Broward County, Florida
Ceremonial Cacao in Fort Lauderdale
One slow cup of ceremonial cacao for the first hour of a waterfront morning.
- 4.95 from 22 reviews
- Order by 2 PM PT, ships same day
- 30-day money-back (unopened)
Looking for ceremonial cacao in Fort Lauderdale? Alma Cacao is 100% cacao paste shaved into small rock-like pieces. It ships from California to Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, Miramar and the rest of Broward County, and a cup comes together in about a minute.
Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America, with 165 miles of inland waterways, so a morning here begins with water in view. This page is a short log of where a cup fits, and how to make it in thick air or on a cool morning. Pick a size below, then read on.
- 1ingredient, nothing added
- ~1minto whisk a cup
- 4.95from 22 reviews
- 2%of every sale to For the Love of Mateo
Alma Ceremonial Cacao
Pure ceremonial cacao paste, single-origin from native communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Melt it into a warm cup on a slow morning, or pour it over ice on a hot afternoon. One ingredient, nothing added.
- 30-day money-back guarantee (unopened)
- Order by 2 PM Pacific, ships same day (Mon to Fri)
- Lab tested for heavy metals (ISO 17025 lab)
- 2% of every sale to For the Love of Mateo
Morning log
A Fort Lauderdale morning, stop by stop
The city is also known as the yachting capital of the world, and the day starts near the water. Here are six stops where a cup travels well, from the river to the beach and out into Broward County.
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New River Riverwalk
The Riverwalk follows the New River for over a mile through downtown, starting at the Sailboat Bend neighborhood and passing the Las Olas Boulevard and Himmarshee Street district. Fill a travel mug, take a bench with the river in front of you, and let the first sips slow things down.
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Las Olas Boulevard to the beach
Las Olas Boulevard runs about 2.5 miles from downtown to A1A, crossing the Intracoastal Waterway on the way. It ends at Fort Lauderdale Beach, part of the city's 7 miles of Atlantic beaches. An insulated bottle keeps a cup warm for the walk, or cold if you make it iced.
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Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
This 180-acre state park sits on East Sunrise Boulevard between A1A and the Intracoastal Waterway. It has a mile-long freshwater lagoon, a beach, and wading birds along the water. People bike, hike, picnic and paddle canoes and kayaks here, so a thermos and a shady spot fit right in.
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Neighborhood streets
Not every morning needs a destination. Victoria Park has tree-lined streets and historic homes, Rio Vista sits along the New River, and Coral Ridge has parks and bike paths along Bayview Drive. Flagler Village is a walkable arts district that used to be warehouses. A porch, a stoop or one loop around the block is enough.
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Coral Springs
About 20 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs has Mullins Park, its largest at 70 acres, and Sandy Ridge Sanctuary, the largest of its four natural conservation areas. A cup and a slow loop make an easy start to the day.
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Miramar
In the southern part of Broward County, Miramar has Miramar Regional Park. Make the cup at home, pour it into a bottle, and take it along.
Ship's papers
What goes in the cup
Alma Cacao is 100% ceremonial cacao paste, shaved into small rock-like pieces with the cacao butter left in and nothing added. Nothing to chop, nothing to grate. New to it? Read what ceremonial cacao is first.
- Origin
- Single-origin, from native communities of the Peruvian Amazon
- Made
- Traditionally fermented, sun-dried and stone ground in small batches
- Checked
- Tested for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury) by an ISO 17025 accredited lab
- Facility
- Made in a GMP certified facility
Captain's log
Make a cup, entry by entry
Four entries make a hot cup. Two weather entries follow, because the Fort Lauderdale year changes the cup.
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0600
Measure
Spoon 10 to 20 g (1 to 2 tablespoons) of pieces into your mug.
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0601
Heat
Warm 6 to 8 oz of water or milk to about 180°F (82°C). Never boiling.
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0602
Whisk
Whisk for about a minute, until the pieces melt and the cup turns smooth.
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0604
Sip
Take it slowly on a dock, porch or balcony. For a longer sit-down, see cacao ceremony at home or how to prepare ceremonial cacao.
Go iced
Highs run 86 to 90°F with lows of 73 to 78°F, and afternoon thunderstorms often roll in. Melt the pieces in a little hot water first, then pour over ice and cold milk. The iced ceremonial cacao recipe has more ideas.
Go warm
Afternoon highs average below 78°F and January lows average in the low 60s. Use milk instead of water for a richer cup, and take it out to the porch while the air is still cool.
Dockside notes
Logged by customers
Rated 4.95 out of 5 across 22 reviews.
“This is the best cacao So warm and heart opening and when I say the packaging is perfection… I mean PERFECT Well done team- excited to order more”
“Smooth great taste, love the clean ingredients.”
“It's replaced my morning coffee. It's become a slow, naturally caffeinated, delicious start to my day.”
Dock receipt
Giving, shipping and the guarantee
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2%
Giving
The co-op we source from gives 2% to the producer communities. Alma Cacao gives another 2% of every sale to For the Love of Mateo.
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2 PM
Shipping
Orders ship from California. Order by 2 PM Pacific, Monday to Friday, and it ships the same day. Orders over $99 ship free.
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30 days
Guarantee
A 30-day money-back guarantee if the product is unopened.
Questions
Fort Lauderdale questions
Where can I buy ceremonial cacao in Fort Lauderdale?
You can order Alma Cacao on this site. It ships from California to Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, Miramar and the rest of Broward County, and orders over $99 ship free. The where to buy ceremonial cacao page lists every way to order.
How do I make iced cacao for a humid Fort Lauderdale morning?
Melt 10 to 20 g (1 to 2 tablespoons) of pieces in a splash of hot water and whisk until smooth, then pour it over a glass of ice and add cold milk. Muggy days start in April and run into early December, so iced cacao has a long season here. The iced ceremonial cacao recipe has more ideas.
Can I take a cup to the Riverwalk or Hugh Taylor Birch State Park?
Yes. Whisk it at home and pour it into an insulated bottle. The Riverwalk runs over a mile along the New River, and Birch State Park, which sits between A1A and the Intracoastal Waterway, has a mile-long freshwater lagoon, so a short stretch is plenty. On a warm morning make it iced, and check the posted park rules before you go.
What should I make on a cool Fort Lauderdale morning?
Go hot and a little richer. Whisk 10 to 20 g of pieces into 6 to 8 oz of milk at about 180°F (82°C), never boiling, for about a minute. The cool season runs from early December to early March and January lows average in the low 60s, so a porch, a balcony or a bench by the water works for a warm cup.
How much caffeine is in a cup compared with my morning coffee?
A 20 g cup holds about 16 to 32 mg of caffeine, a sixth to a third of the caffeine in an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee. The low figure is USDA's; published lab data for baking chocolate run about twice as high, because cacao varies from bean to bean. Theobromine is a mild stimulant, so people sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants may feel it. If you are pregnant or nursing, take medication or manage a health condition, check with your healthcare provider first. Cacao and chocolate are toxic to dogs, so keep your cup out of reach.
End of log
Pour one for the morning watch
Start with a ½ lb Starter pouch, or take the 1 lb canister. Alma Cacao ships from California to Fort Lauderdale and across Broward County.
Up the coast? See Delray Beach or West Palm Beach.
