This dulcet chocolate is made with cocoa beans from protected areas around the Zorzal bird sanctuary in the Dominican Republic.
The Zorzal Private Reserve is an important winter home for one of North America’s most rare and endangered songbirds, the Bicknell’s Thrush. Zoral Cacao grows sustainable cacao within the reserve under the shade of diverse hardwood and fruit trees, and works with farms in the surrounding areas that are themselves mini “bird sanctuaries” and important parts of forest preservation across this landscape.
As bird lovers ourselves, there’s a special place in Tascala’s heart for Zorzal cocoa beans. Once you taste our bird friendly Zorzal bar, we’re confident it’ll have a special place in yours.
Cocoa Origin:
Duarte Province, Dominican Republic
Ingredients:
- Certified organic cocoa beans
- Certified organic cane sugar
- Certified organic cocoa butter
Sourcing notes:
Running parallel to the northern coast of the Dominican Republic is a stunning mountain range known as the Cordillera Septentrional. The tropical forests of these mountains are home to all types of wildlife, including numerous species of endemic and migratory songbirds.
The Zorzal Private Reserve was established in 2012 to conserve and rehabilitate over 1000 acres of these native mountain forests. The Reserve and its surrounding area is the winter home for many birds, including the endangered Bicknell’s Thrush. Zoral is the Spanish word for thrush. Partnering with the Reserve and surrounding landowners and smallholder farm, Zorzal Cacao is demonstrating to the world that cacao can be grown while safeguarding biodiversity.
They strive to pick each cacao pod at its perfect ripeness, and reject those that are damaged or otherwise imperfect. They then put the cacao through a process of natural fermentation and drying to coax the nuanced flavor profiles found in cacao from the high mountain rainforests of the Dominican Republic.
We receive these bird-friendly cocoa beans in 150 pound bags directly from Zorzal Cacao.
Read more about Zorzal Cacao on our origins page here.
Photos courtesy of Charles Kerchner and Ryan Berk.
Categories:
Dark chocolate
Dominican Republic
Organic ingredients
Vegan
