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Characteristics
- Product
- Origin
- Description - technical characteristics
The cocoa tree is a tropical plant grown in hot, rainy climates with cultivation concentrated on a narrow band of no more than 20 degrees north or south of the Equator. Although it is best known as the principal ingredient in chocolate, there are actually four intermediate cocoa products that may be derived from cocoa beans: cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa cake and cocoa powder.
The cocoa tree is thought to have originated in the Amazon basin, spreading to Central America, particularly Mexico. It was known and used by the natives in this region, for example the Olmec and the Mayas and was considered as the "food of the gods". In particular, cocoa seeds were used as currency by the Aztecs who also enjoyed a type of bitter chocolate drink. Christopher Columbus discovered cocoa beans in America, but the beans did not become popular in Europe at the time. Some 20 years later, Hernando Cortes discovered the bitter drink used by the Aztecs and sent the beans and recipes back to King Charles V. The Spanish refined the recipes adding sugar and heating the ingredients to improve the taste.
By 1828, the cocoa press was developed, allowing the extraction of cocoa butter. Later on (around 1879), the Swiss developed both milk chocolate and solid chocolate.
Description - technical characteristics
The cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao L. of the Sterculiaceae family) is usually a small tree, 4 to 8 meters tall, although when shaded by large forest trees it may reach up to 10 meters in height. The stem is straight, the wood light and white and the bark is thin, somewhat smooth and brownish. The fruit (pods) reach up to 15-25 cm in length. Each pod contains about 30 to 40 seeds, which after drying and fermentation are known as cocoa beans. The seeds are reddish-brown externally and are covered by a white, sweet pulp.
For ideal production, cocoa trees need rainfall between 1,150 and 2,500 mm per year and temperatures between 21°C and 32°C.
There are three varieties of cocoa trees. The most common is Forastero, which account for 90% of the cocoa beans produced in the world. It is found widely in West Africa and Brazil. The second group is the Criollo, which produce "fine and flavor" beans, mostly grown in parts of the Caribbean, Venezuela, Papua New Guinea the West Indies, Sri Lanka, East Timor and Java. Finally, there is the Trinitario variety, which is a cross from Criollo and Forastero.
