Tag Archives: fermented

Chocolate Grows on Trees

chocolate tree

Chocolate – comes from the seeds of the cacao or chocolate tree. The Greek name is Theobromacacao Linnaeus and means the food of the gods.

The chocolate tree produces large pods containing 30 to 40 bitter seeds imbedded in a sweet sticky pulp native to the deep  tropical  regions of Central and South America.

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The sticky pulp was a staple food of the Mayans 2000 years ago and both the Mayans and the Aztecs used the seeds to make a chocolate drink.

Once the pods are split open and the cacao beans removed, they are then fermented, dried, and roasted to develop the bean’s flavour. Fermentation activated enzymes that create the beginnings of chocolate as we know it.

Why do some foods like chocolate, wine or cheese taste so delicious? Fermenting magically transforms their original ingredients into something more desirable. Besides improving flavour, some soured and fermented foods such as yogurts, kefir and sauerkraut also strengthens the immune system.

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