Holiday Gifts for the Cook or Baker (Or For Your Own Kitchen)

Equal Exchange Fair Trade Chocolate and Cocoa (Screencap via Equal Exchange)

Fair Trade Chocolate

Chocolate is a luxury most of us take for granted, even as we covet it. We just assume chocolate will be there for us when we need it, conveniently stashed in the grocery checkout aisle for a quick fix. But many cocoa bean farmers have never even tried chocolate.

Some work under almost slave-like conditions… and sometimes actual slavery. And even under better working conditions, they make a pittance. There’s a very simple thing you can do to help: Buy fair trade chocolate. It’s fresh, pure, delicious chocolate, produced by people who make a living off their livelihood.

Divine Chocolates is a cooperative in Ghana that makes superb chocolate products. In their own words:

"Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the 85,000 farmer members of Kuapa Kokoo, the cooperative in Ghana that supplies the cocoa for each bar of Divine. As owners, they get a share in the profits, a say in the company, and a voice in the global marketplace."

For cooking and baking, Divine Chocolates sells 70% bittersweet baking bars, 85% dark chocolate baking bars, white chocolate baking bars, and unsweetened cocoa powder. I really recommend you get some of their holiday items, too. These include a milk chocolate advent calendar, and both milk chocolate and dark chocolate coins. These chocolate coins are nothing like the Hanukkah gelt you’re used to. This is rich, pure, high-test chocolate. You can find even more holiday chocolates on the site.

Equal Exchange makes their organic treats with chocolate and sugar from Central and South American co-ops. They offer fairly traded baking cocoa and chocolate chips (milk and dark).

Another great source for fair trade chocolate is the 1200-member El Ceibo cooperative in Bolivia. They’re “committed to protecting the native Andean rainforest and became the first certified organic cocoa cooperative in the world in 1988.” El Ceibo has a very tempting selection of chocolate bars, and baking bars and cocoa, all in very pretty packaging.

Lake Champlain Chocolates is based in Burlington, VT, so they don’t grow their own, but they do use only fair trade chocolate. They have a wide selection of chocolate candies, in addition to their baking chocolates and cocoa. They even have fair trade cocoa nibs! Those are pretty hard to find.

Buy fair trade chocolate for the holidays and make the world a little brighter for everyone.