Renowned Chocolatier Christopher Elbow has been working on a new project to give the public a deeper look into the history and origins of chocolate, The Christopher Elbow Cacao Experience. Christopher Elbow Chocolates is one of the few chocolate companies in the nation to specialize in bean-to-bar chocolate and the new experience, expected to be open this June, will offer guests the opportunity to see the chocolate-making process for themselves starting with raw cacao beans.
The experience will take place in the back part of the crossroads retail shop (1819 McGee St. KCMO). Some may remember the space as the production facility where you could see chocolatiers working behind the glass wall. Along with chocolate-making, the experience will also provide an in-depth look into cacao’s origins, from its beginnings in South America as one of the most revered foods in Mesoamerican.
“Almost everyone is familiar with chocolate, but very few really get to learn the history of its origins and its importance to certain cultures as well as the challenges that cacao farmers currently face in order to bring this sweet confection to the stores around the world,” says Chris.
The project has been a long time in the making having been pushed back several years due to Covid. Of course, there’s a chocolate tasting for those who attend. “People will also get to taste chocolate from different countries and discover just how different they can be based on where it originates in the world,” says Chris.
