The chocolate I drink is still grown, processed, and sold from the province my grandparents are from. Ancient Mexican tradition regarding chocolate involves no sugar, but plenty of cayenne and cinnamon bark mixed for a bitter warm beverage with unprocessed cacao. My Dad instead enjoys cloyingly sweet Chocolate de mesa as a snack instead of melted to make hot chocolate or Mole. Ibarra is superior to any imitation of hot chocolate, as the large granules of sugar and cocoa melt perfectly into warm milk and the cinnamon smells warm and comforting. Jalisco, the agricultural heart of Mexico, was home to the first cacao beans over 3000 years ago where they are still grown today, albeit far more industrialised and worldwide now than even when my grandparents immigrated to the US. Ethical labour standards and sustainability for the community and peoples producing chocolate are tenants of the chocolate production in this cult-followed product, but unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the chocolate I eat.

I ate a piece of old easter candy for this contemplative practice, a dark chocolate caramel-filled bunny. This is my mom’s favourite chocolate; she is white. Ghiradelli, as part of the Lindt & Sprüngli Group, sources 100% of its beans from Ghana where it is making albeit small strides but strides nonetheless in creating safe and sustainable working conditions and practices for their workers. Providing mosquito nets, investing in community education centres, and training and capacity building for sustainable farming practices. The information available is spotty, and workers are not guaranteed competitive wages or benefits or protection from exploitation that middlemen between the farmers and chocolate producers. The palm oil used for the caramel filling is World Wildlife Foundation certified sustainable, but these certifications are never followed up upon and are often falsely handed out. I feel guilty about eating this piece of chocolate.

Chocolate is part of my culture, my ancestors having drunk it thousands of years before being exploited by the people who made the chocolate we now eat. How many people were hurt in the long history of Chocolate to feed me right now, and how many were people I share blood and history with? As a mixed-race person, I feel guilty that one half of my family is descended from pillagers while the other half were pillaged, but at least it came to a somewhat happy end with me…? The diminution of bad actions and effects ignored in favour of the good outcome is a disservice to those hurt along the way. I am a bit like chocolate in that way.

Me and My dad 🙂