What we do, why we do it, the story and the team that makes it all happen!
We source, sort, roast, winnow and grind cacao beans to bring out the complexity of their flavors. The chocolate is then aged, tempered and poured into bars or handcrafted into truffles and chocolate confections.
Why we do it...
It takes a lot of time and effort to make sure that every chocolate bar and confection we make is special. We do it, because we believe that food should be made with care, attention and love, by passionate people and with the best quality ingredients possible.
In 2005, Hallot, along with Bob and Celia, took a trip to Costa Rica, in which they visited a Cacao farm. This visit, made them understand and appreciate chocolate in a way that they never had before and so the wheels started turning.
They returned to NC with an idea... Let's make chocolate bars! In 2006 the first chocolate bars were made using Venezuelan chocolate, and sold at a wine bar below the chocolate workshop. Making our own percentage blends and additions, soon other retail establishments were interested in the bars and the idea turned into a serious business.
While this was happening, Hallot started learning about actually making the chocolate, the process and what was needed. Since modern processes are often not suitable for small handcrafted production, Hallot self taught through reading and trial and error.
In 2007 Escazu moved from Beaufort to Raleigh and soon after opened a retail shop, where the bars and confections are made... meanwhile, Hallot was working on his first Bean to Bar chocolate.
The EZCA Carenero, 81% was released on March of 2008, marking the begining of the official chocolate making process. It wasn't long after that he decided that one bar was not enough. More beans where needed, more equipment and more space, so that every single item that Escazu was making would be "Bean to Bar". In June 2009 The entire line of Escazu Bars and all of the confections where made entirely from the bean, putting us into the very small but growing community of bean to bar artisan and handcrafted chocolate makers.
After two years of being the only working member of Escazu, Hallot decided he needed some help. Who better to help you than your friends.
In 2008, Danielle Centeno, a Venezuela native and graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, came along as the Escazu chocolatier. Bringing previous experience both in the pastry area and as a chef, her chocolate creations offer bold and unexpected flavor combinations.
The two of them, along with, Kathryn Overton in charge of the bar production, Valerie Niemeyer as assistant chocolatier, Helen Flowers and Bart Tomlin bean sorting, winnowing and more, and Matt Moore and Alice Turner serving our customers at the shop, make up the Escazu Chocolates' team.
Of course, none of this would be possible if it wasn't for Robert Henkens and Celia Bonaventura, who are the financial driving force that makes this venture happen.
Escazu Artisan Chocolates
936 N. Blount St. Raleigh, NC. 919.832.3433