Unwrapping Taza Chocolate: Massachusetts’ Stone Ground Chocolate Factory

Taza, which means “cup” in Spanish, is also the name of a unique, bean-to-bar chocolate maker based in Somerville, Massachusetts. Since 2006 they’ve been making their highly acclaimed stone-ground chocolates utilizing a mix of Mexican and European-style chocolate making techniques.

Taza takes the traditional Mexican route and doesn’t conch their chocolate, a refining process that breaks down sugar and cacao bean particles to a very small size. As a result, all of Taza’s chocolates have a unique and alluringly rustic texture to them.

Taza produces a number of delectable items ranging from traditional Mexican-style disc chocolate, available in a wide array of flavors, to delicious chocolate covered goodies like hazelnuts and cacao nibs. All of these products are not only pleasing to the palate, but they are sure to satisfy the environmentally and ethically conscious shopper as well.

Indeed, they source only 100% certified organic ingredients and purchase all of their cacao through their Direct Trade Certified Program. This program ensures that farmers directly receive a fair wage for their cacao beans. Key points of the Direct Trade purchasing method can be found on Taza’s website. As co-founder Alex Whitmore says, Taza’s mission is “to make and share stone-ground chocolate that is both delicious and fair for all involved.”

Those with strict dietary restrictions will also be happy to know that Taza is soy free, dairy free, Certified Gluten Free and Certified Kosher Pareve.

Since Taza produces such a wide variety of products, there’s almost no end to how to use them. In fact, Taza has an ongoing blog focusing on fantastic recipes that showcase their products. Alex loves savory recipes like mole, but when asked to pick a favorite he replied, “just the traditional Taza de Chocolate. If I miss breakfast, a cup of hot chocolate … will keep me going all day long.” After all, this Meso-American drink is exactly what inspired Alex to start Taza, and quite fittingly serves as the company’s namesake.

Below are two recipes to help kick off your exploration into the scrumptious offerings of this amazing chocolate company. Find another one, for Mexican Hot Chocolate, here.

Oaxaca Rosita Cocktail

Recipe from tazachocolate.com

Ingredients

• 2 oz Blanco Tequila

• .5 oz Demerara Syrup (Mix equal parts “Sugar in the Raw” and water, then heat until dissolved. Let cool completely before using.)

• 1 bar spoon (1/8 oz) Taza Chocolate Mexicano Extract

Instructions

• Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

• Grate fresh cinnamon on top and serve.

Taza Mole Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons lard

• 2 dried Ancho chilies

• 3 dried New Mexico chilies

• 2 tablespoons raisins

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped

• 3 sprigs thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

• 16 almonds, toasted

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided

• 1/4 cup grated Taza mole chocolate

• Vegetable oil

• 1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces

• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the sauce:

• Break the Ancho and New Mexico chilies apart, and remove all the seeds and reserve.

• In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the lard. When shimmering, add the chilies, working in batches if necessary, and cook until they begin to soften and the chilies begin to lighten (about 1 minute per side).

• Remove skillet from heat, but reserve lard in the skillet. Place dried chilies in a bowl then cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

• While chilies sit, heat the reserved lard in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the raisins and reserved chili seeds and cook until the raisins are plump and their color has lightened. Remove from pan and place pan back on heat.

• Add onion, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, and black pepper and cook until onions are soft and tomatoes begin to disintegrate (about 10 minutes).

• Remove chilies from liquid and reserve 1 cup of liquid. Add soaked chilies, raisins, and chili seeds as well as almonds and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Then add 1 cup of reserved chili liquid and 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 30 minutes, remove lid and continue to cook for 30 minutes.

• Once the sauce has finished cooking remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes before placing the sauce as well as Taza mole chocolate into a food processor. Process until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper. At this point, the mole can sit in the fridge for up to 1 week, or be frozen for up to 3 months.

For the chicken:

• Adjust the oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees.

• Season the chicken pieces with salt. Then heat a generous drizzle of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven.

• When the oil is shimmering add the chicken pieces in batches and brown on all sides.

• Once all the chicken is browned, place all the chicken pieces back in the pot and add 2 cups mole sauce and 1 cup of chicken stock.

• Bring to a simmer then cover and place in the oven until the meat is fully cooked, about 30 minutes.

• Remove from the oven and serve with rice, garnished with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds if desired.

• Photography: Nathan Garber