Knowing the provenance of the food we eat is vital. With this in mind, our team set out to find out more about the organic, fairly-traded cocoa nibs we use to make our chocolate...
Salcombe Dairy’s Chocolate Manager Ellie Weir with husband David are currently on an epic Land Rover trek across the Americas, with one very important stop to make en route through Peru - a visit to the Co-operative of farmers where we source the cocoa beans to make our organic chocolate.
Deep in the foothills of the Andes, in the province of Mariscal Cáceres, our intrepid team made their way on roads which then became dirt tracks to reach the farms. In this area, 97% of the economy comes from agriculture - the rainforest provides the perfect hot and wet growing conditions for native strains of cacao beans such as Criollo and Trinitario.
Small cacao seedlings begin life in the nursery, then are planted out under the protective shady leaves of banana plants to ensure they thrive, and within five years fruits in the form of pods (roughly the size of a coconut) start to form, filled with white fleshy pulp containing beans.
The pods are harvested, cut in half, then the white pulp is collected and put into large vats to be fermented for two or three days then dried in the sun for around five days. The beans are then roasted in an oven for up to an hour, and then winnowed to remove the outer husks, leaving the precious centre of the bean, the “nib” which is then ready for export.
Deep in the foothills of the Andes, in the province of Mariscal Cáceres, our intrepid team made their way on roads which then became dirt tracks to reach the farms. In this area, 97% of the economy comes from agriculture - the rainforest provides the perfect hot and wet growing conditions for native strains of cacao beans such as Criollo and Trinitario.
Small cacao seedlings begin life in the nursery, then are planted out under the protective shady leaves of banana plants to ensure they thrive, and within five years fruits in the form of pods (roughly the size of a coconut) start to form, filled with white fleshy pulp containing beans.
The pods are harvested, cut in half, then the white pulp is collected and put into large vats to be fermented for two or three days then dried in the sun for around five days. The beans are then roasted in an oven for up to an hour, and then winnowed to remove the outer husks, leaving the precious centre of the bean, the “nib” which is then ready for export.
“When the pods turn a rich red colour, the farmers know they are ready to pick” Ellie reports. “The heat and humidity on the farm was really intense, but being able to see the source ingredients of our products being grown was such a privilege.”
When the nibs arrive in sacks in Salcombe, they are checked in the factory and ground with raw cane sugar for up to three days to release the flavour, then the acidity is removed and the chocolate tempered and moulded.
At this time of year we are busy making Easter eggs so when the liquid chocolate is ready to be poured we have our egg moulds at the ready. The moulds are then spun around by hand for up to fifteen minutes to ensure an even coating of chocolate throughout the egg. The mould is then chilled, and the egg can be turned out ready for decorating after an hour or so. Once dry and ready, it is packed in biodegradable protective packaging.
Amazing to think of all the work that has gone into creating our eggs, the journey behind the scenes all to make a humble (yet beautiful) Easter Egg!
At this time of year we are busy making Easter eggs so when the liquid chocolate is ready to be poured we have our egg moulds at the ready. The moulds are then spun around by hand for up to fifteen minutes to ensure an even coating of chocolate throughout the egg. The mould is then chilled, and the egg can be turned out ready for decorating after an hour or so. Once dry and ready, it is packed in biodegradable protective packaging.
Amazing to think of all the work that has gone into creating our eggs, the journey behind the scenes all to make a humble (yet beautiful) Easter Egg!
