We have been tasting chocolate since one of our first dates. Just like wine, chocolate also has different types of cocoa beans, each with its own distinct flavor. The shade in which the cocoa tree grows influences the cocoa fruit. For example, banana gives the fruit a different flavor than, say, a citrus fruit.
After the cocoa fruits are harvested, the fermentation period begins. There are various techniques involved here as well, and this influences the taste of the final chocolate.
Once the beans have been dried, they are roasted, and you guessed it. How they are roasted also affects the taste. So, if you pick a cocoa fruit from the same tree, let it dry, and roast it in two different ways, you get a different flavor from the cocoa bean.
A roasted cocoa bean is not yet chocolate. That is when sugar and cocoa butter have been added to the cocoa mass. And with many types of chocolate, a form of milk is added. Only then can you call it chocolate.
Wine has good grape years, and the same is true for cocoa beans. It is fascinating to go and taste and discover the mouthfeel of chocolate. Is it velvety smooth or a bit rough? Does the flavor burst onto your tongue immediately, or do you have to wait a moment for it to open up? What do you smell first in your nose? And does this change? Some chocolates have a short taste, while others are layered and structured. Additionally, chocolate farmers add extra ingredients to a bar that complement the basic flavor of the cocoa.
For us, it is always a treat to step into this world, and over the past 10 years, we have visited the chocolate festival in Amsterdam repeatedly to gain knowledge about this world.
The chocolate festival is the culmination of a full week of chocolate. It features masterclasses, trade takes place between cocoa farmers and chocolate makers from all over the world, and the industry develops and grows.
We enjoy ourselves every time we go there to talk to farmers, and this year we came with our own assignment. On to the anticipation, because on our trip we will be staying in a few countries around the equator, which means chocolate! And naturally, we want to visit a cocoa plantation, where possible. Good opportunities in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru.
It is always cool to see new packaging. The packaging for chocolate from Peru shows which ingredients are in the chocolate through illustrations. I think it is beautiful! We went home with a ‘small’ haul, full of stories, inspiration, and chocolate.
Chocoa it is!
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