How useful is certification for guaranteeing the quality of cocoa beans from a given source? And how does it benefit the farmers in producing countries? It’s a debate that has raged within the cocoa community for some time and it… Read More ›
food
Tain l’Hermitage: where fine chocolate meets fine wine
Tain l’Hermitage is a small town on the left bank of the Rhône in south-eastern France. Located in the northern part of the Côtes du Rhône appellation contrôlée area, Tain l’Hermitage produces some of the world’s finest wines. It is… Read More ›
The first cocoa recipes
I thought that I would share these two drawings that show the early stages of cocoa consumption. What I finding amazing about both of these drawings, are their similarities, and it really shows how the Spanish were influenced by the… Read More ›
When the cocoa trail becomes the chocolate trail
All good things come to an end. Now it is time for me to return to Europe. But rest assured! It is not the end of the cocoa trail! It is going to swiftly lead into the chocolate trail. With… Read More ›
The Golden Cacao Cut
Now that the cacao beans have undergone each of the three important processes to becoming a good quality bean, it is time to assess the actual quality of the beans. This is done through the “cut test”, where the cacao… Read More ›
From cacao tree to bean: the beginning of fermentation
Now begins the most crucial part for the making of fine chocolate. Fermentation is the first critical process to develop the beans’ natural flavours. The beans and its pulp, are immediately placed in large wooden boxes, otherwise known as “sweatboxes”… Read More ›
