What is 'Ceremonial-grade' Cacao?
Ceremonial Cacao is the finest grade of Cacao. Cacao paste (also known as cacao liquor although it contains no alcohol) is made purely from cacao beans. Specifically, the Criollo variety of bean, grown in its indigenous soils with traditional farming methods. The beans are fermented, lightly sun-dried, then ground down by hand into the ceremonial paste that hardens at cooler temperatures.
Once ready to consume, a small amount of cacao paste is melted and mixed with warm water or milk, a sweetener and other ingredients to create an elixir that is consumed with intention to connect more deeply with the self.
Whilst approximately 4 million tonnes of cacao is produced each year globally, the vast majority of this is mass produced for the production of heavily processed ‘chocolate’. It uses a low quality, high yield bean that then goes through extensive processing before becoming ‘chocolate’ as we know it.
The raw nature and purity of ceremonial cacao means that absolutely nothing is added and nothing is removed in the processing. It is not heated and retains all the nutrients required to maintain its ceremonial status.
Ceremonial cacao is made from the highly regarded and precious native strain of cacao – the Criollo bean which makes up an estimated 1-5% of all cacao production (estimates vary). (Learn about bean varieties here).
Being the delicate and precious Criollo bean, it requires shade of large native trees which keep the soil humid and rich in nutrients. A careful balance of sunlight and shade, maintained through careful and attentive pruning ensures the soil retains optimal levels of nutrients without spoiling and becoming diseased from funghi.
Additionally, where the cacao plants are cultivated is imperative to the final outcome. Being grown in native soils with traditional farming methods with the intention to create a sacred experience for the end user, with the deepest respect for the bean, the land and the spirit of cacao results in a grade of product that evokes a very different experience for those fortunate enough to experience this grade of cacao.
If you have experienced the bliss of pure ceremonial cacao, you will understand why people view it as a plant medicine that allows you to connect with your own deep-rooted wisdom within.
At Smile Cacao we have sourced the smoothest, ceremonial grade cacao with a rich flavour profile from the Criollo bean. Smile cacao is inducing deep, profound, experiences in conscious communities across Australia, with sacred cacao sourced from indigenous Peruvian farmers using sustainable organic farming practices. Smile Cacao is here to support you to connect within, to your intuition, to your wisdom, to your inner fire. We are so excited to provide you with this sacred cacao to make your body, mind and soul SMILE.
Purchase your Smile Ceremonial Cacao HERE.
