> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Interview & Tasting: Mashpi Chocolate, Ecuador | #PodSaveChocolate - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/interview-tasting-mashpi-chocolate-ecuador-podsavechocolate/ - Published: 2024-05-05T17:19:32.000Z - Updated: 2024-05-07T15:05:05.000Z - Description: Episode 41 of #PodSaveChocolate features an interview and tasting with and of Mashpi Chocolate, Ecuador. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream **When and Where to Watch** 🗓️ This episode airs live, starting at 10:00 AM ****PDT**/****MST** (11:00 MDT, 12:00 CDT, 13:00 EDT), on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024\. You can click any of the links below to watch the archived episode. The archive on YouTube will include the comments from LinkedIn and FB in the live chat replay. [Interview & Tasting: Mashpi Chocolate, Ecuador | #PodSaveChocolateEpisode 41 OverviewIn this episode, I will be joined by Ale (Ecuador) and Val (US) from Masphi Chocolate. As I’ve written in other posts, one of my favorite…![](https://www.youtube.com/s/desktop/7c0eb0c2/img/favicon_144x144.png)YouTube![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/i_QdSVXCq_s/maxresdefault_live.jpg)](https://youtube.com/live/i%5FQdSVXCq%5Fs?ref=thechocolatelife.com) Click to watch on YouTube in a new tab or window. Please subscribe (free!) to the [@PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@podsavechocolate/featured?ref=thechocolatelife.com), like this video, comment, and share to help grow the #PSC community. Link to [watch and comment](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Flavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-cacao-activity-7192933351903657984-qOcV?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) on LinkedIn. Link to [watch and comment](https://www.facebook.com/TheChocolateLife/) on TheChocolateLife page on Facebook. Join the conversation LIVE in the chat on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook! --- ## **Episode 41 Overview** In this episode, I will be joined by Ale (Ecuador) and Val (US) from Masphi Chocolate. As I’ve written in other posts, one of my favorite episode formats is to interview a chocolate maker – especially when they’re checking in from a producing country – and taste and respond to their work, *live*. [Mashpi Chocolate | Hand-made, agroecologic and conciousOrganic chocolate from Ecuador. Made with love and consciousness. Produced from sowing under analogous agroforestry systems.![](https://shop.mashpichocolate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-mashpichocolate-favicon-270x270.png)Mashpi Chocolate![](https://shop.mashpichocolate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ecuadorian-mashpi-chocolate-pullp-bar.webp)](https://shop.mashpichocolate.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) I first discovered Mashpi in Amsterdam during Chocoa in 2016 and have some very specific, and *very* happy memories of a bar with an inclusion of a cacao pulp reduction/syrup. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/Vanne_WurthCenter.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/Vanne_WurthLeft.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/Vanne_WurthRight.jpg) Three images I took of Vanne Wurth, who was representing Mashpi at Chocoa in 2016\. I do not believe Vanne is still associated with Mashpi, but I really like this triptych presentation. I was reintroduced to Mashpi during the [3rd edition of the Craft Chocolat Challenge](https://www.craftchocolatchallenge.com/season-three?ref=thechocolatelife.com) in the form of two entries. While these two entries did not receive an award, I was happy to learn that Mashpi would be exhibiting at the 2024 Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest in Albuquerque in early April. [SW Chocolate & Coffee Fest Trip Report & Travelogue | #PodSaveChocolateEpisode 34 of #PodSaveChocolate is a presentation of my impressions of the 2024 Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest as a first-time participant – traveler, presenter, judge, and guest.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/04/Ep-034---SWCCF-Upodate---Featured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/sw-chocolate-coffee-fest-travelogue-podsavechocolate/) I made a particular point of dropping by their stand to introduce myself and collect some bars in anticipation of this episode. Ale, Val, and I will explore the history of Mashpi, Ecuadorian cocoa, what it has meant to be a maker in Ecuador given the current political unrest (and more), and field comments and questions from the live audience. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/GoogleMap_MashpiEcuador.jpg) ****Locating Mashpi on a map of Ecuador.** In 2005 I visited Quito, Otavalo, and environs. In 2022 I spent about five days in and around Puerto Quito. ### **Photos from Mashpi** ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/envon_1.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/people_2.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/ferment_box.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/anaerobic_ferment.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/drying_trays.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/bird_1.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/group_tour1.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/people_1.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/basket_fruit.png) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/goats_2.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/05/goats_1.jpg) Here are the bars we will be tasting during the episode: - 65% dark - 65% dark with salt and cardamom - 65% dark with calamondin (CCC entry) - 70% dark with cacao nibs (CCC entry) - 80% dark unroasted --- ### **Episo**de Hashtags a**nd Related Accounts to Follow** #MashpiChocolate #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate #PodSaveChocolate #PodSaveChoc #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife Mashpi (Ecuador) on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mashpichocolate/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) Mashpi (USA) on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mashpichocolate%5Fusa/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) --- ### **Future Episodes** 🗓️ The topic for the Friday, May 10th episode of PodSaveChocolate will be ***Cocoa Futures & the Future of Cocoa** – part 3 in the High Co$t of Expen$ive Cocoa series, as a part of the monthly News/AMA roundup. 🗓️ The guest for the Tuesday, May 14th episode of PodSaveChocolate will be Pashmina de Shon, co-founder of Bar and Cocoa (Denver). The main topics for discussion are the challenges of being a specialty chocolate reseller. 🗓️ The topic guest for the Friday, May 17th episode of PodSaveChocolate will be a roundup of the recent Craft Chocolate Experience in San Francisco with ChocolateLife [contributor Keith Ayoob](https://thechocolatelife.com/author/keithayoob/). 🗓️ The guest for the Tuesday, May 28th episode of PodSaveChocolate will be Nataly Nicholls, Founder and Chief Chocolatier of Magno Chocolate, Medellin Colombia. There will also be a chocolate/coffee tasting experience in this episode! --- ### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards, below. [Pod Save Chocolate Calendar and ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate!![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/11/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080-5.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/pod-save-chocolate-calendar-and-archive/) [#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) ## Not a Member? 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