of conversations I had while researching my book The World of Chocolate with growers producers, traders, makers, creators, sellers and lovers of cacao and chocolate around the world.
What are we sipping today?
Wouter: Our take on local cocoa tea, made from our drinking chocolate blend. Infused with local spices like cinnamon and ginger, this is my favourite hot chocolate!
Tell us a bit about cacao in Jamaica!
Wouter: Jamaica’s cocoa history stretches back more than 350 years. The Spaniards introduced early Mesoamerican cacao to the island. In 1655, the island was taken over by the British, and Jamaica soon became their main supplier of cacao. Cacao is grown across the island but mostly on the south side. While government-owned fermentaries have dwindled, there are more privately owned fermentaries (like our own) that are doing an amazing job of bringing the attention back to fine-flavoured cacao. Farms are small (5–15 acres), and the season runs from March till July and November until January. Beans are bought wet by the “box,” a unit of measurement equivalent to around 45–50 lbs.
It seems we have Jamaica to thank for milk chocolate?
Wouter: Yes! Sir Hans Sloane, an Irish botanist, is credited with creating the first milk chocolate drink. Sloane spent some time in Jamaica in the early 1700s, where the local people gave him cocoa to drink. Apparently, he found it “nauseous,” but by mixing it with milk, it became more palatable. On his return to England, Sloane introduced the mixture to society. It was taken up by apothecaries and sold as medicine, but in the 19th century, the mixture inspired the Cadbury brothers. And the rest is history…
So, why chocolate?
Wouter: From an early age, I wanted to become a pastry chef, which gradually turned into becoming a chocolatier. The versatility of chocolate is really what sparked my deeper interest, and once I became an executive pastry chef in various resorts throughout the Caribbean, I learned that we have some of the best cocoa in the world. On assignment in St. Lucia, I learned the craft of making tree-to-bar chocolate at an ultra-high-end boutique resort (Jade Mountain), a skill we brought back to Jamaica in 2017 when we started our own company. Rennae (my business partner) is Jamaican, and we decided to settle back home on the condition that we were to start making chocolate from Jamaica’s fine-flavoured cocoa.
Tell us about your company, Pure Chocolate.
Wouter: Our goal is to produce high-end products that support local farmers, artists, and communities through all that we can do. At PURE, we ferment, dry, and roast our cocoa beans. We directly trade with our farmers and ensure they get above-market prices for their crop so they can support their families. We also have a project in Spanish Town where we ferment and dry our beans, creating jobs in this underprivileged community.
Your packaging is stunning. Who designed it?
Wouter: Our packaging is designed by graduates from the art school in Kingston, and we pay them a commission on every bar sold.
What’s your favourite part of making chocolate?
Wouter: What sets us apart from other makers is that we ferment and dry our beans ourselves, a process I really love. Each harvest comes with its unique flavour profile, just like with wines. Once fermented and dried, we transport the crop to our facility, where we roast, winnow, and grind it into our products. We take pride in what we do and believe you can taste that in the end result.
What’s the question you get asked most often?
Wouter: Why is our chocolate more expensive than the one at the supermarket? As craft chocolate makers, we are passionate about what we do. We source only the best varietals of beans available and pay the farmer a premium to ensure he can maintain his crop, farm, and family. Artisan chocolate is produced by makers with great attention to detail, from picking the type of pods to hand-sorting the beans and roasting every batch to perfection. Within our small facilities, we are trying to change an industry that is unfortunately far from perfect, one bar at a time.
What is the one product of yours you wish everyone could try?
Wouter: Our Milk Chocolate with Ginger and Speculaas is my absolute favorite bar. It brings together ginger from Jamaica (which is some of the best in the world) and Speculaas spice, a blend from my home country, The Netherlands. It’s a beautiful way of showing that you can have the best of both worlds and enjoy it too!
