Indulging in chocolate has been a tradition that dates back to 1750 BC.
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| Unveiling the Journey of Chocolate: From Ancient Rituals to Modern Delicacy |
During ancient times, chocolate held a special place in the hearts of humans, not just as a delectable treat,
but also as a medicine and a part of religious rituals. Today, this beloved delicacy is readily available worldwide,
with companies dispatching a staggering 3 million tons annually. But how exactly is this accomplished?
Our journey commences in Africa, a region that was previously inhabited by the Mayans.
It was the Mayans who first uncovered the secrets of the cacao tree. However, this discovery wasn't so much a result of their detective skills,
but rather their geographical positioning. You see, the cacao tree thrives under highly specific conditions - a temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius and humidity levels of 80 percent or higher.
These conditions are exclusively met by certain areas along the Earth's Equator. One such region was inhabited by the Mayans, and even today,
a significant portion of the world's cacao supply originates from these equatorial zones.
Interestingly, the process of harvesting cacao hasn't evolved much since the Mayan era.
This is primarily because cacao trees are incredibly delicate, and their pods don't simply drop to the ground when ripe.
Consequently, each pod is carefully cut off by hand, a labor-intensive task. The subsequent step, extracting the beans, is equally demanding,
involving manual separation of the beans from the sticky white pulp. It's almost like channelling one's inner "Fruit Ninja" skills to secure these beans,
now covered in a sticky coating that hardly resembles the chocolate we know.
The cacao beans, in their raw state, have yet to undergo a transformative process that imparts them with their characteristic appearance and aroma.
The beans, along with their surrounding pulp, are placed within specialized fermentation boxes, covered with banana leaves, and left to ferment for a duration of three to nine days.
This fermentation phase serves several crucial purposes: it eliminates bacteria, removes the white pulp, imparts the beans with their signature brown color and distinctive flavor.
Once fermentation is complete, the beans are subjected to drying under the sun.
While this phase primarily eliminates moisture and prevents the growth of unwanted microorganisms,
it inadvertently contributes to the flavor development of the beans. Following this, the beans embark on a journey to factories across the globe.
Upon arrival at the factory, the beans undergo meticulous inspection by a team of quality assurance professionals.
This involves assessing the color and consistency of the beans by cutting them open. After obtaining the approval of the QA team, the beans proceed to specialized processing facilities.
Here, they undergo roasting - initially on screens, then in revolving cylinders, where heated air is blown over them for a period ranging from 30 minutes to two hours.
This roasting process not only reduces the moisture content from approximately seven percent to around one percent but also triggers a chemical reaction involving over 300 compounds present in the beans.
This reaction is responsible for the development of the rich flavor we associate with chocolate.
Once roasted, the cacao meat, or nibs, should easily separate from the husk, also known as the shell.
This separation is achieved through a machine called the winnower, which employs vibrating shelves and a fan to blow away the husks,
leaving behind the precious nibs. The nibs then undergo grinding, transforming them into a deep,
dark brown paste. At this stage, the process takes a pivotal turn, changing the composition of the chocolate to resemble a thick syrup.
This syrup, often smelling somewhat like alcohol, earns the name "chocolate liquor."
Should the intention be to create cocoa powder, the chocolate liquor might undergo treatment with an alkaline solution.
This treatment darkens the cocoa's color, mellows its flavor, and reduces the tendency of the nibs to clump.
Following this, the alkaline chocolate liquor undergoes defatting, where a significant portion of the cocoa butter is extracted.
The resultant solid material, termed press cake, is broken, chopped, or crushed before being sifted into cocoa powder.
The cocoa butter, previously removed, is not discarded, but rather a vital component in crafting chocolate confections.
It is combined with chocolate liquor in a process referred to as conching.
This process imparts the chocolate with its velvety texture and consistent quality. Depending on the desired type of chocolate, additional ingredients such as powdered milk, sugar,
or vanilla might be incorporated. The Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter introduced this practice in 1875 when he ingeniously mixed a powdered milk developed by Henry Nestle with the liquor, resulting in the creation of milk chocolate.
With the desired texture achieved, the chocolate undergoes tempering,
a process involving gradual heating and cooling. This process transforms the crystals within the chocolate,
ensuring a uniform composition throughout. After tempering, the chocolate is poured into molds to shape it into bars.
A final examination is performed to guarantee a flawless product, free from air bubbles. The chocolate bars are then meticulously wrapped in foil or paper packaging to preserve their freshness.
Although these chocolate bars may appear modest in size, the industry rakes in a remarkable 50 billion dollars annually.
Such a massive production requires substantial amounts of aluminum foil to wrap these delectable treats. To witness the fascinating process of how aluminum foil is produced.
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