GRENADA, FEBRUARY 26, 2012 CHOCOLATE

 The guys were watching NASCAR so Wendy & I hired a cab to take us on an island tour.  We went to go to Belmont Estates, a plantation that has been operating since the 16th century.  They originally farmed sugar, then coffee and then nutmeg until 2004 when hurricane Ivan wiped out 95% of the nutmeg trees.  It takes 10 years for new nutmeg trees to produce so the plantation is now growing cocoa.  Cocoa sells for $1per pound and nutmeg sells for $4 per pound so they are anxious to get back to growing nutmeg.

The cocoa pods are cut from the tree using a long bamboo stick with a sharp knife attached.  They have to be careful not to damage the delicate tree bark.

Cocoa pods growing on the tree

holding long bamboo pole and the machete he uses to cut the cocoa from the tree

The cocoa pods are split open in the fields and the pods are left on the ground.  The white cocoa beans inside the pod are soft and strung together similar to pumpkin seeds.

cocoa falls to the ground when cut from the tree

White Cocoa Beans hanging out of the pod

A Cocoa Pod split open to see the cocoa beans inside

The white beans are fermented until the white coating dissolves.  Fermenting is done by covering the beans with banana leaves and burlap so they don't sweat and hold.

Fermented Cocoa beans in burlap sack waiting for drying tables

Once fermented, the beans are brown and are piled in bags until there is space for them on the drying tables.

Note the wheels on the trays to roll away to protect 

The beans are dried in the sun on large trays.  The trays are on wheels so if it rains they can be quickly rolled under cover.  To ensure the beans dry completely, they are 'walked' every 30 minutes.  A worker walks through the beans shovelling with their toes to turn the beans over and careful not to step on the beans and squish them.  I actually saw one worker with a rake so that may be a faster and more modern way of turning the beans.

Tourists 'walking the beans' on the drying trays (this tray is used only for tourists-not for selling)

 In the old days and now for special occasions the beans are polished by 'dancing' on the beans.  The dried beans are placed in a huge brass caldron and a couple workers dance on them, polishing the beans as they are rubbed against the pot.

Large caldron for 'dancing the beans'

Once the beans are dried they are shipped all over the world to companies like Lindt and Nestles where they are roasted and made into chocolate.

The beans that remain in Grenada are sold to the Grenada Chocolate Company and they roast, then a make organic dark chocolates and chocolate bars for sale.  All dark from 60% - 100%.

Many locals grow cocoa and make cocoa balls and sticks for tea and for selling.  Cocoa tea is just hot chocolate but you add your own milk and sugar taste

Cocoa Beans drying in the sun in someone's front yard for their own personal use

We learned a lot on our drive around the entire island of Grenada.  This is a cashew picked from a tree.  It grows with the nut down.  The fruit is like an apple but is not great to eat.

This is nutmeg.  Nutmeg is ready to pick from the tree when the fruit splits.  The outer fruit is used for making nutmeg jams and jellies.  The red coating on the nut is mace used for spice and for pepper spray.  The brown kernel is the nutmeg used for cooking but also used for topical treatments of muscle and joint pain.  

Nutmeg with mace coat

Nutmeg as seen on the tree when ready to harvest