Welcome to Atbang's Blog
There are currently 27 blogs. Where would you like to go?
How Pili trees help Atbang Farm® to celebrate the International Day of Forests
A walk in the woods ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
If something is not eating your plants, then your garden is not part of the ecosystem
Atbang goes to Glastonbury ----------------------------------------------------------------
Organic Soil --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tablea, sikwate, cacao vs cacoa, and a little temptation ------------------------------
Atbang Fine Chocolate being made -------------------------------------------------------
Budding Royalty ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Art of the Label ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exhibitions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Organic --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost of cacao beans: "Cacao prices are going through the roof" -----------------
Asin Tibuok ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laptop vs Mobile -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honey. Bees. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outlets and Ordering --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aranchillo and Puyat ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Moon -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two chocolate bars. Two different price rises --------------------------------------------
Product. Packaging. Promotion. Pt 1 -------------------------------------------------------
Product. Packaging. Promotion. Pt 2 -------------------------------------------------------
Pressure. (Or Product. Packaging. Promotion. Pt 3) -------------------------------------
Pods -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chocolate: what the chefs say ----------------------------------------------------------------
Virgin Coconut Oil: what more can be said? ----------------------------------------------
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Virgin Coconut Oil: what more can be said?
Here it is, Virgin Coconut Oil in its purest form. VCO was Atbang Farm's first product. We now make it available with the PGS Certified Organic label, as the picture shows.
All good so far, but what more can be said about VCO? I decided to consult the vcop site (http://vcophilippines.com) to see what they had to say. I guess much of what follows is common knowledge to regular users of VCO, and maybe to most of those searching for information, so the facts below should be viewed as a brief summary, or taster. Please note that everything below relates to health. I haven't included anything about the remarkable cleaning properties of VCO. And they should not be underestimated.
First, let's get the definition out of the way:
VCO is the "oil obtained from fresh, mature kernel of coconut by mechanical or natural means, with or without the use of heat, without undergoing chemical refining, bleaching or deodorizing, and which does not lead to the alteration of the nature of the oil. Virgin coconut oil is an oil which is suitable for consumption without the need for further processing." (Philippine National Standards for Virgin Coconut Oil)
Virgin Coconut Oil should not be confused with ordinary coconut cooking oil; it's like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Trabant. (Anyone interested in medium chain triglycerides - that's what makes VCO unique amongst oils - should consult the vcop website).
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​Here are a few questions that cover the basics:
Is VCO bad for the heart? The answer is no. VCO contains 'good cholesterol' and is safe and beneficial for those with heart disease. VCO does not contain trans fatty acids. Its saturation is natural and not from artificial hydrogenation.
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What is the active ingredient of VCO? It contains Lauric Acid, a medium chain fatty acid, which is responsible for many of its health benefits. Viruses and bacteria can be inactivated by Lauric Acid.
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Will I gain weight with VCO? No. Because VCO is easily converted into energy and increases metabolism, it helps in weight loss. It also contains 7.0 calories per gram, less than the usual 9 calories per gram of other fats.
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How does one use VCO?
- Food supplement: It may be taken by the spoonful (2-4 tbsps a day), or mixed with food or drinks.
- Topical skin ointment: It may be used topically on the skin, as a moisturizer and to treat minor skin problems. To condition the hair, it may be massaged onto the scalp for 20 minutes then rinsed.
- Cooking oil: It may be used as a healthy substitute in cooking.
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Convinced yet by these marvellous qualities? Interested in giving your health a boost? If so, bear in mind that our VCO is Bohol's first and only cold pressed VCO that uses organically grown coconuts; you cannot get better.
Not convinced? Really? Okay, in that case, go to the vcop site and read about VCO in full. Then give our VCO a try.
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ps. for anyone who's noticed the Nutrition Facts, storage, QR code, contact details, use by date, etc are not on the front label, I can confidently say that all these are found on the label attached to the back of the bottle. Yes, we think of everything.
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Chocolate: what the chefs say
Trying to find words of wisdom isn't hard when you have the internet, but browsing quotations about chocolate? It revealed one thing: the majority of them are cliches, often trying to be cute. That sort of quotation isn't useful, because I try to make each blog post a source of information; if I can't do that, I don't post.
Anyway, determined to pursue the idea, I extracted those that actually said something, and found that the best ones invariably came from chefs. I did find a few good ones from actresses and authors, but I'll leave those for another day.
Here is my collection of quotations about chocolate: I hope you find at least a little inspiration in them.
Jacques Torres is a French pastry chef and chocolatier. His quotations are numerous, but he is known as Mr Chocolate, so he ought to have plenty to say. I could choose most and be happy with them, but I think these 5 sum up what chocolate-making is all about. At Atbang, we wholeheartedly agree.
"I decided on a chocolate business. I love making it and the fact that people of any gender, age, and race enjoy it."
"I make my own chocolate, I grow my own beans, and now I have something about the history of chocolate. I feel I try to go as far as I can into this profession."
"More and more research shows that chocolate is good for you. It's a mood elevator. It contains a lot of antioxidants and will keep us younger. It's good for your heart and acts like aspirin. It keeps your cholesterol low."
"My goal is to teach what chocolate is. I don't think my customers understand what it takes to make chocolates."
"I'm blessed to do what I love to do every day."
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Adriano Zumbo is an Australian pâtissier and television presenter. This quotation echoes what Atbang says about poor / good quality chocolate.
"Compound chocolate is gritty, cheaper and doesn't have that fruitiness, the backnotes and smoothness you get in couverture."
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Marcus Samuelsson is an Ethiopian-Swedish chef. He's right, of course, except that maybe we can indulge every day?
"Chocolate is one of the world's most beloved discoveries, and when we need a quick boost of energy and endorphins, chocolate is the go-to treat."
"The darker the chocolate is, the more antioxidants it contains. So when eaten in moderation - just a few bites from a well-made dark chocolate bar, for instance - there's no need to feel bad about indulging once in a while."
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Alain Ducasse is a Monégasque chef. (I had to look the word up). It means a person from Monaco. These 2 quotations could have been written by us at Atbang, except we'd say cacao, not cocoa.
"Everything that pushes up out of the earth I love. Everything under the earth, root vegetables, I love to cook."
"You take the best ingredients - the best cocoa beans - and you process them in the best traditional way, and you have the best chocolate."
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Johnny Iuzzini is an American pastry chef. This quotation goes to the root of why chocolate is such a sought-after treat.
"Chocolate is the go-to ingredient for many people. It is the thing people crave when they are happy and celebrate; it is also the go-to ingredient for many people when we are sad or depressed. It makes us feel better."
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Chris Kilham is an author, educator, and researcher of plant-based medicines. Not quite a chef, I know, but it's still a great quotation. And he does of course mean cacao, not cocoa, which is a manufactured product.
"Cocoa boosts brain serotonin. Almost every single antidepressant aims at either enhancing serotonin or keeping it in the brain longer. Chocolate or cocoa does that very well."
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Well, that's it for the chefs, but I want to end on a quotation that appealed to me - even though it's technically inaccurate. It offers a clue why we find some people good to listen to, and others not so much. It's something I found online and probably wasn't meant to be a serious quotation, or extracted as one, so it shall remain anonymous. It was said of Ross Coulthart, the Australian journalist.
"His voice is like molten chocolate, rich and classic."
Yes, molten (superheated) chocolate would just be a mess, but we all know the intended meaning, and that's chocolate being tempered.
Here's a video of chocolate tempering in a previous blog:
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Pods
A lot can be written about cacao pods; the information isn't hard to find. So, as with all these blog posts, the intention is not merely to repeat facts and statistics, but to align them to how we do things at Atbang.
Having said that, let's get the basics out of the way for those who are new to the subject. Cacao pods (the Theobroma family) come in 3 main varieties. Yes, there are more, but they can be considered specialist varieties and mostly obscure, limited to specific growing regions - cacao is mainly grown in the hot and humid equatorial belt, which encompasses the 10 degrees north and south of the equator.
The most common variety is Forastero, which compromises around 80% of pods grown worldwide. Its characteristics are high yielding and resistance to pests and diseases. If you are eating chocolate that is mass produced, whether compound or good quality, the chances are the cacao - whatever the percentage - is from the Forastero pod.
The Trinitario pod compromises 10 - 15% of world chocolate production. It's known for its high quality, aromatic beans with no bitterness, and is favoured by high-end manufacturers and chocolatiers.
The rarest and most prized variety is Criollo. It accounts for a small % of worldwide production. Why is it rare? It's low-yielding, susceptible to pests and diseases, and the trees are few and far between. Needless to say, it is sought after by the makers of gourmet chocolate products because its flavour is considered the best.
Fact: Trinitario is a hybrid of Forastero and Criollo that originated from Trinidad in the mid-18th century.
Atbang grows Trinitario that have some element of Criollo in their genetic makeup, although it isn't possible to be specific about how much without scientific analysis of the pods (see below).
Another variable is where the tree grows. Minerals in the soil and the amount of sunlight and water each tree receives will affect the flavour, as will the method of fermentation. This is why Atbang prefers to use its own beans, as we know the source, and have complete control over quality and fermentation. (Wine makers would most likely say something similar about grapes. Specialised tasters of chocolate will also use similar descriptions to wine tasters, ie flavours and aromas of spices, caramel, flowers, herbs, nuts etc.)
On the left, Atbang's criollo. Notice that criollo pods are quite narrow with deep groves.
Pods from this tree have been analysed by the University of Southern Mindanao and found to be 97% criollo. While it would be wonderful to say this was typical, it simply isn't the case. As stated above, Criollo is not a common variety, and this one is unique. Also, looking further afield, due to the diminishing numbers of cacao farmers and general lack of knowledge about care and maintenance, it's sad to say that many trees are left neglected - criollo amongst them.
One of Atbang's projects is to restore local neglected trees to good health by giving help and advice to the owners.
Can we make our local villages and farms famous for being criollo hotspots? Everyone would gain: the farmers, us, and the Bohol cacao industry.
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Pressure. (Or Product. Packaging. Promotion. Pt 3)
"To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time." Leonard Bernstein.
How about: nowhere near enough time? What happens then? We were asked if we could fulfil an order ... in 2 days and 3 nights. The order required 4,200 pieces of tablea, together with the packaging. We had neither the molded tablets, nor the packaging. We had staff away. Decline? We could have politely done so, saying the timescale was too short, but we didn't. Why? Not because we're crazy, but because we enjoy a challenge.
"Just do what works for you because there will always be someone who thinks differently." Michelle Obama.
Well, Michelle, Atbang does think differently. The first thing to do was formulate a plan, and it seemed a good plan when initial measurements were taken. However, in reality the measurements didn't work out, and it became obvious we were heading for failure; with only 1 day and 2 nights left, we had to come up with plan B, and pronto. The difficult had just become near-impossible.
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." Henry Ford. No, Henry, we didn't do that.
To summarise a hectic 24 hours, the original boxed packaging was scrapped, and another box designed. The original label was scrapped, and another one designed to fit the new box. It was then a case of acquiring enough card to make the boxes. The card had to be cut and folded into a box, the tablets molded, the boxes filled, the labels printed, the labels attached to the boxes, the boxes packed for delivery, the delivery made, the huge sighs of relief exhaled.
"Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." Francis of Assisi. That's great advice.
Yes, with the hard work of our staff and a visiting, willing relative who was enlisted for 12 hours, we just managed to fulfil the order on time. Some might say: well done.
Below, left to right: some of the 4,200 tablets, one of the finished boxes, the 100 boxes being prepared for delivery.
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Product. Packaging. Promotion. Pt 2
Promotion: hoping to make a good impression.
In this follow-up blog, we'll take a look at the promotional material Atbang uses, so we'll need to get pictorial. Whereas all the product labels we use are already featured on this website, that doesn't apply to our promotional material.
Let's start small and work up to large. Here's the calling card Efrenia uses. And by the way, the difference in scale between small and large is enormous. It would take about 250 calling cards to cover our banner.
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Because it's always good policy to be respectful to our customers, we use this Thank you slip when selling to anyone personally.
Does the heart balloon remind you of anything? Clue: think of a famous, but elusive British artist (the answer is at the bottom of this blog).
And to anyone curious: the 'string' of the balloon is part of the natural marking of the pod, whereas the heart shape is a design feature.
nb. On the subject of design, apologies to those browsing on a mobile, because the directions given below won't apply; all images and text are re-assembled into an unappealing list. Hint: please view the website on a laptop.
A5 leaflets are a new feature for us. The leaflet on the near right was used at a recent Worldwide PGS Organic Conference that Efrenia was invited to attend.
The other is 'hot off the press' - so new it hasn't been used yet. But it will be because we think it's important to have information that states exactly what we do to produce our Tree to bar chocolate, and that's everything.
There will be more leaflets in the future, tailor-made to match the requirements of any particular event.
Here on the left is the 5 by 2 foot banner. Big and beautiful - well, that's for others to judge. It's pictured here in use for the first time. It was designed to promote only our chocolate products, so there's no VCO, honey, or tisane.
New
We have a new version of our 50g chocolate bar that's not pictured on the banner. No, it's not a new variety of chocolate (that's planned for next year). It's a new variety of label that can be adapted to fit any event or celebration. This is a new venture for us, so we don't have a range to display, but we can show an example of the label specially designed for our daughter's wedding, where each guest received a personalised bar as part of their table setting. The themed floral design was given to us to incorporate into the label.
Here it is below, front and back.
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If this idea appeals to you, contact us so we can discuss details. Our attitude will be 'can do' rather than 'can't do'. We'll do our best to provide a bespoke design worthy of your event.
The British artist is Banksy.
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Product. Packaging. Promotion. Pt 1
At Atbang, we are constantly striving to innovate, whether it's by introducing an entirely new product (expensive and time-consuming), or - more likely - adapting or diverting our current range into new avenues (less expensive and relatively quick).
Creating the product itself is Chapter 2 of the story (thinking about bringing an initial idea it into reality is Chapter 1).
What's next? What's Chapter 3?
It's presentation, or packaging. The two are intertwined. And promotion. We'll leave promotion (Chapter 4) for the next blog and concentrate on packaging for now. There is an important aspect to packaging that I'm not going to pursue here - and that's concerned with protecting the product from outside influences, and tampering.
So, returning to design, what are we trying to do? In our case it's to display our values and branding, both unique to us. Remember, Atbang means 'opposite', and that's what we do with our packaging. We do not try to imitate others. We aim to set a trend, not follow it.
We do not blow our own trumpet because we aren't that type of company; we let our products speak for our quality. But as designer, I can honestly say we receive many compliments for our packaging. Am I on cloud nine with that? Yes, of course. But I'm not going to sit back and think it's job done, or think creating new designs is as easy as falling off a log. As with any creative endeavour, perfection is highly elusive. A design that looks the bee's knees one day doesn't seem quite as good the next, and sometimes the whole thing has to be scrapped, although usually a few tweaks will do the job.
Continuous improvement is also an issue. The first edition of a label, for example, might be okay, but in the longer term something more aesthetically satisfying is required. Also, the message must be clear. What exactly is the product? If that isn't apparent, then it's back to the drawing board. And often, it's just simple, background information that necessitates a change, such as contact details, or ingredients, or licencing numbers.
To close, let's focus on the ultimate aim, and that's to sell the product, not just once, but time and time again. And for that to happen, the potential customer must want to investigate beyond the first glance. He or she must want to take the product from the shelf and handle it, turn it around and admire it from all angles, read the information, feel the quality. And then think the product is worthy of at least a taste, so into the shopping basket it goes. The subconscious association that good packaging leads to a good product has been made.
Or, more simply, it's love at first sight? That's what Atbang really hopes for.
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Two chocolate bars. Two different price rises
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Imagine two 100 gram chocolate bars. It's easy if you try. To help, I've invented two bars. The first is a corporate bar of compound 'chocolate' that contains 10% cacao (the other 90% is anything else that's not actually cacao.) This figure is realistic by the way. Ask Hershey's.
The second is an artisanal bar of pure chocolate. It's 100% cacao and familiar to all who make and enjoy real chocolate.
Let's imagine we bought these two bars in 2023. And let's say we paid 100 pesos for the corporate bar and 200 pesos for the artisanal bar. Again, I stress that these are fictional bars and made-up prices, although I guess the prices are realistic for both bars.
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Now, a fact: the price of cacao beans has risen by 40-50% in the last year.
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For the sake of simplicity, we'll say the price has risen by 50%. It's 2024 now and we want to buy the bars again. ​
Let's work out the increase in price as it applies to the makers of both bars.
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First, the corporate bar, (which, prior to the increase will likely have had an advertising campaign telling you how scrumptious it is.) Let's say the cost of the 10% cacao content was 10 pesos in 2023. With a 50% rise, that's now 5 pesos extra for the cacao. So, the overall increase is minimal, i.e the grand total is 100 + 5 = 105 pesos. This is not a concern for the big manufacturers.
Next, our artisanal bar. The cost of the 100% cacao content was 200 pesos in 2023. With a 50% rise, that's now 100 pesos extra for the cacao. So, the overall increase is significant, i.e the grand total is 200 + 100 = 300 pesos. This IS a major concern for small manufacturers.
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There is another factor to consider: makers of artisanal chocolate require the highest quality cacao beans, so prices are likely to be even higher. Will they compromise on quality? It's highly unlikely. For most, chocolate-making is a labour of love, and quality must be maintained, so that means only one thing. Prices must rise.
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The customer must still choose how to satisfy his/her craving. He/she can buy the mass-manufactured product and 'enjoy' the mix of oils, sugar, flavourings and other additives; obviously, the craving for cacao won't be satisfied. Or, he/she can buy a lovingly-crafted product that costs more, but leads to total satisfaction.
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Atbang Fine chocolate sincerely hopes its customers, present and future, will continue to choose quality over cheap, and they'll leave the corporate stuff on the shelf.​​
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Full Moon
There are abundant myths about the full moon and how it affects human and werewolf behaviour. Some may have an element of truth, but it's safe to say myths remain myths until scientific proof is obtained. So, does anyone have any?
​The plant world, however, has been observed to behave according to the phases of the moon.
There is an excellent blog post from permacultureprinciples.com, called: tune-your-fork-a-moon-planting-guide that contains useful information about this fascinating subject.
The blog starts: "Over the centuries diverse cultures have observed that planting during certain phases of the moon has affected the germination and growth rate of plants."
So, if you're still here because you haven't read it yet, here is one piece of advice: during the Full Moon phase, it is advisable to sow or plant out root crops (it's all about sap).
A word of warning: If you go out at night to plant your root crops, watch out.
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Aranchillo and Puyat
No, not Real Madrid's latest strike pair, or a Filipino singing duo, Aranchillo and Puyat are durian varieties.
Pictured above: a trio of Puyat durian fresh from our farm. From the outside, the Aranchillo looks very similar, but has thinner, sharper thorns.
It's inside the formidable shell where the difference is seen, and tasted.
The flesh of the Aranchillo is whitish, whereas Puyat is yellowish. The difference in taste is a matter of opinion, but as rough guide, Puyat has the stronger taste, although it must be noted that all durian should be eaten while fresh. After a few days, the fruit takes on a more pungent flavour. Yo Ra, a professional food technologist of Bohol DTI says of our Puyat: "50% leche flan, 40% cottage cheese, 9% caramel and 1% sulfur".
Now, a couple of interesting facts. Only bats pollinate the durian flower, so the tree is most perfumed in the evening in order to attract them. Ripe durians only fall at dawn, when hopefully no one's around; at 3 kilos and covered with sharp spikes, it's not something you would want falling on you.
Something else that's notable, true at the time of writing: Atbang Farm produces the first and only organic certified durians grown in Bohol under PGS with Bohol Participatory Guarantee System Association (BPGSA) and Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS).
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Outlets and Ordering
We get orders that vary in size and scope from a few items to a boxful. This one, pictured here, is part of one of our largest orders, heading right now to Palawan. The items are, pictured front to back: Atbang Dark Milk, Atbang 85 Organic, Atbang 72 square boxes, Atbang 60 with Asin Tibuok, and 1 kilo packs of Atbang Tablea.
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The number of businesses displaying and selling our products is steadily increasing, and we now have outlets in popular locations in Bohol, and outside.
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There is a list of our Outlets on the Home page.
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Remember, if there isn't an outlet near you and you want to order, you can do so by using the Contact Us form on the Home page, or by contacting us on FaceBook.
There is a FaceBook link at the bottom of this page.
Orders can be collected from our processing site in Tagbilaran by prior arrangement, or at an agreed meeting place. If you order this way, the prices you pay are those stated on this site.
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Please also remember, we don't just sell Craft and Organic Chocolate. We have the purest Honey, the best Virgin Coconut Oil, and unique Cacao Tisane bags, all beautifully packaged.
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Honey. Bees.
Jars of Atbang's Wild, Raw 100% Honey pictured here, proudly standing to attention like a mini-Terracotta Army. Honey is our only product that doesn't have - and doesn't need - a Use by date; it's forever.
Did you know that Winnie-the-Pooh used honey as bait to trap a Heffalump? We do all know there is no honey without the bee.
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​The swarthy bee is a buccaneer,
A burly, velveted rover,
Who loves the booming wind in his ear
As he sails the seas of clover.
(By Bliss Carman)
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Here are a few quotations about bees that take a slightly different, off-beat view, like this insightful one by Victoria Coren Mitchell:
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"The key to nature's therapy is feeling like a tiny part of it, not a master over it. There's amazing pride in seeing a bee land on a flower you planted - but that's not your act of creation, it's your act of joining in."
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Yes, it is Pride. And Pleasure. Can we all agree?
How about this mind-bender by Mary Kay Ash:​
"Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway."
(Honey bees beat their wings 190 times per second).
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"If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive." Dale Carnegie.
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On a more sombre note, here are some facts to bring anyone down to earth: (Information provided by Greenpeace)
"70 out of the top 100 human food crops - which supply about 90% of the world's nutrition - are pollinated by bees."
So, you would naturally expect that humans would look after bees. After all, if the well-known quotation attributed to Einstein proved to be correct, humans would be in dire straits. The quotation can be looked up. A warning for those unfamiliar with it: it's depressing.
From Greenpeace on the decline of bees: "We know humans are largely responsible for the two most prominent causes: pesticides and habitat loss." We'll skip the latter for now.
Tragically, the chemical companies advocate no change in pesticide policy. "Selling poisons to the world's farmers is profitable."
Just think about that. And then decide whether organic farming is best, and why it's best.
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Laptop vs Mobile
​I have a question. Are you viewing this website on a laptop / PC or on your mobile phone?
There is a big difference.
The site, along with 99.9% of other websites, was designed on a laptop / PC using the landscape format. The text and images were balanced for maximum visual appeal using this format. In most cases (including this one) doing this took considerable time and effort. Now, the average 'surfer' - it seems such a dated term now - probably has very little knowledge about how websites find their way onto their mobile phone in portrait mode. As the designer of this site, I have to admit I also have limited knowledge about the process. All I can say is that the website application interprets the images and texts from the landscape mode and rearranges them as a list, which is basically what you get in the mobile view. I can also say that the application does not always make a very good job of doing this. I don't know about the actual logistics, but I think it's fair to say it cannot be called 'Artificial Intelligence'. In fact, the result can be a jumbled mess of text and images that has to be put back into some kind of logical order. It's not difficult to do this, but the inescapable fact is that the aesthetic design element of the original website is badly compromised when viewing it on a mobile phone.
In summary: if you are viewing this on your laptop / PC you are getting the real deal, but if you are viewing it on your mobile you are getting a diluted, compromised version. Yes, the basics are still there, but you are not seeing them as the designer intended.
As an aside here, I have tried to make the mobile version as visually appealing as it can be. But I'm not happy with it.
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Now, back to the original question.
If you have an answer, an opinion, or comment - positive or not - do let us know via the Contact Us form on the home page.
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To finish: in light of the above, 65-70% of people who view websites do so on their mobile phone.
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My reaction to that: aargh!
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Asin Tibuok
Our Atbang 60 bars with Asin Tibuok are in demand; there is a market for high quality dark chocolate sprinkled with star dust. Okay, it's not real star dust, but it is the rarest salt you can find on this planet, and not without justification.
This blog isn't the place for details about production techniques, but anyone interested should take a look at Asin Tibuok's website. (The manufacturer is Tan Inong Manufacturing, and the head of the company is pictured here with our General Manager / Owner).
And yes, the finished product does resemble a dinosaur egg.
Our chocolate-maker, Freya, says: "Applying a pinch of salt enhances the chocolate flavour by balancing sweetness and highlighting the rich, complex taste of the cacao. In addition when applying the salt on top of the chocolate, I grated it to have the exact amount of saltiness in each bite. This combination makes each bite more interesting and satisfying. Furthermore, salt can help to suppress any bitterness in dark chocolate, making it more palatable for those who might find it too intense."
Perfect. And that attention to detail sums up why our chocolate is so admired.
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Cost of cacao beans: "Cacao prices are going through the roof".
Whichever graph or chart you consult about the cost of cacao beans in 2024, the upwards trajectory is impossible to ignore. The y-axis for recent months resembles an ascent up the scariest of mountain slopes. Why is this? Obvious: because demand is greater than supply. There is a serious shortage of cacao beans. Worldwide.
Let's look at the reasons. 1. climate change (specifically drought). 2. disease. 3. labour issues / ageing trees. These apply especially in the West-African equatorial belt, which accounts - or accounted - for most of the world's cacao production, although this may be a thing of the past, unless climate change miraculously goes into reverse.
But let's concentrate on the Philippines, one of the few countries that lies within the narrow equatorial band that enjoys a climate conducive to the growing of cacao. Can we agree that drought hasn't yet hit the Philippines? Okay, let's focus on Bohol. (Davao is cited as the Philippines cacao-capital, but we won't dwell on that).
So, what are the local problems? It's fair to say Bohol-based Atbang Farm knows a thing or two on this subject.
1. Most farmers are smallholders with no specialist knowledge of cacao-growing, meaning farms devoted to cacao are not great in number. 2. Poverty. Even if the farmers have the knowledge, they have no capital to invest on infrastructure. 3. Cacao trees require TLC, and that means specialists are indispensible. 4. Pests, particularly the pod-borer (that's why you see pods encased in clear plastic bags).
Although the agricultural authorities - and experienced growers - are trying to overcome these problems, it is clear they cannot be resolved overnight, so in terms of supply and pricing the immediate outlook is not promising.
Now, time to brace yourselves. Yes, we mean you: lovers of real, couverture chocolate. You must accept that your passion will cost you more - probably a lot more. We hope you grit your teeth and stick around, but those who defect to mass-produced, compound chocolate will have to get used to the increased use of oil, and whatever cheap ingredients the manufacturers can use as a substitute for expensive cacao.
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Organic
Our certified Organic chocolate bars are now available. The smiley cacao pods used for this special batch were sourced entirely from Atbang Farm.
​nb: To qualify as organic, the cacao content must be at least 85%.
Please see our Fine Chocolate page for details of these bars, and our Organic 92g boxed bar.
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Exhibitions
We don't - as yet - have a shop for a permanent display of all our products. Instead, we make use of public, trade, and cultural exhibitions, where we have access to customers and potential business partners.
A lot of time and effort is spent transporting, arranging, and promoting our products. We think it's all worthwhile.
We hope you enjoy viewing this picture gallery, and meeting our hard-working staff.
A display of our products at Donatela Resort and Sanctuary, Tawala, Panglao, Bohol.
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The Art of the Label
Atbang Fine Chocolate believes its chocolate deserves the best label, and to this end no effort is spared, front and back. This is one of our new labels for the small Dark Milk bar, created and printed in-house.
The front is designed for style and impact and to be eye-catching (that doesn't mean a mish-mash of garish colours). It means having a brand design that reflects the quality of the product.
The back is purely for information, but it must be neat, legible, and attractive. The various elements are positioned and aligned to 0.01 of a centimetre. Precision is everything.
In case you were wondering, the white panel is the overlap, so there's no need to waste ink on it.
And yes, the label must be exactly the right size, designed so that the front and back are centred correctly when it's lovingly wrapped around the bar.
The Tablea labels you see in the video are different to the label above in that there is a separate front and back. These labels are printed on sticker paper, which is photo paper that needs to be peeled off its backing before being attached to the packaging.
You might also notice a few differences in content on the back label to the one above.
Included in this design is a Nutrition panel. This is a requirement after a product has been analysed in a laboratory.
Also present is a QR code, which smart phones can use to direct the viewer straight to this website.
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Please note that this label-cutting video is speeded up.
We would never recommend anyone use a sharp blade at such high speed.
One final point: yes, we do everything. Absolutely everything. We sow the cacao seeds, graft, grow the seedlings into trees, harvest the pods, ferment and dry the cacao beans, manufacture the chocolate, and produce the individual labels for our products.
By the way, we also eat some of the chocolate - purely for testing purposes, you understand.
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Water
The significance of water, or H2O, in terms of life cannot be understated. We depend on it. We die without it. Such is its importance that astronomers scrutinise the atmospheres of exoplanets for signs of it, knowing the significance of a finding would be huge. Water means life.
So, back on Earth, where extremes of weather seem to be the new norm, what does a farmer do when his / her source of water dries up? Despair? Give up? Praying for rain isn't a practical option, (although no one can claim prayers won't be granted.)
Our intrepid farmer went out on a search into unfamiliar parts. She didn't carry scientific instruments, or even a divining rod. The result was good: she found a natural source of water (and didn't fall into it - others would have done).
Yes, a great discovery.
But what if the water had been inaccessible? Or simply too far away? Or at a level that's too low to be usable without pumping? Hard luck.
Fortunately, this water source was usable, and the solution was to use piping - lots of it, plus connections, plus ingenuity in making use of gravity, where that was necessary.
As a postscript to this little success story, there has been rain, and the original water sources are back. Next time, however, things could be different.
Maybe the answer is to store as much water as possible when its abundant.
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Big
This cacao pod is the biggest one we have grown and harvested at Atbang Farm® (not that we're boasting about it, you understand). Anyone who Googles the usual size of cacao pods will read that the weight averages around 400 grams and the length ranges from 8 to 14 inches.
So, by normal standards our pod - weighing 1.2 kilos and measuring 12 inches in length - is in the heavyweight class. For the more technically minded, it is a Clone UIT 1.
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Atbang Farm Food Forest is certified organic. Being organic isn’t a trend, it’s a return to tradition, helping to make good things happen, like extra-large cacao pods.
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Budding Royalty
The Queen: the mangosteen is designated the 'Queen of fruits' after Queen Victoria offered a knighthood to anyone who could bring her a ripe one. The difficulty of transporting fruit from The Philippines to England a century and a half ago cannot be underestimated.
Here are flowering buds from Atbang Farm's mangosteen trees.
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The King: the durian is designated the 'King of fruits' because of its formidable appearance (think of a lion). We'll pass on the subject of its unique smell. Durians can be bigger than footballs, weigh up to 3 kilos, and are covered in a tough, thorny shell.
Fruit, or medieval weapon?
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The taste of durian is either love or hate, heaven or hell. Atbang Farm takes the heavenly option.
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In these videos, you are taken on a tour of our durian trees to get a close-up of buds and flowers.
Enjoy the beauty and the natural sounds while you anticipate the majestic fruit that will develop.
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Videos can be started and stopped by simply clicking on them.
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Atbang Fine Chocolate being made
Just watch and savour, while imagining the delectable aroma. The sound is the whirr and hum of the machinery.
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The technicalities:
Melanging (left, or first if viewing on a mobile): Melanging is the process of grinding and blending chocolate with its ingredients.
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Tempering (right, or second if viewing on a mobile): Tempering requires chocolate to be slowly heated and then cooled so that the fat molecules crystallise evenly, resulting in a smooth, shiny finish when the chocolate sets.
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Videos can be started and stopped by simply clicking on them.
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Tablea, sikwate, cacao vs cacoa, and a little temptation
Atbang Tablea is 100% pure cacao chocolate. We make it in two forms: as powder and as molded tablets (tablea is the Spanish word for tablet). Tablea is one of our top-selling products. It won an award as 'One of the Top 5 Best Tablea Drinks in The Philippines.'
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Sikwate is the drink made from tablea. Essentially, it’s tablea, hot water, and sugar, although it can also contain milk and/or cream. The sikwate pictured here is supplied by Green Thumb Farm, who serve hot and cold chocolate drinks made from Atbang tablea in their Al Fresco restaurant, and in their outlets at Panglao International Airport and Tagbilaran Seaport. They also display the Atbang Fine Chocolate range at their outlets. Green Thumb Farm can be found on Facebook.
Back on Atbang's home ground, here is a photo of a rather nice English teapot being used to pour our sikwate. Would you like a cup?
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Regarding cacao vs cacoa, please be aware that only cacao is the real deal. It’s pure and unadulterated. Cacoa isn’t; it’s refined and often contains extra ingredients.
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If you're not already convinced by cacao, here's a quote by author David Wolfe:
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"Cacao has the highest antioxidant concentration of any major food in the world. Cacao is thirty times higher in antioxidants than red wine, twenty times more potent in antioxidants than blueberries, three times higher than acai, and twice as much as chaga mushrooms. These antioxidants protect our cells from free radical damage and therefore contribute to our longevity and state of well-being."
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Are you sure you wouldn’t like a cup?
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Organic Soil
Warren Buffet is known for his financial acumen, but in the following two quotes, he shows he's no novice on the farm.
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"Soil is a living ecosystem, and is a farmer's most precious asset. A farmer's productive capacity is directly related to the health of his or her soil."
"There are more living organisms in a tablespoon of highly organic soil than there are people on the planet."
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Now, a question, not a quote. Let’s say the number of living organisms in soil contaminated by pesticides / chemical fertilisers (let’s ignore GMO for now) could be quantified as people. Where would those people fit? Yes, it’s speculation, and there can’t be a specific answer, but it’s amusing to guess. How about a small island? No. A football stadium? Still too big. A village or barangay hall? Smaller? Okay, we could go on until we get to a doormat, but there’s no need. Point made.
To end this brief paean to healthy soil, here’s a quote by British horticulturist Monty Don:
"By having a direct stake and involvement with the process of plants growing, of having your hands in the soil and tending it carefully and with love, your world and everyone's else's world too, becomes a better place."
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Atbang goes to Glastonbury
We are thrilled with our collaboration in the UK with RUHIYA, who serves Atbang 100 Ceremonial Grade Cacao drinks in her Sound healing sessions, her Holistic voice lessons, and her Healing power of Music sessions in Glastonbury, England.
Cacao is the food of the Gods; it’s healing power be with us, wherever we are.
Atbang Fine Chocolate. Single origin: Bohol, Philippines
Ruhiya's website:
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If something is not eating your plants, then your garden is not part of the ecosystem.
We, at Atbang Farm® are resolute in growing food the natural, organic way, and say no to chemical fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. We make our own natural farm inputs sourced from our vicinity, fermented and decomposed by invisible creatures, otherwise known as indigenous microorganisms.
Mother Nature will take care of the pests.
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A walk in the woods.
Here are two close encounters with ripening cacao pods. Green and purple. Play the videos with the natural sounds on (music icon) to feel like you're there in person. Videos can be started and stopped by simply clicking on them.
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How Pili trees help Atbang Farm® to celebrate the International Day of Forests
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
Happy International Day of Forests!
This year's theme for International Day of Forests is Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World. The battle against deforestation requires new technological advancements. Forests, known as Earth's lungs, are vital for a balanced environment.
This is a fast growing Pili Nut tree (Canarium ovatum). Pili trees are deep rooted and like fertile, well-drained soil. Planted in our farm as windbreaks, and for nuts, Pilis grow to 20 meters in height. With dense foliage, they make an ideal home for forest creatures. We hope to see these trees flower and bear fruit in the near future. And of course, seeds eventually grow into a forest.
