Making People Happy, One Cacao Bean at a Time
T
Photos Ernest Trujillo
he Siler Arts District recently added another gem to its growing collection of zany art spaces, food spots, and tourist attractions. Cacao—featuring organic craftmade chocolate and coffee—sits a couple blocks north of Meow Wolf and opened in September of this year. Owners Melanie Boudar and Derek Lanter collectively bring to Cacao several decades of experience working in the chocolate industry in Hawaii before taking their passion and knowledge of the cacao bean to the City Different. “Most chocolate and coffee companies buy pre-made,” explains Boudar, “whereas we start with the agricultural product.” Cacao currently sources its chocolate beans from Belize, the Dominican Republic and Hawaii. Their coffee beans are imported from Mexico, Ethiopia, Brazil and Hawaii, and are roasted on-site. “We have control over our entire process,” she describes. Lanter adds: “We are a bean-to-bar maker, buying from estates and co-ops that are finely regionalized. We know most of our farmers personally.”
Should you be interested in learning more about the intricate process of turning a bean into an edible delight, Cacao offers two-hour workshops about the ancient history of the cultures that used cacao. “There’s even a unique link between chocolate and Chaco Canyon,” Boudar hints. The workshops are held two to three times a week, and are limited to 12 participants. Chocolate historian and artisan chocolatier Mark Sciscenti specializes in pastries and historic chocolate elixirs, available both through workshops and in-store. Also available are gift certificates and chocolate boxes in time for the holidays. “We make people happy,” says Lanter. “There’s a good feeling about that.” Boudar echoes: “How can anyone be angry or grumpy around chocolate?” Cacao Santa Fe 3201 Richards Lane, Santa Fe 505.471.0891 cacaosantafe.com