A HANDFUL OF YEARS AGO, I WAS PREPARING FOR A CAMPING TRIP WHEN I NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE THAT NIGHT WAS GOING TO TURN PUNISHINGLY COLD. I HAD A VISION OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS BUNDLED UP AROUND THE CAMPFIRE AND KNEW I WANTED TO BRING ALONG A TRADITION FROM MY CHILDHOOD. SOMETHING TO SIP AND STAY WARM, BEFORE RETREATING TO OUR TENTS AND TURNING IN FOR THE NIGHT. WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH THOUGHT TO MEASUREMENTS, I THREW TOGETHER INGREDIENTS FROM THE PANTRY: CACAO POWDER, DATE SUGAR AND SEA SALT. 

 THAT NIGHT, UNDER THE STARS, I STIRRED THE COCOA IN A BIG POT WITH MILK NICKED FROM THE CAMPSITE KITCHEN. IT BEGAN TO STEAM AND TURN THICK AND CREAMY. NOT TOO SWEET — JUST SILKY AND RICH. EVERYONE SAT SILENTLY WITH THEIR NECKS CRANED BACK TRYING TO CAPTURE THE LAST DROPS FROM THEIR MUGS. 

IN THE SILENCE OF DEEP SATISFACTION, MY FASCINATION WITH CACAO TOOK ROOT AND THE INSPIRATION FOR MOIRÉ WAS BORN.

AS THE WORLD TURNED INWARD IN 2020, I FOUND MYSELF AT HOME, NURTURING A YOUNG CHILD AND A FLEDGLING CHOCOLATE BUSINESS. I SQUIRRELED AWAY SPARE MINUTES TO DIVE DEEPER INTO THE HISTORY OF CACAO AND THE IMPACT OF THIS MAGICAL FRUIT. I STAYED UP NIGHTS PLAYING THE ZANY ALCHEMIST, DEVELOPING RECIPES AND FLAVOR COMBINATIONS, THE ARTIST IN ME GLEEFULLY RECOGNIZING THE BLANK CANVASES OF CHOCOLATE BEFORE ME. 

DURING THE DAY, I TOOK TURNS BETWEEN PARENTING AND DEVELOPING A BUSINESS STRATEGY FOR THE WORLD I WANT TO LIVE IN: ONE INFUSED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FEMINISM, ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES AND TRANSPARENT TRADE. IN A DARK, ISOLATING AND DIVISIVE TIME, MOIRÉ CHOCOLATE BECAME A SOURCE OF JOY AND CONNECTION.