24-03-2025
Sweet Week aims to put Albuquerque on the map for chocolate and coffee lovers
Mar. 23—No one knows the chocolate making process better than Eldora Chocolate owner and founder Steve Prickett, who sources cacao beans from 35 countries, using them to make and sell fine chocolate at his shop.
The bean-to-bar expert looks to put New Mexico chocolate on the map with the help of Sweet Week, an inaugural city-wide celebration of local sweets.
The event, a collaboration between the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest, Edible New Mexico and Visit Albuquerque, takes place March 29 through April 6. Sweet Week aims to support local businesses and spotlight the city's culinary offerings ahead of the 15th annual Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest.
"The festival traditionally always has some sort of programming... and we just came up with a concept to take some of that programming at the festival and spread it out throughout Albuquerque," said Dean Strober, who along with his wife, Lena Armstrong-Strober, created the event. The week will attempt to drive traffic to businesses that want to take part in the festival but can't, oftentimes due to staffing issues.
"We ... know that people travel in from all over the country — actually all over the world — to attend the festival, and we really want them to experience so much more of Albuquerque," he said.
The festival brings in roughly 22,000 visitors annually.
The couple hopes to draw festival attendees in earlier and give them more to enjoy with a full lineup of small-group classes, tours, discounts, dining experiences and special product release parties across 24 participating businesses, including chocolate shops, coffee shops, wineries, breweries, bakeries and restaurants.
New Mexico Piñon Coffee, one of the state's largest coffee roasters with four coffee houses across Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, is among those participating.
"We have so many great coffee companies and coffee roasters, not only in Albuquerque, but also New Mexico. It's really fun to showcase that and to have people experience more of what New Mexico has to offer," said Madison Rumbaugh, the coffee roaster's director of business development. "There's such a craft and so many people don't know about it."
New Mexico Piñon Coffee will offer a 10% discount on all Piñon Fudge products during Sweet Week. The business' Fourth Street coffee house is also hosting a coffee mug painting night, in partnership with Kelly Jo Designs, on April 2.
For Eldora Chocolate, participating in Sweet Week entails a discussion on what bean-to-bar fine chocolate is — led by Prickett at the Sweet Soiree — a factory tour at Eldora on April 2, and then earning a chocolate tasting certification from the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting on April 3.
The certification — the only in-person course of its kind offered in the United States — takes place every few years. It is led by Maricel Presilla, a chocolate expert, James Beard Award-winning chef and founder of the institute and its chocolate awards.
Prickett said the course, which is being offered two other times during Sweet Week, is a "very special" opportunity for anyone who has an interest in chocolate. He said the certification could benefit pastry chefs, chocolate makers, or community members who enjoy fine dining. Prickett said he and three of his employees will participate in the course.
"It hasn't been offered in two years, so there may be people that will fly or drive into Albuquerque just for this certification," Prickett said.
Educational opportunities are another big component of Sweet Week, Strober said. He noted that many people have never tried fine chocolate or are unaware of the bean-to-bar process and the unexpected flavors cacao beans present.
"Let's not forget, cacao is a fruit. Chocolate is a fruit. It's amazing to see what it is," Strober said, adding that Saturday's Sweet Soiree will feature a display of cacao pods shipped from Ecuador. "I know so many people have never experienced what a cacao pod actually looks like, and when you cut it open, it's amazing. It really does change your perspective on chocolate. ... It's a mad science and it's a delicious science."
Prickett said he hopes Sweet Week brings awareness to New Mexico's rich chocolate history and legacy.
"We want to get New Mexico on the map. New Mexico is known for art, and it's known for fine chiles, no question about that, but we're not really as well known about chocolate," Prickett said. "This is really kind of a raising that awareness and, once we do that, we think it will increase tourism."
