Mike and Rick Mast seem to have nailed it. Quit your day job and start making chocolate with your brother. Sounds like fun. And that is exactly what the Mast brothers seem like they are doing-having fun. Mike spent his former life in finance and Rick was a chef and worked at some of the top restaurants throughout the city- until they both quit their jobs and started pursuing their passion for making chocolate. The perfect team for making chocolate business.

In case you aren’t familiar, the Mast Brothers are a duo of chocolatiers in Brooklyn. Their product has recently gained much attention, and for good reason. As high-end chocolate bars pop up all over the place, making different claims of quality and originality it can seem a bit daunting to choose. The Mast Brothers do, however, have valid claim for their newfound popularity. They are one of the few chocolate houses in the US that takes the chocolate from bean to bar. Their hands are all over it. They carefully source organic, single origin Venezuelan and Ecuadorian cacao for their product. Once they have selected the beans they then clean, roast and process the chocolate right in their own Brooklyn “factory”. The finishing touch is added by hand wrapping each bar in beautiful vintage Italian wrapping papers. The bars are so pretty that it took me more than the usual one second to open it- and, I saved the paper.

So, how much fun do the Mast brothers seem like they are having? I was lucky enough to visit their “factory” in Brooklyn one lovely Saturday, the same weekend that they were written up in the New York Times. The space is only open to the public on the weekends, and the rest of the time it is put to good use. Needless to say, it was busy. I was a little ambivalent going into the hype, the coolness factor. Was this just another venture of reverse prestige- the kind of place where you walk in and you are quickly forced to be reminded that you actually are missing something.

The moment I entered, I changed my mind. There was a bustle and energy in the air that made you feel like you had found something special, or just walked into someone’s really cool apartment. The “factory” itself was more like a pristine chocolate laboratory with immaculate equipment, tables and tiles, some new, some vintage. The smell of chocolate and roasted cacao was in the air. The bars were tastefully displayed in a make-shift retail space on Cacao beans seducing you with the charm of the papers, and Rick Mast was behind the counter with a big grin on his face, eager to answer any questions. There were family and friends helping out, and Mike Mast was in the back making chocolate beer, observing the crowd from a distance. I felt like I was at the world’s coolest garage party. Chocolate, homemade beer and cute boys- Hello? Yes, please. When I was up for purchase, indecision kicked in as much because of the flavors as the wrappers. There were about ten different flavors to choose from, but this is constantly changing. The price for three bars was $20, or about $7 dollars a bar – very reasonable for artisan chocolate. I, of course, went for dark chocolate, which is all vegan. I chose the dark chocolate with nibs (Rick’s favorite), dark chocolate with sea salt (a specialty), and dark chocolate with cranberries (because of the paper). Rick asked if I would like him to hand tie them in twine- of course! I felt like I walked out with a little stack of presents. The taste does not disappoint. Pure, smooth, crisp and delicious- not too bitter and not too sweet. Each flavor is very straightforward. You taste the nibs, the salt, and the cranberries as separate elements from the chocolate, which I really like. My impression of the chocolate is the same as it was for the Mast brothers themselves, genuine, quality and unpretentious.

So why even write an article about someone else’s really great chocolate that isn’t raw or even all vegan for that matter. Whether you love Mast Brothers Chocolate or not- or think that it is comparable to the finest French or Italian delight, there is one thing that I gained from my experience. The Mast Brothers are cool, and what they are doing is very cool. As elements of our own country and economy are in such a state of disarray, it is important to support our local artisans, who are putting forth a great effort to bring a product to the market with integrity, heart and soul. And that makes you a little bit cooler too.

www.mastbrotherschocolate.com

Related posts:

1. Chocolate Chapter

While most writers may find it more practical to write a book from the beginning, Everyday Raw Desserts began from chocolate. There are a number of chapters I’m excited to write about (and taste), but none as much as Cacao.

I’m fortunate to be working on this book with Meredith Baird, who is not only talented but also extremely clever with the raw beans and their multiple uses. Meredith recently moved to New York, from Napa Valley, where she worked in the wine industry (along with chocolate, another living essential!). As with all food in its natural state, the success of raw chocolate is largely based on the integrity of its ingredients. In our case, Meredith was able to source something extremely special, which we’ll write more about later, and also develop a new method for preparing the chocolate at a very low temperature.

This chocolate was rich and buttery, not overly sweet but lacking a harsh bitterness that often accompanies raw cacao. It also remains very firm, regardless of heat or humidity (within reason, of course).

Another valid reason for beginning a book with raw cacao: If it’s good enough, you won’t have trouble staying awake to write the next 9 chapters.

Related posts:

1. Mast Brothers: Chocolate in Brooklyn
2. Triple Layer Chocolate Cake
3. Raw Smores