Tracing the Origins of Chocolate

Chocolate can be considered as one of the most luxurious foods in the world. In fact, countries, such as Belgium, bear witness to the thousands of tourists who visit the country in search for the sumptuous Belgian chocolate. Although chocolates are mostly packaged as bars or as candies, they can be represented in different forms, such as beverages, liquor, dishes, garnishes and so much more. The world's greatest chocolates are not exclusive in Belgium alone. Switzerland, Germany, Spain and South American countries are also some of the top chocolate destinations in the world. Indeed, if you are a chocolate connoisseur, the journey is never ending. However, before you can fully start on your hunt for the next best chocolate experience, you first have to know how chocolate came into being and what are the processes that it has to go through to achieve the rich, velvety texture that countless people love so much.

Chocolate comes from the beans of the cocoa plant. It was believed that chocolate was actually first grown as a domestic crop by the Olmec Indians during the 1500 to 300 B.C. Even in the past, chocolate is already considered as a gourmet food since it was only the elite society of Mayans who could consume cocoa drinks. In time, chocolate became more known to countries outside of ancient South American civilizations because cocoa beans were used for trading currencies. Christopher Columbus introduced chocolate to European countries around 1502, but it was Hernan Cortes who cultivated cocoa beans in the European soil.

Cacao trees or Theobroma cacao are mostly grown in countries with tropical to warm climate, such as Central and South America and Western Africa. Cacao beans sprout as pods in the trunks of the tree. Usually, the pod bears an average of 30 to 40 seeds. When the pods mature after a year, a white, sticky pulp envelops the pod. This can then be used as ingredient for beverages. The seeds inside the pod are then processed to produce high quality chocolates as well as compound chocolate.

When the cacao seeds mature and are scooped from the pods, they undergo the process of fermentation and drying. It is highly critical for the cacao beans to be fermented since this part determines the development of the flavor of the chocolate. Cacao beans are fermented at 125 degrees Fahrenheit and usually take around two to eight days to complete. Afterwards, the cacao beans will be dried on bamboo mats. This process allows them to lose weight and moisture content.

The dried cacao beans are shipped to different markets around the world where they will be processed even further. real chocolate is the roughest and purest form. To get this, cacao beans are roasted and removed from their shells. These produce cacao nibs which will be grounded until they form chocolate liquor. From this form, the manufacturer can opt to develop solid cocoa, cocoa butter, or the combination of both in different proportions. Apart from that, the cocoa product can be combined with milk, sugar and other ingredients and processed in different methods of heating and cooling to create different chocolate products.