A notice for early risers
Ceremonial Cacao in Philadelphia
A slow cup for rowhouse steps, river paths and cold January mornings.
- 4.95 from 22 reviews
- Order by 2 PM PT, ships same day
- 30-day money-back (unopened)
Alma Cacao is 100% ceremonial cacao paste, shaved into small rock-like pieces and shipped to Philadelphia from California.
Most of Philadelphia's rowhouses are red brick, often with white stone trim, and a block of them reads as a long row of front doors. The six doors below are this page in order, or you can go straight to Alma Cacao.
- 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
1Morning
A Philadelphia morning, one cup at a time
On a good Philadelphia block the day opens one door at a time: a step swept, a dog walked, someone heading for the train. A cup of ceremonial cacao fits right in. It takes one mug, one whisk and about a minute of whisking, and it gives you a reason to sit still before the day starts.
The rowhouse is the most common kind of home in the city. Society Hill holds one of the largest concentrations of original 18th and early 19th century buildings in the country, and Elfreth's Alley in Old City, which dates back to 1703, is often called the nation's oldest residential street.
The weather decides what the cup looks like. Philadelphia has a cold January, a muggy July and a long stretch in between, so a year of mornings asks for more than one kind of cup.
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January
Low 26°F, high 41°FHot-milk weather. A kitchen window, a steaming mug and a few quiet minutes while the street wakes up.
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July
Low 70°F, high 88°FIced weather, and the muggiest month. Make it early, while the block is still cool, and take the glass out to the front step.
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Spring and fall
Everything in betweenPark-bench weather. Fill a travel mug and walk to the nearest square, creek path or river trail.
Temperatures are NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for Philadelphia, rounded.
Six places for the first sip
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Rittenhouse Square
One of the five squares William Penn's surveyor planned. Dozens of benches, pools and fountains, and a goat statue. Bring a travel mug and take the bench you like.
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Washington Square
Another of the five original squares, it belongs to both the Society Hill and Washington Square West neighborhoods and is now part of Independence National Historical Park.
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Penn Treaty Park, Fishtown
A public park on the Delaware River with an open green, mature trees at the north end, a statue of William Penn and a clear view of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
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Kelly Drive and Boathouse Row
The Kelly Drive loop is a nearly nine-mile lap along both sides of the Schuylkill River. The paved path winds along Boathouse Row before reaching Falls Bridge in East Falls, and you can watch rowers sculling downstream.
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Forbidden Drive, Wissahickon
Wissahickon Valley Park protects about 2,000 acres around a seven-mile gorge, with five stone arch bridges from the early 1800s. Forbidden Drive, the wide gravel path beside the creek, has been closed to cars for about a century.
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Manayunk
A neighborhood on the banks of the Schuylkill River, with small two- and three-story row homes, cobblestone paving and hilly streets. The Manayunk Bridge, a railroad viaduct, is an icon of the neighborhood. Walk the hills slowly with a warm cup.
2The cacao
What Alma Cacao is, in plain words
It is ceremonial cacao in its simplest form, made for a slow cup rather than a quick one.
See sizes on the Alma Cacao page.
- Ingredient
- 100% cacao paste, nothing added
- Form
- Small rock-like pieces with the cacao butter left in. Nothing to chop or grate.
- 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, and made in a GMP certified facility
3Your cup
Four steps, one mug
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Measure
Spoon 10 to 20 g (1 to 2 tablespoons of pieces) into a mug.
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Heat
Warm 6 to 8 oz of water or milk to about 180°F (82°C). Never boiling.
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Whisk
Pour it over the pieces and whisk for about a minute, until the cup is smooth.
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Sip
Sit down, take small sips and let the cup cool a little between them.
Iced, for July
Melt the pieces in a little hot water first, then pour over ice and cold milk.
Hot, for January
Choose milk for a creamier cup, and rinse the mug with hot water first so it keeps its heat.
The full method is in our guide to how to prepare ceremonial cacao.
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.
4Voices
What people say about their cup
Rated 4.95 out of 5 across 22 reviews
“Something in me just spontaneously slows down and wants to savor it. It adds such a lovely ritual into the middle of a normal day that I look forward to.”
“I love that it is well sourced and made with integrity.”
“Love it, my new morning ritual!”
5Shipping
Giving, shipping and the guarantee
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2%
Giving
The co-op we source from gives 2% to the producer communities. Alma 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.
6Questions
Questions, answered plainly
Can I take a warm cup to the Wissahickon or the river path?
Yes. Whisk it at home, pour it into an insulated bottle or travel mug, and give it a swirl before each sip, because cacao settles as it cools. Forbidden Drive is a wide gravel road beside the creek, and the paved path along the Schuylkill passes Boathouse Row, so both suit a slow walk with a cup in hand.
Is iced cacao worth making in a humid Philadelphia July?
Yes, and July is the month for it. The air is at its muggiest, so a cold glass is easier to finish than a hot mug. Use the iced method from the steps above, then see the iced ceremonial cacao recipe for the full version.
Does Alma Cacao ship to Philadelphia and the suburbs?
Yes. Orders ship from California to addresses across the area, from Center City and South Philadelphia to Ambler in Montgomery County and Feasterville-Trevose in Bucks County. Orders placed by 2 PM Pacific, Monday to Friday, ship the same day, and orders over $99 ship free.
Is there a cacao ceremony or a shop in Philadelphia?
Alma Cacao ships from California and does not have a shop or host events in Philadelphia. Our guide to a cacao ceremony at home walks through making one of your own, and where to buy ceremonial cacao explains every way to get Alma Cacao.
Which size suits a shared rowhouse?
Start with the ½ lb Starter pouch, about 20 daily cups, to see how everyone in the house likes it. The 1 lb canister, about 40 daily cups, is the most popular size.
Start with one cup
Whether your door opens onto a Center City block, a Manayunk hill or a quiet street out in Bucks or Montgomery County, the first cup is the same: pieces in a mug, hot water or milk, and a minute with the whisk.
