There’s chocolate. And then there’s Starchild.

Article and photos by Ree Slocum

 There’s chocolate and then there’s Mendocino County’s own handcrafted and award-winning Starchild Chocolate. Impossible to be confused with an ordinary bar of chocolate, Starchild bars are made from carefully chosen organic cacao beans and processed in small batches using traditional methods of stone grinding. Chocolatiers, Ash and Bree Maki, then “add nothing more than organic unrefined coconut sugar and cacao butter.” Sounds simple but the process is as complex and detailed as producing a fine bottle of wine, a craft beer, or high-end cup of coffee.

It all started in 2012 when Bree brought home a bar of chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar for Ash to taste. Both enjoyed chocolate but wanted some that was healthier for them. They launched an exploration into the world of this elixir of the gods. Ash not only liked the taste of that original bar, he found that some pain he’d been experiencing disappeared after eating the chocolate. They were hooked and opened Starchild Chocolate in 2014 and in 2015, opened their doors at their building on Main Street in Willits.

The finished Starchild Chocolate bar begins in the humid, jungle-like climates within 10 degrees north and south of the Equator in countries like Tanzania, Ecuador, and Dominican Republic. Within that band of optimal growing climate, entire villages—with children playing under cacao trees, chickens scratching in yards, and old people napping in hammocks—are known for the quality of their bean. Everyone is involved in making a living harvesting and fermenting the cacao growing in their yards and forests. The cacao tree is also cultivated in plantations by landowners hiring local farmers to grow and process the beans. Once fermented to perfection and dried, the beans are bagged and shipped around the world. The next step is to taste the hard, brown bean varieties coming from certain regions and farmers. Ash and Bree, who want to support small farmers, have tasted hundreds of finished cacao beans. They look for different complex flavors before they commit to buying bags.

Once the cacao beans are selected, the fun begins. Ash, who keeps copious notes about the processing he’s doing with the beans, said, “There’s a massive amount of complexity when it comes to chocolate making. We keep all our chocolate at 70 percent to stabilize one of the variables.” The roasting time of the beans can vary the flavors greatly. They’re operating small equipment, sometimes handmade, and believe that using a quality bean is essential. Next comes the grinding of the beans, all timed and noted. Ash also keeps track of when the coconut sugar is added and how much, and the time “conching” the small batches (a way of mixing the sugar and ground beans together, rounding off the edges and making the chocolate smooth and creamy). That process takes many hours, sometimes days, of blending in the small batch mixers they use, until the flavor and consistency are what they’re looking for. Once that’s achieved, the chocolate is poured into forms for bars, packaged, and shipped all over the world to fulfill wholesale orders.

Of course naming a business can be an arduous affair but the name “Starchild” was no doubt handed down to the couple on cosmic beams of inspiration. After Ash and Bree made their first batches of the artisan chocolate, they were discussing names with Ash’s dad, who was visiting at the time. He had a dream one night where he was cruising around in the stars, exploding with chocolate. In the morning, Ash’s dad told them, “You’ve got to name your chocolate something planetary--about the stars.” It all came together when Ash remembered nicknaming his sister “Starchild.” And it sealed the cosmic contract when they realized Mayan folklore says that the cacao bean was gifted to the Mayans on the beam of a morning star falling to Earth.

When they first opened their doors at 101 North Main Street in Willits, they served the public a cornucopia of chocolate delicacies while making the chocolate and filling wholesale orders. It was overwhelming doing both. So they temporarily closed the retail part of the business. Bree and Ash have discontinued the café part and plan to be open to the public soon, offering chocolaty gifts, the full array of artisan chocolate bars they’re famous for, and a wonderful variety of truffles, and will again serve samples to delight our palates. Make sure to try the “Tanzania KoKoaKamili” bar which won the silver medal this year in the “Unrefined Sugar” category at the International World Finals held in London.

Boonville's "Third Spice" brings smokey sweet heat to any dish

by François de Mélogue

One of my favorite regions in America is Northern California. In a lot of ways, the picturesque Anderson Valley of Mendocino County reminds me in spirit of the South of France and Italy, though perhaps in an obscure kind of way. The sun-kissed rocky hills and foggy valley floor are home to thousands of acres of grape vines, small organic farms and herds of goats and sheep. Its bucolic small towns nestled among towering redwoods and craggy coastlines bathed in the golden California sunshine are a photographer’s wet dream. Like Peter Mayle’s biographical series ‘A Year in Provence’, Mendocino boasts a unique rhythm governed by its own cast of colorful characters that people the region. Artists, musicians, farmers, brewers, and vintners shape and enrich the colorful tapestry woven from a strong, sustain- able, organic and independent fabric.

Time is measured not by days, weeks or months but by the seasons. If Boonville is the cultural center of Anderson Valley life, then the Boonville Hotel has to be the incubator where ideas are contrived. I recently spoke with Kendra McEwen about piment d’ville, a fresher, more robust alternative to piment d’espelette for chefs and home cooks in America. “Piment d’ville all started in the kitchen at the Boonville Hotel where Chef Johnny Schmitt had been using piment d’espelette for decades after he discovered it traveling around Southern France.

One day he realized that we may live in the perfect climate to attempt growing the chile ourselves. In 2010 we cultivated a pepper field out back and grew 50 plants just to see if we could do it. We were pleasantly surprised to see that our fresh product was even better than what we had been buying out of France. We renamed our variety piment d’ville in respect of the espelette AOC, and in 2011 we grew 100 plants, then 1000 plants in 2012, 5000 plants in 2013, 10,000 plants in 2014 and this year we will plant 30,000. We grow it because we want to eat it on everything. That’s the real reason. And beyond that, we want to share it with everyone and help all kitchens be equipped with this “third spice” that becomes as invaluable as salt once you’ve tried it. The history of our company is still being written, really, as we’re only in our third year of selling commercially. We are a small town crew of spunky farmers and chefs. We do everything by hand, and we make sure to play just as hard as we work.”

Last winter I was in the Anderson Valley for a speaking engagement at the sold out 11th Annual Alsace Festival technical conference. My friend and designer extraordinaire, Torrey Douglass of Lemon Fresh Design, suggested getting together to do a Sunday afternoon tribute to piment d’ville. The menu gives you an idea about the versatility of this amazing spice: Radicchio Salad with grilled Monterey Squid flavored with lemon, basil and piment d’ville; Daube of Lamb Cheeks with Saffron Risotto, and, of course, Piment d’Ville Donuts with Moroccan Hot Chocolate. Its spicy sweetness was the perfect finale to our Sunday afternoon feast. 

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PIMENT D’VILLE DONUTS

Author: Chef François de Mélogue

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 3 mins Total time: 13 mins Serves: 8

A simple donut recipe anyone can make.

INGREDIENTS DONUT DOUGH

2 cups milk
1⁄2 pound butter
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup warm water
1-1/2 teaspoon dry yeast all purpose flour 2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons Piment d’Ville
6 egg yolks

SERVING DONUTS

1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Piment d’Ville 1 teaspoon cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS DONUT DOUGH

1. Boil 2 cups of milk and 1⁄2 pound butter together. When butter is melted remove from heat and cool till just warm.

2. Mix 1⁄4 cup sugar, 1⁄2 cup warm water and 1-1/2 teaspoon dry yeast together in a bowl and let sit for five minutes.

3. Put milk and yeast into the bowl of a mixer fitted with dough attachment. Add 2 teaspoons sea salt, 2 teaspoons Piment d’Ville and 6 egg yolks.

4. Start adding flour by the cup full till you have a ball of dough that is slightly sticky. I know this step will scare some of you. Brace yourselves. It will work out.

5. Knead for 8 minutes till smooth and elastic. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let double in size.

SERVING DONUTS

1. Weigh out two ounce pieces and roll into a log shape. Pinch the ends together, put in a warm place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and let rest till it doubles in size.
2. Deep fry in 350 degree oil till brown and crispy on both sides. 3. Roll in granulated sugar mixed with Piment d’Ville and cinnamon.

NOTES

I use a large heavy gauged pot filled half way with vegetable oil. Put a deep fryer thermometer to check temperature. Be careful not to crowd pot with too many donuts because they will cool the oil and cause the donuts to soak up more fat. Drain donuts on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

If you want to serve donut holes simply portion out balls and fry them.

MOROCCAN HOT CHOCOLATE

Author: Chef François de Mélogue

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 10 mins

A seductive Adult Hot Chocolate children of all ages will love.

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS HOT CHOCOLATE

1 quart grass fed milk
1 pound bittersweet chocolate 1⁄4 c. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 teaspoons piment d’ville
1 big pinch saffron

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine everything and bring to boil.
2. Stir well.
3. Serve in small cups. The hot chocolate will be thick and rich. This ain’t your powdered hot chocolate.