I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post. We have been busy everyday with a full social schedule. More about that later. Last Monday we went on a chocolate plantation tour and took part in the making of chocolate from start to finish. It's kind of disgusting what has to be done to produce such a delightful treat.
First they clean the seeds out of the chocolate pod, which looks a lot like a large papaya. Each pod holds about 20-25 seeds, and it takes 75-100 seeds to make a proper chocolate bar (not the ones we get in the store, which they refer to as chocolate flavored candy). Then they put the seeds in a tray with some bacteria to start the fermentation process. The way they did this was to have us all suck the fruit off the seed (kind of like a skinless grape with a large cherry pit centre), then spit the seeds into the tray. The seeds are stirred evey day for seven days while the bacteria and all matter of insects clean the remaining fruit off.
The seeds or beans are then transferred to a drying tray and left out in the sun to dry for a week or so. This kills off most of the bacteria and stops the fermenting process. We peeled off the husk and ate a dry seed and they taste a little chocolatey. It's kind of like chewing a coffee bean.
Once dry they put the beans in a large mortar bowl and pound them with a big pestle until the husks break off. Even though Amanda (pictured here) is young and strong, she was surprised at how heavy he pestle is.
Notice the basket of pods in the lower left hand corner.
The beans are then poured from bowl to bowl as the husks are blown away and the beans fall into the lower bowl. Our friend Randy did the best job of this, probably because he's a Psychiatrist and was used to blowing out a lot of hot air - sorry Randy.
Finally the beans are roasted to develop the chocolate flavour and kill off any remaining bacteria. Then they are ground, which is not an easy process. Notice the Tica on the right trying not to laugh at Ken struggling to keep the grinder going.
You can eat the ground beans or nibs for a quick shot of energy, or mix into a chocolate drink. "Cocao agua" is one of the Tico's traditional drinks. We used a little hot water and milk.
My favorite part was when they mixed the ground cocao (which still contains all the cocoa butter, unlike the cocoa we buy, so is rich and yummy) with a little milk and sugar into a thick paste and then ladelling it onto spoons and adding a variety of toppings. My favorites were a shot of orange flavour, some cinnamon, and a raisin or two. Heaven!
After going around the table and filling my spoon three times I had to stop as my eyes were jumping in my head and I was starting to levitate.
First they clean the seeds out of the chocolate pod, which looks a lot like a large papaya. Each pod holds about 20-25 seeds, and it takes 75-100 seeds to make a proper chocolate bar (not the ones we get in the store, which they refer to as chocolate flavored candy). Then they put the seeds in a tray with some bacteria to start the fermentation process. The way they did this was to have us all suck the fruit off the seed (kind of like a skinless grape with a large cherry pit centre), then spit the seeds into the tray. The seeds are stirred evey day for seven days while the bacteria and all matter of insects clean the remaining fruit off.
The seeds or beans are then transferred to a drying tray and left out in the sun to dry for a week or so. This kills off most of the bacteria and stops the fermenting process. We peeled off the husk and ate a dry seed and they taste a little chocolatey. It's kind of like chewing a coffee bean.
Once dry they put the beans in a large mortar bowl and pound them with a big pestle until the husks break off. Even though Amanda (pictured here) is young and strong, she was surprised at how heavy he pestle is.
Notice the basket of pods in the lower left hand corner.
The beans are then poured from bowl to bowl as the husks are blown away and the beans fall into the lower bowl. Our friend Randy did the best job of this, probably because he's a Psychiatrist and was used to blowing out a lot of hot air - sorry Randy.
Finally the beans are roasted to develop the chocolate flavour and kill off any remaining bacteria. Then they are ground, which is not an easy process. Notice the Tica on the right trying not to laugh at Ken struggling to keep the grinder going.
You can eat the ground beans or nibs for a quick shot of energy, or mix into a chocolate drink. "Cocao agua" is one of the Tico's traditional drinks. We used a little hot water and milk.
My favorite part was when they mixed the ground cocao (which still contains all the cocoa butter, unlike the cocoa we buy, so is rich and yummy) with a little milk and sugar into a thick paste and then ladelling it onto spoons and adding a variety of toppings. My favorites were a shot of orange flavour, some cinnamon, and a raisin or two. Heaven!
After going around the table and filling my spoon three times I had to stop as my eyes were jumping in my head and I was starting to levitate.
Ah, chocolate. That sounds so good! What a great time you are having and thank you for sharing.
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