Our Chocolita Founder Auto-Bio
The Beginning
People frequently ask how I got into making chocolate. I truly believe chocolate chose me. Here's why:
In 2005 I had just finished massage school and moved to Sedona, AZ, all starry-eyed. I attended an astrology workshop in the spring in Mesa, AZ and it ended with a cacao ceremony. At that time, that wasn't a thing yet in the states. It was so unfamiliar and it made me feel so incredibly happy I called up the people who ran the workshop to double check that "there weren't any drugs in that, right?" "Nope, just chilis and chocolate." I asked my boyfriend at the time to drive us home as I was so incredibly elated I wasn't sure I could focus on driving! I resigned then and there that I wanted to get into sharing the happy feeling I was having with as many people as I possibly could.
Upon returning to Sedona, I mentioned to someone that I wanted to learn to make chocolate. They told me a guy named Kelly Johnson has just moved to town to make raw chocolate and I should meet him. Low and Behold, that evening Kelly Johnson came knocking on my door to have chai with my housemate. I answered the door, he introduced himself, and I told him I was told I needed to meet him and I wanted to study chocolate-making. He told me I should come to see his shop, but the rule is we have to get there by skipping in the rain! So, of course, we did.
I worked for Kelly for 10 years and learned an immense amount about raw chocolate, chocolate-making and chocolatiering. I took a few courses with Ecole Chocolat as well and earned the title of Professional Chocolatier. I also took to studying herbalism with Michael Cottingham (a student of Michael Moore's) for a few years, clocking over 500 hours.
The Ritual That Changed Everything
I was diagnosed with Dysmenorrhea when I was a teenager. It just means I had extremely painful period and there was no other presenting problems. Yay. That was the impetus for getting into health. I didn't want to be on pain meds, but I wanted to do something for the pain. So I found herbalism and had my particular plants that assisted me each month. I would make a tea with them, draw a hot bath, grab a chocolate bar, and sink in. It worked. I had a ritual.
One day while in the moon-time bath, I realized I could put the tea into the chocolate. I would just stone grind those herbs (which included roses so, of course it would taste good) right into the chocolate itself. It gave the chocolate a smooth mouth-feel and finish, and most importantly- IT WORKED. I ate this bar during my cycle, shared it with my lady friends, they shared it with their lady friends and I became the period chocolate lady.
That was the birth of Chocolita. I began to create other blends, combining herbs that my teacher would refer to as "food/medicine" herbs. The herbs that are foods plus some. Biodiversity of the palate became my obsession. It's been my mission to support and preserve the biodiversity of the planet by keeping somewhat more obscure plants relevant to the human palate. There are so many foods that are considered safe to eat every day that most of us don't have access to in the grocery store. My mission is to change that accessibility.
My goal is to provide you happiness and better health through chocolate.
Sincerely,
Sarah Ann
