GROWING THE COCOA BEANS

Cocoa grows on tree some 20 metres high in the wild and 3-8 metres under cultivation in parts of the world close to the Equator - 20° north and 20° south. Largest producers are Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil etc.

The three main varieties of cocoa beans are:

CRIOLLO - 'Native' or 'of local origin' Grown in Central America and a few regions of Asia. Probably originally from Mexico. Now represents only about 5% of the world's production. Very high quality. Very aromatic, substantially lacking in bitterness. Used in the best quality chocolate but rarely alone because it is scarce and very expensive. It is finicky to grow and doesn’t like adapting to different climates.

FORASTERO: 'Foreigner' or 'stranger' Originally from the Amazon. Ordinary everyday cocoa. Represents 80% of the world's cocoa. It has slightly bitter flavour and is sometimes called in coffee terms as 'cocoa's robusta beans'. Everyday chocolate.

TRINITARIO - developed as hybrid of above 2 on Trinidad as a result of the near total destruction of the Criollo plantations by a hurricane in 1727. Seeds for new plantings were brought from Venezuela and cross-fertilised. Resulting hybrids have characteristics of both Forastero and Criollo. Represents about 10-15% of the world's total cocoa beans. Trinitario makes fine chocolate. Its blends are fine and rich in fats.

The flavours of all these beans are affected by the location, climate and soil in which they are grown.

Cocoa trees have tiny delicate flowers from which pods hang from trunk.

Pods - like rugby balls - grow directly from the lower branches and the trunk. They contain between 25 - 40 seeds which are the size of olives and formed like a giant corn on the cob. The pods weigh between 200-800g and ripen after 5-6 months.

The taste of the freshly picked beans resembles sweet milky lychees, pineapple. After a few hours they become very bitter and inedible.

One tree produces only enough beans for 1kg chocolate per year.

The pods are harvested and smashed open with a machete, they then lie cut open to ferment and dry in the sun. The seeds are scooped out and left to dry in the sun before being shipped and transported.

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Some cocoa facts

* Cocoa only grows between 10-15 degrees either side of the equator

* One cocoa tree only produces enough beans for 1kg of chocolate per year

* There are three types of bean - Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario

* Cocoa pods grow directly from the trunk of the cocoa tree