Xocolat Amante - Indulge in the Origins of Chocolate

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2 Origins of Chocolate

Where Cacao Trees are thought to have first existed

The cacao tree may have originated in the Amazon basin of Brazil, or in the Orinoco Valley of Venezuela, or perhaps in Central America.

Some regard Mexico and Equador as the original home of cacao, others think that it is in Venezuela near the Orinoco River or Lake Maricaibo at the foot of the Andes that Theobroma Cacao originated.

Genetic types and subtypes, their characteristics and use in chocolate making

One of the most interesting things about cacao is the vast array of genetic varieties. Although it does not have a large genome, the different appearances, size, colour and shapes, as well as flavours, make classification of different varieties more than a little confusing.

One way of classifying cacao has been to describe the appearance of the pods that hold the beans. This is called the Morphological type and generally refers to the pods exterior shape, colour and texture. However, cacao of the same genetic variety can have different morphological types.

It seems the most accepted way to classify cacao is by their origin and genetic makeup. The three broad varieties are described below.

Criollo

Meaning of pure blood. These were the cacao beans encountered by the Spanish Conquistadors. Criollo beans are renowned for producing the most aromatic and least bitter chocolates. They are also the most difficult to cultivate, being prone to disease and often providing lower yields than other varieties. True Criollo beans are usually identified by their white interior and perfumed aroma.

Forastero

Meaning foreign or alien. These beans make up the bulk of world production, over 90%, as they are hardier than other kinds of cacao. Forastero generally require longer fermentation and roasting times to reduce their harsh flavours, and the beans of the Forastero variety are often identified by their purple interior.

Trinitario

A group of Criollo-Forastero hybrids that combine the best aspects of both, ie., Criollo flavour and Foratero hardiness. Chocolates made using Trinitario hybrids exhibit many of the desirable flavour traits of the Criollo variety.

It is important to note that as the Theobroma Cacao tree is not choosy about interbreeding there are many and varied crossed varieties. In some locations this is complicated further by its susceptibility to disease which has meant that many plantations now have a mixture of different varieties to insure against this susceptibility.

Sub categories to look for include;

Porcelana - Regarded as the champagne of chocolate, it is thought to originate in the Lake Maracaibo area of Venezuela and belongs to the Criollo family of cacao.

Arriba - Although technically a Forestero this variety requires short fermentation times and exhibits floral characteristics when grown in its native Ecuador.

Guasare - Originating in Venezuela near the Columbian border it produces a prodigious amount of high quality Criollo fruit.

Chuao - Traditionally highly sought after, Chuao beans originate from a single isolated plantation in Venezuela. Original Chuao beans belong to the Criollo family, however crippling disease has led to the introduction of inferior cacao trees to maintain production.

Choroni - The cacao from the Choroni valley in Venezuela belongs primarily to the Criollo family of cacao.

Ocumare - Originating in the Ocumare de la Costa valley in Venezuela, it belongs to the Criollo family of cacao and sells for a high premium.

Amelonado - Originating in the lower Amazon probably in Brazil, it belongs to the Forastero family and can be found throughout the cacao growing world from Mexico to Brazil to Africa and beyond. If properly treated it can produce chocolates of finesse.

Rio Caribe - The name that applies only to the beans grown in the Barlovento area of Venezuela. These are high quality beans belonging to the Trinitario family.

Carnero Superior - Producing high quality beans belonging to the Trinitario family, Carnero Superior is a name that applies only to the beans grown in the Paria Peninsula area of Venezuela.

Sur Del Lago Classificado - A moniker for beans grown in the Maracaibo area of Venezuela. These are high quality beans, many belonging to the Criollo family and may include some Porcelana.

Regions of cacao cultivation.

Cacao trees require the protections of a tropical rain-forests moist, windless climate and constant warmth, to provide ideal conditions for their growth and well-being. This means cacao producing areas lie near the equator; the outer extremities of production are bounded to the north and south by the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Different climatic conditions, soil types and methods of cultivation all contribute to significant differences in the flavours generated by the beans. An excellent example is the Arriba variety of Ecuador which produces aromatic fine flavour cacao when grown in its native environment, but is rather lacklustre when grown elsewhere.

The oldest plantations are in the northern areas of South America, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru provide commercial production of cacao. Much of the cacao from these areas is still regarded as fine or flavour cacao. The discovery of the hardier Forastero variety in the lower Amazon initiated the cultivation of cacao spread southward to Brazil. At the end of the nineteenth century, cultivation spread to the equatorial regions of West Africa, not coincidentally, where cheap labour could be found. Today, the Ivory Coast and Brazil are the most productive areas in the world.

Ghana, once the most important world producer, is losing its significance due to ageing plantations. Nigeria and Cameroon also produce cacao. In the islands of South-East Asia cacao was established very early in Java where the original Criollo plantings have bred with the later introduced Trinitarios to create an excellent cacao. Malaysia has given a great deal of encouragement to the cultivation of cacao.

On a smaller scale of production, cacao beans can be sourced from Papua New Guinea, Trinidad, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, Grenada, Togo, Cameroon, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa and Madagascar.