He’s smooth. Even his name is smooth. Dewey McMillin. Like a fine blended scotch or a big wave surfer. Dewey McMillin. It’s a name that holds reverence. Especially here in Troncones. It’s widely acknowledged Dewey is responsible for the development of 21st-century Troncones, helping the community attract homeowners from around the world, transforming an isolated village into a legendary destination. In 2019, at Troncones’ annual February Expo Feria (carnival), the community celebrated Dewey’s commitment and tireless work in bringing in the essential infrastructure–for roads, electricity, water–that wasn’t here before. His selling of beachfront lots, in partnership with the community, also brought in jobs–the construction, maintenance and service work needed to sustain a growing resort, and that assure on-going opportunities for local families. A profile of Dewey in The Wall Street Journal, from January 6, 2000, opens with “Former Alaska fisherman Dewey McMillin has done something unique in the world of Mexican beachfront development. He’s made everyone happy.” It also quotes Dewey describing how to create success in business here, saying, “The trick is not to leave your brain at the border.” That’s his kind of smooth.

Cacao. It’s “kuh·kau”, a tree, native to South America, that produces a pod containing seeds, or “beans”, which for over 7000 years have been harvested, heated and transformed into beverages and foods, liquors and chocolates. Its scientific name, Theobroma cacao, is Greek for “food of the gods”, a reflection of the bean’s place in Mexico’s Mayan and Aztec culture where it was considered a gift from the gods, where its use was typically reserved for special occasions, weddings and ceremonies. Among many of Mexico’s indigenous tribes, cacao as a dried bean became a currency, its value and status plainly understood. Cacao. It’s nourishment. It’s medicine. It’s an essential. It’s a luxury. It’s comforting. It’s over-stimulating. It’s earthly. It’s sacred. It’s everyday. It’s special. It’s complicated. Ligita Lapé and her Troncones-based brand Tribu Del Cacao, caught my eye on Instagram before I happened to meet her for the first time at Jahvé, the vegetable and fruit store just south of the T. Ligita knows the complexities of cacao first-hand, as a maker, artist and brewer and as someone who’s sure cacao speaks to her, as a guide, a co-conspirator and a source of inspiration. We sat down together in her treehouse-like apartment in early September and talked about how she was drawn to cacao’s magic.