Rogue Chocolatier in Piura!

After a few days in Ecuador, we are finally in Piura!

The first day we got back here, we headed straight to the cooperative to do some cacao liquor tasting. As soon as we finished, I asked the managers if there was time to make it to Juan Tirado’s farm that day. They looked at me a like I was crazy, but agreed. So, we headed to the farm.  When we arrived in town, Juan was there waiting, as he had heard we were coming. I promptly gave him the box of Piura bars I had been terrified would be seized by customs  while going back and forth through Peru and Ecuador. He was so excited. Everyone in town told me that he’d saved the package from the last bar I’d brought and showed it to everyone who visited him.

The only problem we discovered upon arrival was that there was no way to get to Juan’s farm by car, because the rainy season had made the river impassable by car. The only option was to take a cable car over the river that was pulled across by several teenagers who had been swimming nearby, followed by a half hour walk. Not to be swayed by such things, we went across and visited his farm once again.

On the way back, we made sure to visit the fermentation and drying facility in town. I cannot express the joy it is to see good fermentation and drying practices after visiting so many facilities that just don’t take to time or care to do things right.