Thousands of years ago – as far back as 1500 B.C. – ancient Mexican civilizations such as the Olmec and Aztecs harvested cacao and consumed it with great reverence in celebratory occasions and religious ceremonies. However, the cacao they consumed bore little resemblance to what we know as chocolate today. Spiced heavily and served as an unsweetened drink, this early cacao drink was bitter and served either hot or cold. With the addition of annatto seed and maize, it took on a more reddish hue, rather than the creamy brown we associate with cacao drinks today.
Flash forward over 3,500 years and cacao is enjoyed by hundreds of millions of people in its more well-known form of chocolate. With such a rich cacao history, it’s only natural that one of the most exciting craft chocolate makers in the world is coming out of Mexico – Cuna De Piedra. Translating to “cradle of stone,” Cuna De Piedra produces exceptional chocolate using Mexican heirloom cacao fused with the flavors, traditions, and pride of Mexico.
While many companies have up to six or more intermediaries to go through before the bar reaches you, Cuna de Piedra takes pride in having a hand in every part of the process from harvest to packaging. This not only ensures quality, but fair pay to those who produce the cacao – ensuring these farms can continue to thrive for generations.
The result of this is a catalog of chocolate bars with exceptional texture and unique flavors we’re proud to share at Caputo’s. Below is a shortlist of some of our favorites:
Cuna De Piedra Comalcalco Tabasco with Hibiscus Flowers 73%
Luscious 73% dark chocolate meets the refreshing sweetness of rare hibiscus flowers harvested for hundreds of years by the indigenous Numa Gamaa Ski Yu Me’Phaa community. Wrapped in an inconspicuous black wrapper, the bar itself stuns with dried hibiscus flower flakes coating the bottom. As for the taste, that doesn’t disappoint either. Wonderfully aromatic and sweet, this hibiscus-dusted bar is hard to beat.
Cuna De Piedra Comalcalco Tabasco with Mezcal Reposado 73%
It wouldn’t be a Mexican chocolate company without a mezcal-infused chocolate bar now would it? This 73% dark chocolate provides a surprising creaminess and richness that pairs beautifully with the subtle wood and smoke notes of the mezcal. Using 100% Maguey Espadín from Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, Cuna De Piedra sources mezcal made from Egyptian stone mill-crushed agave that is double-distilled and aged for two years in white oak barrels.
Cuna De Piedra Soconusco Chiapas 85%
Coming marginally closer to the flavors the Aztecs enjoyed, Cuna De Piedra’s 85% dark chocolate provides a more robust flavor that lends itself well to baking and cooking use. A great dual-purpose bar, this 85% is also very snackable when you’re craving something bolder. Using beans sourced from the 28-person RAYEN cooperative in Raymundo Enríquez, this chocolate is bitter at the front, but grows more complex as it melts in your mouth. On the back of each Cuna De Piedra bar they state: “Good things take time, but they are worth waiting for.” That message rings exceptionally true with their 85% bar. Take a bite, let it melt slowly, and you will be rewarded.