By Rosanna Di Turi (@Rosannadituri)
Photos: Javier Volcán
“Chocolate is my life. I want to continue working with this treasure which is the Venezuelan cocoa” Miguel Rodríguez says. In his kitchen, a small Premier machine is refining the chocolate until it reaches an adequate texture. There, the beans brought from Barlovento will be transformed into a bar with the Herencia Divina seal.
In January 2016, Miguel and members of his family began offering these chocolates made from the grain (Bean to bar) and a year later, they have six different squares, which are made with cocoas from several places of Venezuela, whose flavours tell about the possible diversity in this country with the widest variety of fine cocoa on the planet.
Miguel and his sister Andrea did a course of making chocolate in KKO Real and, with an adapted homemade machine they offered their first squares. The young chocolate maker also won the first place in a patisserie competition at that brand and deserved a three-day course at the Chocolate Academy in Barcelona, Spain. Also, in Mexico he did another course with the chocolate maker José Ramón Castillo.
The longings of several members of his family, who had opted for the cuisine field, have happily coincided in the chocolate. In this business venture it is his sister Andrea, who has studied patisserie. Also, Miguel Rodríguez senior, who was a pastry chef as well as Omar Ramos, a cousin, in charge of making contact with producers.
Before getting their bars they go to different production areas. The grains they choose go through the necessary post-harvest phase “For this kind of chocolates we need the cocoa well-fermented and well-dry. Thus, we pay more to get it done” Miguel says. Although they started with a homemade machine, they have already invested in a small refiner Premier and a CocoaTown machine.
In their undertaking, they have a Chuao bar, thanks to an alliance with the artisans from that emblematic town. They have a grain from Macuare, in Miranda state and another with Urama, from Carabobo. Equally, they have a Santa Isabel from Rio Caribe, and another baptised: “Flavours of my land” with a blend of grains from the South of Lake, Chuao and Rio Caribe. They also came out with a limited edition square in alliance with Cacao de Origen, using cocoa from the South of Lake. Likewise, they have one in honour of Mrs. Petra, in recognition to her cocoa work in Barlovento..
“In the world of chocolate everyone wants to help you and they are extremely open,” Andrea says, to reaffirm the election to which all his family are dedicated.
* The chocolates Herencia Divina are available in places such as Tarros in the Chacao Market, Sigo in Margarita Island, in Maiquetía International Airport and at Gallina Linda in San Antonio de Los Altos.
In Instagram: @chocolateriaHd
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