Theobroma Cacao is the official scientific name given to cacao by Swedish Botanist Carolus Linnaeus in the 18 th century. The word Theobroma comes from the Greek language literally meaning, 'food of the gods.' Cocoa played a very important part in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. While the exact origin of cocoa is still debated, it said to have been introduced by the ancient Maya to Central America from the South American highlands of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The word for cacao (cocoa in Spanishi) is thought to have been created by the Olmec Indians whom historical linguistical investigations indicate may have been using the term around 1000 BC Mayan Indians were the first to create a beverage from cocoa.

The Aztecs had their own drink as well, and reserved cocoa consumption for warriors and nobility. They used cocoa for nutritional purposes, but also as a form of currency. There was much emphasis placed on the importance and sanctity of cocoa. Their drink was spicy and bitter, made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that they turned into a paste. This was then mixed with water and maize, and flavored with chilies, then beat into froth. The drink was called 'xocoatl' (pronounced 'shoco-latle'). The drink was served in solid gold goblets to the Aztec ruler Montezuma and his court. The cups would be used only once before being tossed into the lake.

Hernán Cortés later introduced Xocoatl to Spain . The cocoa drink was not well received at first, but once sugar began to be added to it, it quickly became a popular drink with the Spanish courts. From there cocoa's popularity rose and demand for it was high. Europeans began planting cacao in the Caribbean and South America .

As the price for chocolate lowered, the surge in demand grew even more. Cacao then began to be planted in Africa and later in other parts of the world such as Singapore , Fiji , Samoa and Madagascar . Today, the majority of cocoa comes from Africa , mainly from Cote d' Ivoire.

Varieties of Cocoa

There are many varieties of cocoa, but they are separated into three main groups.

Criollo - This variety is native to Central America . It is very small, fragile and sensitive to disease, making it harder to grow than other varieties. The pods are usually red, yellow or orange in color and the beans have a fine flavor. This variety dominated the market until the middle of the 18 th century, and today only about 10-15% of cacao trees are Criollo.

Forastero - The origin of this variety is in the Amazon basin. They are easier to grow, but they have a more bitter taste than Criollo. They are a large group to which the Amelonado belong, which are yellow pods native to the lower Amazon. About 70% of the cacao trees today are Forastero. Ecuador 's cacao Nacional is included in this group.

Trinitario - Originates from the island of Trinidad as well as the areas mentioned for the other two varieties. This is a cross between Criollo and Forastero. It has been introduced to Central Africa , as well as many other parts of the world. About 15-20% of the cacao trees today belong to this variety.

Cacao Tree Characteristics

The cacao tree is an evergreen belonging to the order Malvales. They can grow to a height of about 60ft in the wild, but are usually trimmed to 9 to 24 feet so that the pods are easier to reach for the farmers during harvest time. The trees have one main stem that grows up to 1- 2 meters unbranched. After this point, about 3-5 branches known as jorquettes form. Throughout the year, anywhere between 50,000-100,000 small, white, scentless flowers blossom from the trees. Only a small amount of those flowers will turn into fruit. The fruit is a berry by the name of cherelle when it is young, and when ripe, they are known as pods. The trees will begin to bear fruit when they are 4-5 years old, but they yield the most between the ages of 15-25 years. The pods grow straight out of the trunk and main branches. Each tree may yield between 20-30 pods per year. These pods take about 5-6 months to develop and when they ripen, they turn to a green, red, yellow or purple depending on variety.

Cocoa Pod Characteristics

The cocoa pod's rind is approximately 1½ inches thick. They vary in length and shape between 10- 30 cm long with a cylindrical or spherical shape. Pods contain about 20-40 seeds that are attached to a placenta and surrounded by a sweet pinkish pulp. The pods have an average weight of 380g.

Climate

Cacao trees are shade grown with their natural environment being the Amazon rainforest. They prefer climates within 10-20 degrees of the equator. Shade grown trees also tend to need less pruning than those that are grown without shade do. The trees respond well to relatively high temperatures and humid tropical climates. They like regular rain and short dry periods, as they cannot handle dry periods of more than 5 weeks. The trees are very sensitive to soil water deficiency so an average rainfall of 1500mm and 2000mm is best. The preferred temperature for a cacao tree is between 21-23 degrees Celsius, but it can handle highs of 30-32 degrees C and lows of 18-21 degrees C. The trees are not cold tolerant and frosts are deadly to them.

Harvest

Peak harvest time for cocoa varies from region to region. In the Ecuadorian Amazon, the peak season is between March and June. The pods are cut from the tree using either a machete or a long stick. It is important to harvest the pods when they are fully ripe because if it is unripe, it will result in either a low butter content, or insufficient fermentation creating a weak flavor. If the pod is overripe, the results vary between creating weak flavor from insufficient fermentation, contamination causing a mouldy taste, black beans with free fatty acids in the butter, and producing rotten beans that have a putrid taste. Once the pods are harvested, they are cut open and the beans are removed from the inside and are ready for fermentation.

Fermentation

Fermentation is one of the most important post-harvest steps. Unfortunately, many cocoa growers do not pay sufficient attention to this step nowadays as they know that imperfections in cocoa beans sold to major chocolate companies will be muted out by the overpowering tastes of milk, sugar, and other ingredients that dominate many chocolate bars. However, for pure cocoa products like Yachana Jungle Chocolate, it is essential to master this step of the post harvest process.

During fermentation, the beans are placed into wooden boxes and covered by banana leaves after being harvested to begin the fermentation process. Natural bacteria are required to help break down and thin the pulp surrounding the beans until it drips away. As the temperature rises in the boxes, the bean is killed and the cell walls are broken down. This sets off a series of chemical reactions, eventually creating a chocolate flavor. Forastero beans need about 6 or 7 days to complete the fermentation process whereas Criollo needs only about 3 days. After they are fully fermented the beans are taken to be dried. They are spread out over plastic or large trays and raked over and over again until dry.

Drying

There are two ways that beans are dried. Some farmers sun dry them, while others dry their beans mechanically. The temperature of the beans during drying as well as the duration of the process is very important. Beans can be left with a bitter taste if they are not dried long enough since the chemical reactions that started in the fermentation process have not yet completed their cycle. When the beans are ready, a large sample is checked by being cut in half to ensure that they are completely dry. After they are done, the beans will have changed the color of their insides. Forastero beans are now a dark brown color, whereas Criollo and Trinitario beans have turned to a medium brown.

Diseases threatening cocoa

There are a number of diseases that threaten cacao crops. Listed below are four of the main diseases.

Black pod rot (phytophthora fungus): Found throughout all regions of the world where cocoa is grown. The fungus attacks the pods, stems and roots. First symptom of the disease is a small translucent spot on the outside of the pod, which quickly turns brown and spreads to the entire pod. This disease is very hard to control.

 Witches Broom (Crinipellis perniciosa): This disease has only been found in the Americas . First symptoms of this fungus are flower cushions. The disease thrives in wet conditions. The most devastating attack was in Bahía , Brazil .

Moniliophtora pod rot (Moniliophthora roreri): Found in Central America . First symptom of this disease is bumpy swells on the pod surface. Within 12 days of the swelling, spores begin to form. It is crucial to remove the infected pods before spore formation.

Vascular Streak Dieback (Oncobasidium theobromae): Found in Southeast Asia . First symptoms of the fungus are green spots on yellow leaves. The bark of the tree will become more rough and all the leaves will eventually fall from the tree.

 Where Most of Cocoa comes from

 The majority of cocoa comes from West Africa more specifically, Cote d'Ivoire , Ghana , and Nigeria . Other major producing countries include Malaysia and the Philippines .

While only a small portion of the world's cocoa (3% - 5%) comes from Ecuador , Ecuador 's Cacao Nacional (used in the production of Yachana Jungle Chocolate) is known worldwide for its fine flavor and rich aroma.

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