The Cocoa Tree
The cocoa tree (theobrama cacao) is a fragile and delicate tree, and rarely will survive outside the tropics. The only one that we know of is in Palm House at London’s Kew Gardens.
The tree only grows in tropical regions within the latitudes of 20* South and 20* North of the equator, where it is dependent on a year-round temperature of 21-25*C. The most common places are Ivory Coat, Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Equador, Madagascar and Jamaica.
The trees are usually surrounded by other plants that provide shade, such as banana trees and leguminous trees. This is crucial for a young tree’s survival, as it only needs to get fifty per cent of available light.
It grows better between 400m and 1250m above sea level, and requires at least 65-75 per cent humidity year-round. After three years, a typical tree measures 4-5m and at ten years measures up to 8m.
Over the past century the origin of the bean hasn’t been a particular concern of chocolate eaters. However, all is changing, as the origin of the beans will dramatically affect the quality of the chocolate made from them. The well-established tradition in the wine world of indicating the region of the grape’s provenance is becoming a growing trend in chocolate labeling. ‘Single-Estate’ or ‘single-origin’ bar indicates that the cocoa beans used to produce a chocolate bar are from one region of a country (like Bordeux’ on a wine label). ‘Plantation Bar’ or the specific name of a plantation indicates that the chocolate comes from a particular plantation of a few acres, renowned for the quality of its beans – the equivalent of a domaine for wines.
The first wild cocoa trees are thought to have come from the Brazillian Amazon (though DNA evidence suggests a separate line of trees originating in Venezuela), but they were first cultivated in Mexico and its neighbouring countries, and it’s from here that they gradually spread to other continents. The Latin American beans came from the Criollo tree – the most fragrant, but also the most fragile, as we’ve seen.
Colonialism had a lot to do with the spread of the cocoa bean, as demands ‘back home’ for chocolate increased from 1650 onward, and plantations were started up in tropical colonies.
There are three main varieties of cocoa tree:
The Forastero. This is the most common, and also the most robust and highest-yeilding. This is the tree Europeans introduced into their plantations in the colonies when demand for chocolate grew in the early twentieth century, unfortunately it is not as tasty as the next two trees.
The Criollo. This variety is the finest tree. A fragile tree, with a very small yield, is considered by many to give the best-flavoured bean. Unfortunately, only two or three percent of cocoa trees are Criollos.
The Trintario is descended from a cross between Criollo and Forastero. This tree has hybrid characteristics – robustness, aromatic beans, and a fairly good yield.
Most beans come from the Forastero tree, and this was due to demand in the nineteenth century. Criollo or Trintario trees were more prone to disease and natural disasters, and they were less stronger and productive than Forasteros, so naturally the growers chose to plant Forastero beans to ensure yield of their crop. The other reason is that beans are sold at the same price per kilo, whatever their quality. And the vast majority of plantations are small farms, and if you were one of these small farmers, struggling to make a living you could produce twice the quantity of beans by swapping your Criollo or Trinitario trees for Forasteros, so you would have to be crazy to do so.
It takes seven years for a cocoa seedling to grow into a tree that is mature enough to produce pods. So, from the very start of the prices, you can see why the poor farmers (for most are very poor) are reluctant to waste valuable time raising fragile, aromatic trees when a robust but not so fragrant variety will thrive with ease.
