Cacao belongs to the genus Theobroma, Greek for 'food of the gods'. Is it any wonder then that dopamine stimulating, divinely tasting chocolate is made from the fruit of this tree?
Some of us might remember the days when cocoa was king in T&T. During the 1860s to the 1920s (no, I have not been around that long, hahaha), the country was one of the world's top five producers (Cocoa History TT). My grandfather's estate produced a fine drinking chocolate and the best coffee I have ever tasted... but I digress. Cocoa prices began to fall following this period, followed by the dreaded witch broom disease and by the late 1960s the industry had collapsed and acres of cocoa estates were left to ruin.
In recent years there has been a resurgence of the cocoa industry, with several estates implementing sustainable or organic practices and once again Trinidad and Tobago's cocoa is wooing the world and achieving coveted International Cocoa Awards . The three chocolate producers listed below are Bean-to-Bar or single-origin cacao farmers. Their products have a distinct advantage over those created from blends and they can guarantee quality at every stage of the value chain and have complete control over the product's quality and flavour.
Single origin/single estate Trinitario gourmet chocolate bars, described as having a 'rare and precious taste' that gives you a unique sensorial experience. Sun Eaters Organics takes great care to control the bean-to-bar process of chocolate making, creating a chocolate that preserves the beans' distinctive flavours. Sun Eaters Organics achieved the Mott Green Award for Sustainability 2014, a tribute to their dedication to quality at every stage of production from their organic farming methods to selection of the most eco-friendly packaging available for the product.
In addition to chocolate bars and hearts, they also produce 100% organic cacao powder, gluten free organic banana flour, gluten free pancake mix and gluten free brownie mix.
The Brasso Seco Chocolate Company
This estate located in the heart of the Northern Range, Trinidad, creates quality fine flavour chocolate bars in four flavours: original, Premium, Mocha and Espresso.
Soular - Eat the Sun, Feed Your Soul
Soular aims to 'create delicious foods that come from nearby, that are gently processed, using sunlight and that have nothing artificial added to them. Ever.' Their products include rich and delicious Mayan style drinking chocolate, Trinitario cacao nibs and sundried bananas. They are alway experimenting on the next tasty,good-for-you-good-for-the-earth organic treat.
You can find these specialty items at most gourmet and organic stores and also at Sweet Nothings- Trincity Mall, Veg Out- UWI, the M Store at the airport and Tobago Chocolate Delights - Tobago.
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