Yup, when those cacao pods get harvested, they burst open like a tropical piñata, exposing their goodness to a party of bacteria and yeasts in the warm air! Once upon a time, people thought cocoa beans were just getting a spa day to wash off the pulp (thanks, Wood, 1990!).
But hold onto your taste buds—good fermentation is the secret sauce for delicious chocolate!
Whether it’s heaping fresh beans together or tossing them in snug boxes, it’s all about letting those tiny microorganisms throw a fermentation fiesta! In those boxes for about a week, the yeasts and bacteria party on the sugars, creating alcohol and zesty acids that work their magic on the seeds.
These acids are like little flavour ninjas, breaking down bitterness and turning cacao beans into delightful nuggets of nutty, fruity goodness. Funny enough, most cacao farmers never get to taste their own magic, and chocolate makers often play a guessing game with fermentation. But the top-tier chocolate companies are all about teamwork with producers to nail that perfect flavour!
If you’re feeling daring and have a cacao crop, grab the Nuts recipe book and learn how to ferment your own chocolate! Just remember, chocolate was once a bitter beverage called “xocolatl” (which means “bitter water”) used by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations for everything from ceremonies to currency! Talk about a rich history!
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