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CHOCOLATEFEST
January 10, 2013
Cacao pods
sprout from the
trunks of cacao
trees in various
parts of the
world along the
equator.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
C
acao, pronounced ‘ka-
KOW’, is the raw, agricul-
tural ingredient used to
make chocolate.
It is grown in various parts of the
world along the equator, where hu-
mid temperatures and jungle-like
surroundings provide ideal condi-
tions for growing this colorful fruit.
In shades of red, orange, yellow
and green, cacao pods sprout from
the trunks of cacao trees, and ca-
cao beans (seeds actually) are
found inside the pods where a deli-
cate, sweet, fruity pulp surrounds
the cacao bean cotyledons (which
later become nibs). Cacao pods are
harvested throughout the year as
they reach optimal ripeness, main-
ly from October through May.
The Criollo varietal has the deep-
est chocolate flavor. Criollos are
highly prized for the finest of choc-
olates. Criollo trees are not high-
yield producers and are very sus-
ceptible to disease. Madagascar, Ja-
va, and Venezuela have the great-
est numbers of Criollo plants.
The Forastero tree is much more
resistant to disease and is easily
transplantable. Although not as fla-
vorable as Criollos, Forasteros have
a strong chocolate taste. About 90
percent of the world’s cacao is Fo-
rastero. They grow in cacao farm-
ing regions in Latin America, Asia
and Africa.
The third cacao varietal, the
Trinitario, is a hybrid of the Criollo
and Forastero. Forasteros were im-
ported to Trinidad (an island off
the north coast of Venezuela in the
Caribbean Sea) to supplant dying
Criollos afflicted with a blight in
the early 1700s. This mix produced
a new, more disease-resistant and
flavorful varietal. Many times Trin-
itarios are paired with Criollos or
Forasteros for added flavor.
For more information, visit guit-
tard.com.
What
is the
cacao
tree?