Chocolate is a confection made from cacao beans,
the seeds of the cacao plant. There are a large number of products made from it
on the market, from powdered cocoa for making drinks to white
chocolate, and most markets carry a cross-section of confections for
their customers. In addition to being available at general markets and grocery
stores, chocolate can also be purchased from specialty companies which make
luxury and distinctive confections.
Making chocolate is a time consuming process. Cacao plants are grown on plantations in South America, where the plant is native, and in parts of Africa. There are actually several varieties of cacao plant, all of which produce chocolates with slightly different flavors, and the flavor is also impacted by where the plant it grown, how it is handled after harvest, and how it is processed. Companies invest a great deal of money in developing ideal blends of cacao beans to create the flavors their consumers are used to.
Cacao beans grow in large pods which
are harvested once they ripen and then allowed to ferment. Initially, the cacao
beans are extremely bitter; the fermentation process softens the bitterness,
allowing producers to move on the next steps, roasting and hulling. Roasting
helps to develop the flavor of the beans, while shelling exposes the cacao
nibs, the portion of the bean which has all the flavor.
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