It has been shown that students learn better when there are 16 pieces of chocolate waiting for them at the end of class🤓🍫 (note: this is purely anecdotal and based on one study, with one test subject, me). Last night, I had the privilege of attending a film screening and chocolate tasting hosted by @chocoinstitute at Harvard University. The film was a documentary called “Chocolate of Peace” (available for free online, go check it out) which tells the story of a cacao-producing community in rural Colombia. In the 1990’s, this community declared neutrality amidst the 60-year war between the state military and guerrilla fighters. As a result, the area has faced ongoing instances of violence, displacement, and destruction. The film’s director led a discussion about the idealization of the peace community by international organizations seeking to uphold them as an example of grassroots activism in the face of violence, while simultaneously the Colombian state was also vilifying the community and condemning them as guerrilla sympathizers. The film sought to represent the peace community in their own terms, in their own words, and tell the story from their perspective. We also discussed the role of the cacao consumer and our direct impact on communities that are continuing to produce cacao despite the ongoing violence, but while thoughtful consumption (ie “voting with your $$”) is better than the alternative, it is not enough on its own. With that in mind, we sampled 16 different Colombian chocolate bars, each with its own story and complexities. @taitachocolates, for example, is working to implement a crop-substitution initiative in rural areas dependent coca. @cacaohunters is scouring the country in search of the best varieties of cacao in order to preserve biodiversity in the chocolate industry while producing the best chocolate you’ve ever tasted (and they live up to that goal... their Tumaco bar was one of my favorites). I’m so grateful for the experience, the chance to taste these incredible chocolates and hear their stories, and for the reminder that making real social change does not end at being an informed, thoughtful consumer.
Last night’s rosé from @rebelrebelsomerville plus a (blurry) bonus pic of me completely candidly (lol) admiring last night’s rosé from @rebelrebelsomerville. I’ve been dying to come here, this tiny, feminist, woman-owned and operated natural wine bar that is “working to make Boston drinking culture less bro-y,” ever since @bow.market opened. Right now, they’re donating 100% of rosé sales (sales, not profits) to @yellowfund to help sustain the three abortion clinics in Alabama. The bottle we got happened to be a Ribera, a sentimental wine for me because Ribera was my first true love. It opened up doors I didn’t know were there. It made me insatiably curious about wine. I’d never seen a rosé or a natural wine from the Ribera del Duero region before, and last night I got to try both in the same glass. All in one foul swoop, Rebel Rebel made me rethink the impact that small businesses with big ideas can make AND made me appreciate my favorite wine more than I already did. If you’re in the Boston area, do the world a favor and patronize the FUCK out of this place.🍾
Adventures in meal prepping! 🤤 This weekend, in between watching birds with my family (peep the birdhouse) and raging over the dumpster fire that is this season of Game of Thrones, I made this red cabbage, beet, and date salad from The Saffron Tales by @yasminkhanstories! This recipe, hailing from Iran, is a perfectly sweet, crisp, and refreshing summer salad (just in time for more rain this week!!!!💦)! I love this cookbook and I can’t wait to get my hands on Zaitoun, Khan’s newest book on Palestinian cuisine.🇵🇸
