Monsoon Chocolate is making bean to bar chocolate in the desert climate of Tucson, Arizona. It’s not a region we might think of as a hotspot for craft chocolate, but as founder Adam Krantz explains, the southwest has a strong historical claim to cacao, and he wanted to honor that heritage while also pushing the boundaries of flavor with unique regional ingredients like chiltepin chilis or mesquite.
I love talking with chocolate makers or brewers who are using ingredients and flavors from their region to color outside the lines of tradition, or perhaps more accurately, to erase and redraw those lines. Tradition is not a fixed thing. Norms change. We can expand the guidelines for tomorrow’s makers and tasters by thinking creatively today.
Listen in as we talk with Adam Krantz of Monsoon Chocolate.
Partner businesses mentioned in the episode include Hamilton Distillers/Whiskey Del Bac, Desert Provisions, Santa Ana Pueblo, Uncommon Cacao (listen to my interview with founder Emily Stone), and Meridian Cacao (listen to my interview with agronomist Sarah Bharath).
Check out the Bean to Barstool shop here!
Check out David's new book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together.
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