Why is Cocoa so precious? From fruit to chocolate - Discovering its authentic flavors on the Cocoa Coast
food·@lisamalletart·
0.000 HBDWhy is Cocoa so precious? From fruit to chocolate - Discovering its authentic flavors on the Cocoa Coast
Hi Steemit! ### I spent my last week on the "Cocoa Coast” in Bahia, Brazil. It was a new **culinary experience** for me because I tasted different sweets made with **pure cocoa seeds**. The taste is totally different from the traditional chocolate I used to eat. https://steemitimages.com/DQmZy5HWs19hADxgqHuyxBC4WE2pz8LLLzZG4i8QzzpVQc9/75044987-824B-462C-9025-A19F95F9C1B4.png ## A bit of history... According to historians, the cacao was cultivated by the Indians, mainly the Aztecs, in Mexico, and the Mayas, in Central America. The cacao tree, called cacahualt, was considered sacred and its seeds were so valuable that they came to be used as money. As a drink, it was served in ceremonies and rituals, in exquisite banquets. This religious significance probably influenced the Swedish botanist Carolus Linneu (1707 - 1778), who named the plant of Theobroma cacao, thus calling it the "delicacy of the gods". The cocoa arrived in Europe by the hands of Christopher Columbus, who would have taken it by simple curiosity and soon turned into a whooping cough. > As cocoa gained economic importance with the expansion of chocolate consumption, several attempts were made to implant the cocoa crop in other regions with similar climatic and soil conditions to its natural habitat. As a result, its seeds gradually spread throughout the world. By the mid-eighteenth century, cacao had reached southern Bahia and, in the second half of the 19th century, was taken to Africa. The first African plantations were made around 1855, on the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, Portuguese colonies off the west coast of Africa. ### Brazil is one of the 5th largest cocoa producer in the world with Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. 👉 95% of this Brazilian production comes from the south of Bahia.  ## Cocoa tree In order to develop better, cocoa requires deep and rich soils and a hot and humid climate, with an average temperature of about 25 ° C and annual rainfall between 1,500 and 2,000 millimeters, without prolonged dry periods. Cocoa needs afforestation to protect against sunrays. The younger the plant, the more shade it needs. The flowering occurs twice a year, but with greater intensity in the months of December to April and the fruiting also occurs twice a year, mainly from April to September.  ## The fruit > The cocoa is harvested as soon as it gets colored between yellow and orange, and then stored to mature for a few days. When you open the fruit, you can see several seeds surrounded by the pulpit which has white color and pasty texture. Its pulpit is delicious. I love eating it just by sucking the seeds, but you can also make fresh juices. Its taste is just amazing! ## Its benefits The cocoa pulp has fibers, glucose and sucrose (energetic), and contains innumerable vitamins such as B complex and niacin, which acts on muscles, blood and nerves. Minerals help in bone health, vitamin C strengthens the immune system, vitamin A acts on the health of skin and bones. Fibers help with proper bowel function. Cocoa still stimulates the release of endorphins and increases mental disposition. Because it contains flavonoids and tryptophan, it also increases the proliferation of neurons. In addition, it concentrates other substances that give the feeling of well-being, and help in the fight against anxiety and depression.  ## How to turn this fruit into chocolate? # From inside the cacao is extracted its seeds, the raw material necessary for the production. These seeds are baked, fermented and ground in a process that controls time and temperature are key. The chocolate grains (almonds) as they are removed, undergo a fermentation process with temperature controlled for a few days, at which time their flavors and aromas develop and potentiate. After this step, the cocoa beans are brought to the sun to dry almost completely. From the dry and clean grain, the production of the chocolate with the roas begins, developing once again unique flavors. Next, the beans are processor until they turn into a chocolate liquor (raw material). This only occurs because the cocoa butter present in the composition melts with the heat generated in the process. Thereafter, the chocolate liquor which is composed of cocoa butter and cocoa powder has these substances separated by a specific process, and the solid part is milled to a very fine powder. ### I bought these pepites of cacau from [Mali](https://www.facebook.com/mali.vieira) on the beach of Itacaré (on the photo above). And I really found it better than any chocolate I have eaten before. Their flavors are much stronger and subtle. #  ### In the summer Mali Borges comes every day to Itacaré to sell its sweets made with pure cocoa. # The manufacture is homemade, made at home with his family and neighbors. > She quickly explained to me how these pepites are made: The seeds are dried in the sun for a few days (3 or 4). They roast the seeds to then remove their hulls. The cocoa nugget that is inside is extracted and then roasted again with sugar. #### It was a beautiful meeting with Mali to whom I wish all the success she deserves. We could even pay the cocoa with PickPay which was very convenient !! (Crie sua conta PicPay com meu código, M667EQ, e ganhe de volta os primeiros R$10 que você gastar usando seu cartão de crédito. Baixe o PicPay para Android ou iPhone http://m.onelink.me/ea9800c8) # ## There are also many chocolate factories in the area selling their sweets to Itacaré. In their stores you will find chocolate truffles, bars, cocoa powder, nuggets, spreads, cocoa to cook ... Everything to make happy a chocolate lover.  #### The [Vila Rosa](http://vilarosaitacare.wixsite.com/vilarosaitacare) is an old cocoa farm. It offers visitors a trip to the world of chocolate. It accompanies the process of artisan production, from the almond of cacao to the bar of chocolate.  *They have their store too in the main street of Itacaré.* #### The authentic [Itacaré Cacao](http://itacarecacau.com/site/) next to the port  *In this store I found a delicous spread!* ### So guys! I hope you enjoyed reading about this experience with cocoa. Especially when we think that we are eating cocoa every day in many food products derived! I loved to learn a little more about cocoa and I was really faceted by the taste of pure cocoa. # ### I think I became addicted to it... #  **With Love,** # https://fontmeme.com/permalink/171226/b6bed680aa5458b1c8174c94064db5c9.png Also on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lisamalletart/), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/lisamalletart/) and [YouTube](https://youtube.com/lisamallet) 😘