food of the gods
August/12/07 22:31
We have some good friends here in Bocas del Toro who
own and graciously operate an organic chocolate farm.
They intended to retire here and tend a garden, but I
am quite certain neither Dave nor Linda ever expected
to be seriously into chocolate. And oh my is it good
chocolate. Nothing like you have ever tasted. I have
always been addicted to chocolate, but this stuff
could make even the strongest weak.
What do you know about chocolate? Did you know that at one time it was traded as currency. Did you know it was used for its medicinal properties. It has been considered as a food for the gods. The main ingredient in cocoa and chocolate is cacao.
Cacao beans grow within the fruit pod of the cacao tree. Cacao trees grow only in tropical climates and almost always within twenty degrees of the equator. Panama is at 9 degrees - perfect for cacao farming. Cacao trees develop better under a canopy of taller trees. There is a slippery membrane that encases the beans inside the pod. This membrane tastes similar to a sweet tart candy.
Cacao beans are removed from this membrane and then allowed to ferment to begin the development of the chocolate flavor. Once fermented, our local organic beans are placed in the sun to dry. Larger bulk chocolate production uses another method for drying the beans. Once dry, the beans are then roasted. Roasting cracks the beans a bit into small pieces - the resulting nut is called a chocolate nib. Chocolate nibs go through a process similar to grinding called conching which transforms the nibs into a liquid. This liquid is chocolate liquor.
Commercial chocolate production continues on with additional processes which add sugar, milk and other ingredients. The chocolate is tempered to develop its sheen and then placed into molds and wrapped. Our friend's artisan organic chocolate is processed a bit further into either bittersweet chocolate bars or unsweetened chocolate for baking, etc.
Here is a photo gallery of our friends' farm. I bet you can just taste it now. Here is the link for a great chocolate recipe.
What do you know about chocolate? Did you know that at one time it was traded as currency. Did you know it was used for its medicinal properties. It has been considered as a food for the gods. The main ingredient in cocoa and chocolate is cacao.
Cacao beans grow within the fruit pod of the cacao tree. Cacao trees grow only in tropical climates and almost always within twenty degrees of the equator. Panama is at 9 degrees - perfect for cacao farming. Cacao trees develop better under a canopy of taller trees. There is a slippery membrane that encases the beans inside the pod. This membrane tastes similar to a sweet tart candy.
Cacao beans are removed from this membrane and then allowed to ferment to begin the development of the chocolate flavor. Once fermented, our local organic beans are placed in the sun to dry. Larger bulk chocolate production uses another method for drying the beans. Once dry, the beans are then roasted. Roasting cracks the beans a bit into small pieces - the resulting nut is called a chocolate nib. Chocolate nibs go through a process similar to grinding called conching which transforms the nibs into a liquid. This liquid is chocolate liquor.
Commercial chocolate production continues on with additional processes which add sugar, milk and other ingredients. The chocolate is tempered to develop its sheen and then placed into molds and wrapped. Our friend's artisan organic chocolate is processed a bit further into either bittersweet chocolate bars or unsweetened chocolate for baking, etc.
Here is a photo gallery of our friends' farm. I bet you can just taste it now. Here is the link for a great chocolate recipe.