Tasting!!!!
The Flavor of Cacao
As you now know, there are three major types of cacao. Even if the same type of cacao were grown all around the world, each area would have a crop or harvest with different flavors or tastes. The completely unique flavor notes or characteristics that are found in chocolate depends on the country or area it is grown in. The taste of a cacao bean depends on the soil the tree grows in, the growing conditions of the area and the types of plants in the surrounding area. For example, if the cacao trees grow under or around banana trees, coffee trees, or vanilla vines; the cacao will pick up the flavors of those plants. Cacao picks up the flavors from the soil and the roots of other plants around it.
Local harvesting and fermentation practices also affect flavor. After the beans are taken out of the pod, they are piled up. The next day the beans are spread out and covered with large leaves. Sometimes farmers use banana leaves. The beans are kept under the leaves for a couple of days. This is the fermentation process. During this process the beans get warm, moist, and steamy helping the flavors grow. The number of days the beans are fermented is also important to the flavor of cacao.
