Description: Episode 6 of the Well Tempered chocolate podcast - a show about the crafty, smart, and creative women in the chocolate industry hosted by Lauren of WKND Chocolate features UC Davis PhD student and craft chocolate judge Madeline Weeks. She shares with us on this podcast her extensive work & research within the specialty coffee and fine chocolate world, as well as her personal definitions of 'terroir.' Her focus is on bridging the quantitative and qualitative arenas of cocoa and chocolate research and education.
Themes discussed in this episode:
Madeline's passion for chocolate via humanity, geography, and anthropology to name a few
Linking industry with research/academia and making relevant information accessible to all
Impact of quality of crop on farmers' quality of life
Terroir as interconnectedness; a broader definition than soil, place, or biophysical traits
Writing as both prerogative for work and an outlet of creativity
Related links from episode:
- Dr. Carla Martin & her work at the FCCI (Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute)
- Ryan Galt - Madeline's advisor at UC Davis
- Thomas S. Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
- Madeline's article on terroir found at Dandelion Chocolate's blog
- Theo Chocolate factory/chocolate tours in Seattle & the Blommer Chocolate factory in Chicago
- Two examples of how projects utilizing research & partnerships at various levels of the supply, production and value chains are identifying and enabling quality of cacao and life at origin
----> CocoaCompassion (mentioned as Cocoa Collective on podcast) partnered with Raaka Chocolate of Brooklyn, NY to create a bar in which 20% of sales aid program development and put more profits directly back to their sourcing cooperative Maya Mountain Cacao
-----> Yellow Seed (yellow-seed.org update 2019, the business has since pivoted): A conscious trade network where cacao farmers, buyers and other members work together to support equality, ecological conservation and community resilience. (update 2019: Yellow Seed pushed forward their platform and beta project for 3 years, they are no focusing on the Global Farmer Voices Project.)
What chocolate Madeline would take to the Cosmos:
Her answer is any chocolate that would take her to the Cosmos including Tabal Chocolate out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Madeline's links:
Academic profile for Madeline Weeks, UC Davis PhD student
Personal website: cacaoycafe.org
Twitter: MadelineCacao
Instagram: MadelineCacao
Madeline's Bullet-proof Cacao Beverage Recipe:
- BREW a standard portion of mate tea
- ADD coconut milk, cacao powder, coconut oil, cinnamon, chili powder (kind of like a spicy aztec warrior chocolate)
- BLEND together in a blender or with a frappe mixing wand so it's frothy, and enjoy!
Where to find Lauren, host of Well Tempered and chocolate maker at WKND Chocolate:
Instagram: @wkndchocolate @welltemperedpodcast
Facebook: WKND Chocolate
Find new episodes, chocolate recipes, and writings at laurenonthewknd.substack.com