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June 13, 2006

On the origins of chocolate

Its likely that few chocolate consumers, whether occassional enthusiasts or lifelong afficionados, ever stop mid-bite and consider the origins of the product which they are in the process of digesting. Chocolate is a product which tends to fully captivate the senses, and does not lend itself to deep introspection. If pressed to give an answer, most people would probably cite sugar as an important part of chocolate production, and perhaps even a minority would know that cocao beans are an essential ingredient. Asked where chocolate comes from, its quite likely that the average person on the street will confidently say, "Switzerland" or maybe "Belgium" or maybe "Hersey, Pennsylvania", depending on the part of the world they are from. While these answers are not entirely without merit, they ignore an important part (some would say the most critical part) of the chocolate equation, the cocao bean.

This cocao map from the folks at Sweetriot provides a fascinating overview of the world's cocao bean production. While cocao is clearly a global product, a quick glance at the Sweetriot map reveals an obvious pattern -- all cacao production is located within several degress of the equator. The chocolate tree, with its particular affinity for tropical climates, is responsible for this arrangement. A few hundred years ago, this map would have have looked quite different, with production exclusively limited to central America. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors realized the monetary and culinary value of the cocao bean and spread the crop across the globe.

Today, nearly all cocao is produced in Africa and Asia. The chocolate-filled pralines, milk chocolate bars, and chocolate covered snacks lining supermarket shelves are in all likelihood created with some percentage of cacao from farms in Cote d'Ivoire, Indonesia, or Ghana. The Americas, at one time the world's only growers of cocao, have seen their take of cacao production volumes dwindle to a single digit market share. These numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt, especially from the perspective of a chocolate connaisseur. Some of the most prized cocao beans come from plantations in the Americas, and many of the world's finest dark chocolates are composed with beans originating from countries like Ecuador, Trinidad, and Venezuela.

Hungry for more?
Finedarkchocolate.com features a detailed history of chocolate

Xocoatl.org discusses the habitat of the chocolate tree

Last updated on June 13, 2006 11:20 PM

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