Single-Origin Swiss Chocolate – CUISINE HELVETICA

Certainly one of my favourite chocolate bars for baking comes from the Swiss chocolate maker, Treegether. Every 500-gram baking bar signifies the identify of the farmer that equipped the cocoa beans to make it. The wealthy chocolate taste of those single-origin bars actually comes by way of in your desserts, tarts and extra.

To study extra about Treegether and its distinctive method to chocolate-making, I reached out to Fabien Coutel, who based this firm in 2020. Beneath are my questions for Fabien and his responses, which have been edited for readability and size.

1. After working within the chocolate business for many years, for what causes did you resolve to begin your individual firm, Treegether?

The principle motive is frustration! I’ve at all times been impressed by the well-known quote “be the change you want to see on the planet” and equally annoyed by the shortage of respect and dignity towards farmers. I’ve attended too many cocoa and chocolate conferences throughout which we falsely lament the destiny of farmers, however nothing has actually modified for them up to now a long time, regardless of the great intentions. That’s why I needed to do issues in another way, by way of easy, however impactful modifications. For instance, we place cocoa farmers on the core of the product with Treegether’s cocoa tree sponsorship program. This distinctive program connects cocoa farmers straight with customers. I take into account chocolate to be just like the fruit of the cocoa farmers’ work, identical to grapes from a winegrower.

2. You might be at the moment working with 5 cocoa farmers in 4 totally different nations in Africa and South America. How did you first make connections with these farmers?

There’s a particular story behind every connection, from farmers I met by way of folks I had labored with from years earlier than. For instance, Philippe from Madagascar launched me to Odile and Suzanne, and I had the dignity of awarding Ambroise in Ivory Coast a “Cacao of Excellence Award” in 2019. Treegether farmers get to eat chocolate made with their very personal cocoa, the fruit of their work. My favourite moments are once we eat chocolate along with the farmers, their kids and grandchildren. You’ll be able to’t think about the pleasure in all people’s eyes at this second. One other very particular second is when our cocoa tree sponsors from Switzerland go to the cocoa farmers whose tree they sponsor. Not too long ago, cocoa tree sponsors from Zug, Solothurn and Fribourg visited Odile in Madagascar and Ambroise in Ivory Coast!

3. What occurs to the cocoa beans, after they arrive in Switzerland? 

They’re remodeled into “bean-to-bar” chocolate. We’re fortunate to work with Bruno Buletti, identified by many famend professionals as “the very best.” After working with him for 4 years, I can see that these folks had been proper! He’s passionate, expert and modest, which inserts very nicely with Treegether’s idea as a result of our stars are the cocoa farmers. In Switzerland, our cocoa beans are roasted, damaged, floor and combined with different substances to make chocolate. Lastly, the chocolate is conched, tempered and molded. 

4. How would you describe the style of your single-origin, bean-to-bar chocolate compared to different Swiss chocolate? 

The style is a mix of remarkable cocoas that I’ve chosen for his or her taste potential, high quality and variety. Our 5 cocoas all style very distinctive. I very a lot imagine in chocolate freshness which contributes to taste depth. The 2 feedback I’ve heard probably the most are: “I’ve by no means tasted something with a lot taste earlier than,” and “Do you add any flavoring?” Which we clearly don’t do. I need chocolate lovers to know what flavorful chocolate and cocoa terroirs can supply. We discover the variety of flavors, comparable to recent fruits, dried fruits, floral, spicy, honey and vegetal notes.

5. Are you able to inform me about your Tree sponsorship program? How precisely does it work?

Our cocoa tree sponsors have the chance to nearly meet Treegether’s cocoa farmers at treegether.com. Then, you’ll be able to select the farmer(s) whose tree you wish to sponsor. Through the yr of sponsorship, sponsors will obtain six bars of chocolate twice a yr. We additionally ship you a e-newsletter with updates from our farmers. Treegether has a couple of sponsors which have sponsored a tree at every of our 5 cocoa farmers.

6. What are your future objectives for Treegether?

I need to enhance the variety of cocoa tree sponsors. We additionally need to proceed distributing chocolate on to eating places and pastry cooks who respect the standard of our merchandise, our dedication to a good provide chain and distinctive traceability. We additionally present cocoa beans to bean-to-bar chocolate makers. Regardless that all of us make related merchandise, we work as companions, not as rivals.

Need to uncover the scrumptious taste of Treegether chocolate and know that you’re supporting cocoa farmers straight along with your buy?

Please notice: This text was written as a part of a paid partnership with Treegether.