Liquid Love

DRINK

For Lindsey Slachta, chocolate making is literally in her lineage: Her grandmother was a chocolatier in Vernal, Utah. In 2017, Slachta and her husband, Daniel, launched Bolea, an Aspen-based company that grows, sources, ferments, dries and imports chocolate from Fiji. The cacao is then minimally processed here before being transformed into liquid treats like vegan milk chocolate made with coconut, and brewing cocoa (which makes a dynamite addition to smoothies). The latter is meant to be made in a French press, because it requires a longer steeping time in order to maximize the rich, complex flavors; it can also be prepared in a saucepan and strained. The resulting beverage, which has a pleasant, chocolatey aroma and bitter taste, is a nutritional goldmine, says Slachta, rich in hypertension-busting antioxidants, serotonin and the stimulant theobromine, which is “much kinder to the system than caffeine,” she says. Bolea is sold at the seasonal Aspen Saturday Market; look for an online store at BoleaChocolate.com and local retail outlets this fall. To order, contact Lindsey at 970.319.5610 or lindsey@boleachocolate.com.