Where Does Chocolate Come From?

"Where does chocolate come from?" From trees! Surprised? Well, the secret of chocolate lies inside the pods of cacao (pronounce ka-kow) trees that grow in the tropics. Wisely named Theobroma which means 'food for gods', it is beans of the cacao tree from which we get chocolate, that has become synonymous with celebration all over the world!

History of Chocolate
The cacao tree is native to Central and South America. People inhabiting these areas have been using the fruits of this tree since, the ancient civilizations that spawned in the region. The Mayans and the Aztecs are known to have made chocolate drinks using cacao beans. They used to ground the cacao fruit seeds and mix them with various seasonings to make a spicy and frothy drink. The pods of the cacao fruits taste bitter, and the word 'chocolate' has its origins in the word "Xocolatl" that means 'bitter drink' in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Although, Christopher Columbus is said to have first brought cacao beans with him to Spain, the seeds became popular in Europe, only after, the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. The natives of America were known to mix cacao beans with vanilla, chile pepper, and achiote. The Europeans removed chile pepper and added sugar and milk to the chocolate making process. Later, further modifications were included to make the present day bars of chocolate. Though, initially it was an item of luxury in Europe, with the Industrial Revolution, chocolate became easily available to the general population.

Where Does Chocolate Originally Come From?
Now, let us learn about the steps involved in processing cacao bean to produce chocolate that we love! The cacao tree contains fruits or pods that are harvested twice a year. Each pod contains almost, 30 to 40 seeds which is what we get chocolate from. Once the pods are harvested, they are carefully opened with hand, so that the fruits do not get damaged. The beans, that are still sticky with the pulp, are then placed in earthen pits or wooden bins which are then, covered with banana leaves and left to ferment. While good quality pods take a couple of days, those that are of poorer variety take almost a week to ferment. As the beans ferment, the bitter taste becomes more 'chocolaty'. After fermentation, the beans are dried in the sun for about a week. The chocolate flavor, in the beans, become stronger due to this process. Once they have dried, the beans are packed and shipped to chocolate manufacturing units.

Once in the factory, the beans are sifted for impurities like stones, machetes etc. Then, as per the requirement of the chocolate manufacturer, they are sorted according to their type. Next, they are roasted in a rotating oven at temperatures between 210 - 290 degree Fahrenheit, for about half an hour to 2 hours. The heat treatment gives a stronger flavor and aroma to the beans and also makes them harder and darker in color. The beans are then cracked, and their outer shells winnowed away. What is left are called the 'nibs' - the real chocolate! But this chocolate is bitter. To get the chocolate bar that tastes so yummy, the nibs have to be further processed. A thick chocolate paste, known as chocolate liquor, is made by grinding the cacao nibs. This paste tastes bitter and to change it into more edible forms, sugar, vanilla, cocoa butter and milk are added to it. Now, the chocolate tastes much the way we love it. But, if a chocolate bar were to be made from this chocolate, it would not have a smooth texture. To get a smooth and soft chocolate bar, the chocolate mixture is 'conched' - a process in which the chocolate is swirled and aerated. More cocoa butter and soy lecithin are added during this process, to make the chocolate smooth. The conching process may last for a couple of hours to up to a week. This chocolate may then be stirred further, cooled and heated slowly. This process is repeated a couple of times, so that, our chocolate has a smooth texture and a fine shiny look!

Which Country Does Chocolate Come From?
There are quite a few countries that are known to produce chocolate. The top cacao bean producing countries are:

• Ivory Coast
• Ghana
• Indonesia
• Cameroon
• Nigeria
• Brazil
• Ecuador
• Dominican Republic
• Malaysia

Here is a list of some of the countries which have been dominating the chocolate market for long:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Holland
• France
• Switzerland
• Finland
• United Kingdom

It is probably, due to the dominance of the European countries that, when one considers the question "Where does chocolate come from?", it's these countries that first spring to our mind. However, probably, it is the lure of the smell and taste of chocolate that it has traveled far out of its land of origin and has established popularity all over the world!