One of the reasons why Guy Allan Davis decided to become a
chocolatier is because chocolate is one of the most popular flavors in the
Western World. Vanilla is the only flavor that is more popular than chocolate.
The difference between chocolate and vanilla is that vanilla is flavoring and
chocolate is a food, a medicine, and an aphrodisiac. We know that chocolate was
a part of Mayan religious ceremonies and in the mid-century Europe a cup of hot
chocolate was a part of the daily routine for those who could afford it.
The cacao tree is the source of cocoa and chocolate. The tree
grows in just a few parts of the world such as Brazil, Ivory Coast in western
Africa and others. The tree is very
sensitive to climatic conditions and various infections such as fungus. Most
cacao trees that produce commercial chocolate grown in Africa near the equator.
Other major cocoa growing regions include Indonesia, Malaysia, and countries in
Central America. Cocoa trees are very fragile, which is why cocoa pods need to
be harvested by hand. Workers cut the pods and select only the ripe ones. Each
pod contains between twenty and forty cocoa beans covered by fruit pulp.
Workers remove the beans, pile them, cover and allow them to ferment.
Fermentation lasts from two to seven days and represents the first step in the
conversion of beans into chocolate. Fermentation makes the beans darker in
color and changes their flavor. It also increases the acidity of the beans,
which is the first step in chocolate flavor development. Further steps include
both roasting and conching.
The fruit pulp that surrounds the beans eventually warms up,
turns into a liquid and drains out. The beans are then cured, often by simply
staying in the sun, but sometimes also over an open fire. During the process,
the beans lose about half of their weight. If cured improperly, they develop
smoky or moldy flavors. Cured beans then get packaged and delivered to
processing plants all over the world where they are cleaned, roasted and turned
into different forms of chocolate.
Today most chefs and bakers have an astounding variety of cocoa
and chocolate products to choose from. These products vary significantly in
quality and price. When choosing chocolate for baking purposes, you first need
to learn the makeup and functionality of different kinds of chocolate. After
that, you can develop a palate by trying a variety of products.
Like
most other nuts and seeds, cocoa beans contain a lot of valuable nutrients.
They are very high in fat and are a good source of minerals and fiber. The fat
in cocoa beans is naturally highly saturated and is solid at room temperature.
It also doesn’t raise the blood cholesterol levels like other fats do, which is
why pastry chefs like Guy Allan Davis can prepare desserts that are actually
good for you.
