Really Savoring: Making the Most of Expensive Organic Chocolate Treats

“Don’t eat that so fast!” I caution. “These tiny nibbles of chocolate heaven cost me about $2 each!”

Given the cost, I’d better really taste them so as to not waste the experience. No rushing through this morsel!
I decided to splurge this holiday season and buy some Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified chocolate treats for the family. I can’t afford to be buying organic or fair trade chocolate for all of our cocoa requirements at this point, but I figure now and then, for a treat, it’s a great way to be mindful of what goes into our treats and to honor the work being done by growers of cacao around the world.

Sadly, cacao, which is what cocoa and other chocolate products are made from, is a not-so-earth-friendly agricultural industry. To get the most from the land, many growers, big and small, clear existing forests to make room for cacao plants. But then the exposure to sun and loss of water from lack of undergrowth stresses the plants, so the farmers are required to heap on chemicals for nutrients and pest control, and use up enormous quantities of water to keep the plants well hydrated. This combination of overuse of water and chemicals degrades local ecosystems and may make the growers unwell, too.

Organically-grown cacao, on the other hand, is cultivated within an existing forest canopy, so the diversity of the forest is not lost. This also helps to reduce water loss due to evaporation, maintains an ecosystem for local wildlife, reduces the need for fertilizers and pest control, and prevents soil loss due to erosion. It’s the way nature intended chocolate to be grown, and is healthier for farmers, too.

Of course, all of this requires more work and yields smaller crops, hence the heftier price tags on organic chocolate. But during this, the season of giving, I’m happy to make the investment. Just wish I could afford it all year round.

- Lucy