The history of chocolate is as rich as its flavor and also holds a significant place in Costa Rica’s history.
The cocoa bean was a highly valued and sacred crop among the Chorotega and Bribri peoples of Costa Rica. The Chorotega used the bean as currency until the 1930s. This cocoa bean was very important culturally and economically to the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica. Women of the Bribri tribe made a special chocolate drink with the bean for rituals and celebrations.
Before coffee and bananas took over, cacao was Costa Rica’s main export. While other countries like Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela also grow and export cacao, Costa Rica is unique because cacao trees are cultivated in multiple regions across the country. The provinces of Guanacaste, Alajuela, Talamanca, Cartago, and Puntarenas have thriving cacao plantations. However, by the late 1970s, a fungus destroyed over 80% of the cacao trees in Costa Rica, devastating the industry.
So, how exactly do these bitter cacao beans turn into delicious chocolate? There are various paths to explore if you’re interested in learning the entire chocolate-making process, from the seed to the tree, passing through the bean and finally to chocolate.
In summary, cacao beans are first roasted, then broken, crushed, and ground into a paste. They are further crushed and then tempered (heated, cooled, heated, and cooled again) multiple times. The process can take up to a week to produce higher-quality chocolate.
