Bittersweet and Bold — Why I Made Our First Ceremonial Drinking Cacao

I’ve always believed the best ideas don’t come from boardrooms — they come from phone calls that catch you off guard.

A few months back, I got one of those calls. It was from an old friend up in Ann Arbor, Michigan — one of those no-nonsense, black-coffee guys who never sugarcoats a thing, especially not his chocolate. He’s the kind of guy who drives a stick shift in a snowstorm and prefers a bitter bar over a brownie. Real dark chocolate is his daily ritual, and lately, he’s been throwing chunks of ceremonial cacao into his morning cup.

But he was skeptical.
“Where’s it coming from?” he asked. “How do I know this isn’t just another overprocessed bar pretending to be the good stuff?”

I didn’t have an answer — and that bugged me.

So I got to work.

This Isn’t Your Everyday 100% Chocolate

We already make a killer 100% bar at Marsatta. But ceremonial cacao? That’s a different animal.

Most chocolate—even dark, high-percentage stuff—goes through a fair bit of processing: conching, refining, tempering, tweaking texture. It’s made to snap clean, shine bright, melt just right. Ceremonial cacao doesn’t care about any of that. It’s not here to win beauty contests.

So I stripped the process down. Minimal tempering. No polishing. Just beans—roasted, ground, and formed into raw chunks. We kept the temperature low, the batches small, and the hands-on. The goal? Maximize the natural benefits and minimize anything that didn’t belong. What you get is pure cacao in its most honest form — something you can break into a warm cup of milk, whisk into a morning smoothie, or melt into your soul.

Try it here. 

Why People Drink It — And Why It Works

My buddy in Michigan drinks it for focus and to feel good — and he's not alone. Turns out, there’s science behind the ritual.

❤️ It Supports Heart Health

Cacao is loaded with flavanols — plant-based compounds that support healthy blood flow and circulation. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, these flavanols can help maintain healthy blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues when consumed regularly.

🧠 It’s a Brain Booster (Without the Crash)

Unlike coffee, cacao gives you a calm, focused energy thanks to a natural stimulant called theobromine. It doesn’t spike your adrenaline or leave you jittery. In fact, studies show cacao flavanols may improve memory, cognition, and alertness — even in sleep-deprived adults (NIH study here).

😊 It Boosts Mood, Naturally

Cacao contains anandamide (literally called the “bliss molecule”), along with magnesium and tryptophan, which help the body produce serotonin — your feel-good neurotransmitter. According to research in Frontiers in Nutrition (source), high-cacao chocolate can actually lower cortisol and improve perceived mood and stress levels.

🛡️ It’s a Nutritional Powerhouse

This stuff isn’t just rich in flavor — it’s rich in minerals. A chunk of ceremonial cacao gives you magnesium for relaxation, iron for energy, zinc for immunity, and antioxidants that protect your cells from damage over time. Check out USDA’s cacao nutrient breakdown and you'll see why it's earned its “superfood” status.

So, Why Did I Make It?

Because someone I trust asked for something real. Because I believe chocolate can be more than a treat — it can be a ritual.
And because sometimes, the best things come from going back to basics.

We’re proud to share our new Marsatta Ceremonial Drinking Cacao — made from whole beans, shaped into bold chunks, and ready to drop into your daily rhythm.

It’s not fancy. It’s not dressed up. It’s just honest, feel-good chocolate you can drink.

And for that friend up in Michigan — you know who you are — this one’s for you.

—Chef Jeffray

PS Order it here.