There are three main types of tree producing ‘cacao’ or cocoa beans as we know them – Forastero 80% of cocoa and chocolate production, Criollo, and Trinitario with 10% each. The Criollo tends to produce the more expensive chocolate as it tends to be inherently sweeter, gives unique flavours and aromas and is more difficult to cultivate. The Forastero cacao bean by far accounts for the largest share of production. The trees are hardier, less susceptible to parasite attack and consequently cheaper to cultivate lending itself therefore to mass production.. The Trinitario is a cross between the Criollo and Forastero.

A tree begins to bear fruit when it is about four years old yeilding about 20 pods (see picture opposite. Each pod has about 50 seeds and dependent upon the size and species a Kilogram of raw Cacao is extracted from about 10 pods. In total about 5 million tons of the stuff is produced each year

Cacao was first discovered by Europeans in 1502 by Christopher Columbus however its significance as a foodstuff was not realized until 1519 when Hernando Cortez the Conquistador was introduced to it in the form of a drink by Montezuma the Aztec King. It was not however a drink anything like the hot chocolate drinks we love and know these days. It was more of a herbal concoction including chillies, herbs and spices. Interestingly it was known in those days to be an aphrodisiac and apparently Montezuma drank large quantities of it.

During the next 100 or so years its popularity spread over Europe leading to expansion of production by the introduction of the trees into colonies held by England and France. Originally indigenous to South and Latin America it’s spread across the rest of the world was now inevitable. The tree itself likes a warm humid and shady environment and consequently thrives in the tropics.

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