ND
MUSIC.
MAYBE EVEN CHOCOLATE.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
IF THERE IS ONE THING WE CAN ALL
AGREE ON, CHOCOLATE IS DELICIOUS
AND MAKES US HAPPY.
THE HISTORY GOES BACK MUCH
FURTHER THAN YOU PROBABLY KNOW.
JOINING US ARE CAMERON WOOD, THE
CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS FROM THE
CRANBROOK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
AND DANA ROAMMAKER AND SO MANIER
AUSTINOWSKI.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
EVERYTHING CHOCOLATE, RIGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
PIT'S AN EXHIBIT AT CRANBROOK
INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE PUT
TOGETHER BY THE FIELD MUSEUM AND
UNDERWRITTEN B FLASTAR, SO
THANKS TO THOSE FOLKS.
AND IT'S HOW EUROPEA LATCHED
ON TO IT.
AND IT'S NOW BIG AROUND THE
WORLD.
IT'S A TROPICAL TREE.
THE SCIENTIFIC NAME LITERALLY
FOOD OF THE GODS.
THE TREE GIVES BACK PODS, THIS
IS ACTUAL LAY SMALL ONE.
INSIDE IS THE COCOA BUTTER AND
ALSO THE SEEDS THEMSELVES, WHICH
THE GOOD PEOPLE AT MINDO HAVE
GOTTEN DOWN TO THIS STAGE HERE,
WHERE THEY'VE BEEN DRIED AFTER
BEING FERMENTED.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE TAKEN DOWN
TO THESE LITTL NIBS, AND THEN
EVEN FARTHER.
>> Tati: TELL US ABOUT THE CACAO
TREE.
P>> IT'S A VERY DELICATE PLAN, AN
UNDERSTORY PLANT AND LIKES TO BE
UNDER THE BIG TREES, DAMP, WARM,
BUT NOT TOO MUCH SUNLIGHT.
AT 4-5 YEARS, IT STARTS TO GROW
PODS THAT HAS THE CHOCOLATE.
>> Tati: AND YOU'RE POURING BARS
INTO THESE LITTLE THINGS?
>> YES.
>> Tati: I DID COMPLETELY ENJOY
YOUR CHOCOLATE.
SO WHAT MAKES MINDO XOK LAST SO
SPECIAL?
>> OUR COMPANY IS ONE OF THE
FIRST FEW IN THE UNITED STATES
THAT IS BAR CHOCOLATE.
AND WE DO DIRECT TRADE WITH THE
FARMERS AND GO TO ECUADOR, A
PLACE THERE AND IN DEXTER AND
BUY THE BEANS FROM THE FARMERS.
AND WE DO THE FERMENTING AND
EXPORTING THEM AND INTO OUR
PLACE IN DEXTER.
IT HAS NO FILLERS OR WAX OR SOY.
IT'S ALL CHOCOLATE AND SUGAR.
>> Tati: AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY
GOOD!
>> AND THIS RIGHT HERE WOULD
THEORETICALLY BE CHOCOLATE I'VE
HAD TEMPERED.
THAT'S A PROCESS MUCH LIKE IN
STEEL AND GLASS.
IT'S A WAY TO HEAT THE CHOCOLATE
TO A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE THAT
MAKES SURE IT'S STABLE AND
DOESN'T BALLOON.
SO IT CAN SIT ON THE SHELF
WITHOUT MELTING.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> YES, PERFECT SENSE.
>> GREAT.
THEORETICALLY I'M GOING THROUGH -THE LABORIOUS PROCESS OF
TEMPERING IT.
BUT THEN WE HAVE THE ACRYLIC
MOLDS.
AND WHAT WE END UP DOING, WE
HAVE LOTS OF EQUIPMENT IN THE
KITCHEN.
AND WHAT WE WOULD END UP DOING
IS TAKE MY TEMPERED CHOCOLATE
HERE AND PUT IT INTO MY MOLDS
AND HAVE A DIGITAL SCALE.
>> Tati: AND EACH BAR IS AN EVEN
SIZE.
>> EXACTLY.
BUT I CAN MAKE SURE YOUR BARS
ARE BIGGER.
>> Tati: THANK YOU!
[LAUGHTER]
>> AND I PUT THIS ON A VIBRATING
TABLE, WHICH IS PRETTY
SELF-EXPLANATORY, IT MAKES THE
CHOCOLATE FILL THE MOLD SO IT'S
A REAL PRETTY BAR.
>> Tati: AND GETS RID OF
BUBBLES?
>> EXACTLY.
THERE WOULD BE BUBBLES AND
WHATNOT.
SO THE VIBRATING TABLE MAKES IT
GO INTO THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES,
AND THEN INTO THE COOLER AND WE
HAVE BEAUTIFUL BARS LIKE THIS.
POP 'EM OUT AND THEY'RE READY TO
GO.
>> Tati: TELL US ABOUT THE
EVENT.
>> RUNNING THROUGH EARLY
JANUARY, AND COME AND SEE IT
ANYTIME.
A SPECIAL BUS TOUR ON DECEMBER
2nd.
START WITH A TOUR AT THE
INSTITUTE.
WE'LL PUT YOU ON A LUXURY TOUR
BUS, A STOP OFF IN ANN ARBOR FOR
A BRUNCH AND THEN DOWN TO DEXTER
WHERE THESE LOVELY LADIES OR
SOME OF THEIR COWORKERS WILL
DEMONSTRATE THIS PROCESS AND A
CHANCE TO GET DIRTY AND STICKY.