The Fire Inside: On Roasting, Ritual, and the Soul of Chocolate
Before the bar, before the blend — there is fire.
Every Makenu bar begins in heat. But not just any heat. The kind that hums with intention. That coaxes cacao into becoming something more.
Roasting is both science and soul. Too fast, and the flavor flattens. Too slow, and it slips away. We listen. We wait. We let the bean speak.
Over open flame or in gently tumbling drums, cacao transforms. Notes of citrus, whispers of tobacco, the deep earthiness of the forest floor — all awaken here. This is where bitterness softens, and richness blooms.
At Makenu, we roast in small batches to honor every harvest. No two are exactly the same. Just like no two memories of chocolate are the same. Some taste of childhood. Others, of first kisses or quiet mornings.
This is the fire inside. The moment cacao becomes story.
Roasting is not just a step in production — it’s a ritual of reverence. We source cacao from farms where tradition meets stewardship, where hands that tend the trees have names, stories, and pride. We roast with that same care.
And what emerges? Chocolate that speaks. Chocolate that remembers. Chocolate that lingers on the tongue and in the soul.
So the next time you snap a Makenu square, know this: what you hold has danced through flame, been shaped by time, and was made to connect you to something deeper.
Want to taste what roasting with soul becomes?
