Chocolate

A few years back someone posted about getting fine eating chocolate in the DR. Over the last few years I have been learning a great deal about cacao and chocolate and making micro batches at home with Dominican cacao.

Over this time I have been accustomed, or addicted to eating (tasting) good chocolate at least a couple times a week. Being I spend the month of July in the DR mostly around San Francisco de Macoris. I was a bit concerned about having access to good eating chocolate.

There are at least two sources of fine chocolate made in the DR. At the Sendero de Cacao run by the Rizek family, they are selling bars and bon bons as part of their tours. It is also for sale in 4 or 5 places in Capital but is still in small production. Not sure where but the Sendero has a website and you can call. It should be available soon as they are increasing their processing capacity.

My real discovery was as I was leaving through the Capital, I made it a point to stop by Xocolat which is located a couple of blocks behind Ferrateria Hache. It is run by Diana Munne who studied culinary arts at Johnson and Wales and the daughter of one of the major cacao exporters in the country. She does a very nice job with creating fine chocolate which match any chocolate shop I have visited in Manhattan. The hot chocolate and chocolate cake were amazing. Not too much variety on the bon bons, but very nice ganches and excellent presentation. The truffles are exactly how I like them. I also bought a two and half pound bar but have not started on yet.

If you are in SFM, and Argentinian named Norberto runs a small shop with some chocolate on Rivas with Durvaje (Sp?) a few blocks away from the Patio restaurant. When he finishes building his refrigeration case, I should have some things. Right now only brownies and hot chocolate. He uses liquor from the Roigs and Rizeks. Also a little bakery in Plaza Colonial on the salida de la Capital uses a good Italian base and makes a nice brownie and other items with chocolate.

I would be interested to learn what is in Santiago. Any fine chocolate available there?

Most Dominican cacao is the darker, Trinitario variety. Farms have varying degrees of Forestero and Criollo, or white bean varieties. The term Criollo in the DR refers to the older Forestero which are often much taller than the variety of Trinitario hybrids which dominate most farms. The white bean may be 1-2% of some farms but is being grown on experimental farms and some more forward thinking growers.

When you try the Rizek, Kaw Kow bar or a chocolate at Xocolat, Ritter might not satisfy your needs.

White chocolate is just cocao butter or fat mostly mixed with sugar and milk powder.

You have to go to the capital to get the good stuff.

There is a group of women in Palmar Grande near Alta Mira called Chocal. They have been making balls of chocolate paste for drinking, wines and some gritty,and a little too sweet chocolates. There has been some training with this group on refining their products and selling on the North Coast would be part of their marketing strategy. I did not get by their place this summer to see how they improved the eating chocolate. They have some nice equipment and a nice space to work.

The stuff sold Munne sells in the stores in the DR and Washington Heights is not very good, even for drinking. They add all kinds of nonsense in it if you read the label. I went to their processing factory in SFM and from what I learned, almost all of wht they produce is not fermented Sanchez beans. I was told that they only ferment a small amount which is then processed in the capital. The chocolate sold at Xocolat is of much higher quality.

Calle Manuel Emilio Perdomo N. 19, 809 549 5036

DavidZ said:

I don't know if it's still there but there used to be an Xocolat at The Acropolis Mall.

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Yes, they told me they also have a shop in one of the malls.