While in her 20s, Denae's travels took her through Mexico and Central America. She hiked mountains in small Mayan villages where she commenced with the locals. Every morning, she would wake up to the smells of chocolate as the people ground cacao beans and brewed cacao drinks. These experiences emboldened Denae to try her own hand at chocolate making. From cleaning and roasting to grinding and tempering, the process can take more than a month to bring out the natural flavors of the Criollo cacao bean.