Cacao, also known as “kakaw” in Mayan and “cacahuatl” in Nahuatl, is the cocoa plant from which chocolate and other cocoa products such as cocoa pods, hot chocolate k cups and others are made. It is endemic to America’s deep tropical areas. According to studies on the history of the Theobroma cacao tree, it started in the Amazon and was spread throughout Central America and Mesoamerica by travellers and traders. Cacao and its cocoa beans were highly valued at the period because the beans were used as currency and were processed to make medicinal and ceremonial beverages. Cocoa’s stimulating influence was a key role in promoting health and curing illness.
As far back as 600 AD, the Mayans were the first recorded growers of cacao plantations in the lowlands of south Yucatan. Even before the Europeans found Central America, the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru were growing cacao plants. Cacao was found by the gods in a mountain, according to Mayan mythology, and the Plumed Serpent handed the cacao to the Mayans when Xmucane, their holy grandmother goddess, created humanity.
Hernando Fernandez, a Spanish adventurer, was the first to recognise the value of cacao in New World trade. During his conquest of Mexico, he discovered how the Aztec Indians created beverages from cocoa beans. After a century of keeping cacao a secret from the rest of the world, the Spaniards eventually let it out through Spanish monks to the rest of Europe. Hot Chocolate k cups drinking grew popular all throughout Europe, but it was only for aristocracy and the rich. It eventually made its way to America.
Cacao is divided into three classifications:
Criollo, known as the “Prince of Cacao,” has delicate, thin-skinned pods with a pale tint and a distinct scent. Forastero – has thick-walled pods with a strong odour. Trinitario is a hybrid between Criollo and Forastero that has an excellent, fragrant flavour and is widely grown across the world.
The cacao tree’s fruit pods are gathered and the cocoa beans or cocoa pods are extracted from these pods before the cacao beans become chocolates for eating and cooking. The next step is fermentation, which normally takes three to nine days. The germ of the beans is killed, and enzymes are activated to prepare the beans for drying and roasting. Beans, on the other hand, run through a cleaning process before roasting to remove dried cacao pulp and other unwanted contaminants.
The beans are cooled and the shells are removed after they have been roasted. After the cacao meat or nibs have been extracted from the shells, they are ground into chocolate liquid. After that, the chocolate fluid will harden, yielding unsweetened or bitter chocolate. The following procedures would be to produce various types of chocolates and chocolate goods.
Cacao is the base for numerous luxury chocolate and cocoa items, including candy bars, beverages, and even desserts, as you can see. Cacao has always been a prized ingredient, from the early Mesoamericans to today’s celebrated chocolatiers.
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