Cacao and Chocolate: A Global Perspective

sarita — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:13:48 +0000

Even larger chocolate makers are embracing the “bean-to-bar” philosophy. In the same way that winemakers consider the “terroir” of their grapes, chocolatiers scour the world to find the right cacao to create their own balance of flavors. Like grapes, cacao flavors differ
based on where it is grown. Cacao grown in Venezuela tastes differently than that grown in Bali. The unique chocolate flavors and nuances being created mean continued fascination with cacao from around the world.

“Many of these chocolatiers follow a bean-to-bar philosophy that includes working with cacao farmers and roasting and blending their own “origin” lines, made from cacao grown in a single, specific tropical valley in Venezuela, Madagascar or one of the other equatorial regions in which cacao thrives…”

“Real chocolate, he says, is redolent of not just terroir, but the very air in which the beans are fermented. Klassen calls it endemic microbiology 101 — each valley has its own airborne wild yeasts and active bacteria that launch the fermentation process. The resulting confection, he says, is meant to be savored like wine, not gobbled in a blaze of sugary glory.”

Artisanal chocolate is about more than candy – San Jose Mercury News.

Chocolate Is Healthy » artisanal chocolate makers

Cacao and Chocolate: A Global Perspective