Native to highland regions of Ethiopia

Needs 160 cm rain

Temps 15-24*C (Cooler)

Flowers Self fertile

6-8 months ripening

Thrives in high elevation regions of Tropics

Best quality

Susceptible to rust, other diseases

Native to rainforest of Congo Basin

Temps 24-30*C

High yielding

9-11 months from bloom to ripening 

High in caffeine

More bitter than arabica

Disease resistant

Flowers self infertile

Can be grown in hot lowland tropics

Cultivated in tropical lowlands 20°N to 20°S but main belt is 10°N and S from sea level up to 500 m, best at 200 to 300 m.

Needs constant rain, 1500 to 2000 mm (60–80").

Thrives in diverse soils.

Usually grown under nitrogen fixating leguminous shade trees to provide organic matter.

Beans and pulp are laid in fermentation boxes.

The process of fermentation produces heat requiring the beans be stirred. At the end of the 5-day fermentation process, the beans become brown, bitterness subsides and the flavor develops.

After fermentation, the beans still contain too much water to be turned into chocolate. The beans are spread out in the sunshine to dry. Most beans are sun-dried for up to 14 days. After drying, the beans are inspected and separated

Roasting takes place at 210 F for 10-115 minutes. Roasting sterilizes the beans, enhances flavor, and makes the next step much easier 

Winnowing is the process of taking the shells off the beans. What is left over is the “nib,” the most desired part of the bean.

Conching is the process of mixing the cocoa mass (not yet chocolate). It is continuously mixed t a certain temperature to develop flavor, remove moisture and break down large pieces. This can take hours to days depending on the desired outcome. The finest chocolates are conched for 5 days.

Tempering the next step is tempering. The chocolate is slowly heated and cooled allowing the cocoa mass to solidify and stabilize. Without tempering, the chocolate would separate and would not harden at all.

Cacao Cultivars

most expensive, prized, and rare, the coca bean used by the Maya-less bitter and more aromatic than any other bean. Only used in about 10% of chocolate

a hybrid of Criollo and Forastero

What’s in a cocoa bean...

·     54% Fat

·      31% Carbohydrates

·      11% Protein

·      3% Polyphenols

·      <1% Minerals Fe, Mg, P, K, Cu

West Africa (Ivory Coast), Indonesia, Central America

Ranges from traditional polyculture through commercial to specialized, single-species shade

Technified Cacao 

No shade Component

Benefits of shade-grown cacao

·      Biodiversity habitat

·      Reduced erosion, compaction of soil

·      Young trees benefit from reduced light intensity

·      Potential for multiple cash crops-e.g, timber

·      Carbon sequestration

·      Organic matter, soil building

·      Inhibition of weed growth

·      Windbreak

·      Price incentive

•       Adapted to tropical monsoon and requires 70 inches of rain with a three months dry season.

•       Needs a loose soil enriched with organic matter

•       The flowers must be hand pollinated to insure fruit set-high labor cost

•       Vine growth habit, uses tendrils to attach

•       Plants require shade and support.

•       Plants take about three years to begin producing pods and produce for 12-14 years

•       Rostellum in flower blocks transfer of pollen from anther to stigma

•       Pollen is in granules called pollinia

•       Only a few species of stingless Melipona bees can do this

•       Therefore, hand pollination is always carried out in vanilla production

•       A very long and elaborate process-takes about 6 months

•       Phases:

•       Killing of the beans with hot water, sunlight, oven, freezing

•       Sweating-high humidity and temperature for 8-10 days

•       Drying and conditioning

Monoecious

Contains stamen(s) and pistils in one flower. (Hermaphrodites)