COCOA AND CHOCOLATE

The word ‘‘cocoa,’’ now universally used in English-speaking countries, is a corruption of ‘‘cacao’”’ (a Spanish adaptation of the Mexican cacanatl) which still remains as the name of the tree which provides the beans, or seeds, which give us cocoa and chocolate, sharing the honor with the alternative title of ‘*chocolate-tree.’’ The botanical generic title of the tree is Theobroma, which, trauslated, becomes ‘‘food of the gods,’’ clearly demonstrating an early epicurean recognition of its high value! Cocoa-heans were used as food in Mexico, the West Indies, and elsewhere long hefore the discovery of this hemisphere by Columbus. The earliest references are found in the writings of the explorers who followed him—tradition has it that the first to tell of the beverage known to the Mexicans as chocolatl, was Bernal Diaz, one of the Spanish officers with Cortez, who observed Monte zum a quaffing a thick cone oct i on of cocoa-beans, vanilla, ete., from a golden eup. Its use was soon an established custom in Spain and Portugal, and as early as 1550 chocolate factories of considerable size existed in the south of Kurope—in Lisbon, Genoa, Turin, Bayonne, and Marseilles. The industry within the original thirteen United States was only ten vears old at the commencement of the American Revolution, the first factory having been erected in Dor chester, Ma ., in 1765, but to-day this country stands as the world’s ereatest manufacturer and largest consumer of cocoa products. Our annual importations of cocoa-beans range between thrée and four hundred million pounds, the principal sources being British West Africa, Brazil, Ecuador, San Domingo, the British West Indies (chiefly Trinidad and Tobago), and Venezuela. The eaeao-tree grows to an average height of from sixteen to thirty feet and is of spreading habits and healthy growth. Bucares, tropical trees of rapid growth, are generally set between the rows to shade the young trees until they have attained maturity. A minimum temperature of 80° Fahr., and plenty of moisture, both of soil and atmosphere, are required to hring out their full bearing po ibilities. The trees begin to carry fruit at three or four years, continuing to the age of about forty. Some fruits are ripening all the year round, but two main crops are gathered, generally in June and December (or January) —the latter being commonly the more important. The great bulk of the beans marketed is from trees of the species Theobroma cacao —practically all of the supply if the ‘‘alligator’’ cacao-trees of Central America and the West Indies, with their softer-shelled pods, and larger (and high quality) beans, belong to the species, as some botanists a ert, instead of constituting a separate species as others aver. The cocoa-hbeans are found in pods of varying shapes, from seven to twelve mehes long and rather more than a third as much in maximum diameter. The ripe pod is yellowish-brown, orange, dark red, or purple, according to the variety, with a thick, tough rind enclosing a ma of white or pinkish, slippery, acid, cellular ti ue, or pulp. The beans, about the size of an average almond, but more suggestive of vegetable beans in shape, are attached to a central stem and buried in the ti ue, each inva thin shell varving from the papery texture of the Ceylon and Java beans to the hard skin of other varieties. In this fresh condition, they are bitter in flavor and of a light, generally purplish or pale-green color. An interesting feature is that the little pink flowers and the resulting big pods (only one or two to a cluster of flowers) grow most freely on the older branches and: —. ~ je — in A -_. ~s 5: i a >: g 1. Hard outer shell: 4. Slime ti ue drawn back to expose bean 2. Soft inner layer 5. Bean shell, or envelope 3. Bean embedded in slime ti ue 6. Cocoa-bean, or kernel COCOA-POD, two-thirds average size, half of the outer shell removed the trunks of the trees, often on those entirely bare of foliage, instead of among the fullest foliage as with the majority of other fruits. In gathering, only fully ripened pods are taken, these being carefully cut from their ‘‘eushions’’ by a cocoa-hook if high on the tree, or by a short cutla if within easy reach. The cut pods are piled on the ground for twenty-four hours to dry and are then cut open and the beans taken out (their pulp coats still adhering). The next operation is ‘‘sweating,’’ or curing. The free acid juice is first drained off and the beans are then placed in fermenting, or ‘‘sweating,’’ tanks, in which they are enclosed and allowed to ferment for some time, great care being taken to keep the temperature from rising too high. This step removes the pulp, gives the beans a reddish tint, and takes away some of their bitterne . The fermenting proce is in some cases effected by throwing the beans into holes and covering them with earth or clay. Next come the final plantation proce es—thorough washing and then drying in the sun or over steam-pipes, according to locality and conditions—heans of good quality which have been carefully fermented acquiring the heightened, warm, reddish hue so highly prized. In cocoa and chocolate manufacturing establishments the beans are first cleaned, sorted, and roasted. The roasting is very important, for upon it depends to a great extent the flavor of the finished cocoa. Too little leaves the beans crude and unflavored, and too much will make them bitter. They go next to the ‘‘cracker,’’ which cracks the shells and breaks the kernels into smal] pieces known as ‘‘cocoa-nibs,’’ or ‘‘cracked cocoa.’’ After the ‘‘cracker”’ comes the ‘‘fanner,’’ which separates the shells from the cocoa-nibs and sorts the latter by screens into six different sizes, the last being as fine as dust. Cocoa-nibs are sometimes recommended by physicians who wish their patients to receive the full nutriment of the cocoa-bean, without the extraction of any of its oil, and without the addition of any flavoring or sweetening ingredients. A beverage is prepared by steeping the nibs in boiling water, or by continued boiling according to the result desired.; The shells serve chiefly as cattle-food and fertilizer, but are also sold for use as a beverage. They carry quite a little of the flavor of the cocoa-bean, and make a cheap and pleasing drink. Though usually bought as a matter of economy, they are also liked by some well-to-do people of weak digestion. These uses are, however, of minor importance. For the products of general consumption, manufacture is not yet complete. The next step is ‘‘blending’’—a proce of moment, for cocoa-beans of different plantations and countries vary in flavor and strength very much as do tea-leaves and coffee-beans. It is the aim of each manufacturer so to combine them as to produce the best po ible favor and aroma that a reasonable cost will permit.; The cocoa-nibs designated for each blend are filled into heated ‘‘ grinders,’’ which reduce them to a thick, oily liquid. If Plain, or Bitter, or Baking, chocolate is being made, there is little more to be done. The liquid is cooled to the proper temperature and run into molds where it remains until chilled to hard cakes by refrigerating machines. For Sweet chocolate, cocoa-butter and sugar are added to the liquid which comes from the grinders, and all are mixed in the ‘‘mélangeur,’’ the resulting paste being sent. through the ‘‘rollers,’? coming from'them smooth, even, and with all the air pre ed out. Then, as a final step, it is weighed off and placed in molds, and shaken down to uniformity of appearance by automatic agitators. For Vanilla chocolate, high-grade pulverized vanilla-beans—or vanilla or vanillin extract—are added and in some cases also a small quantity of flavoring such as cinnamon and cloves. For Almond chocolate, roasted (generally whole) almonds are worked in. In Spanish chocolate and similar varieties, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, mace, and other flavorings are employed in divers combinations and both with and without vanilla. Milk (or Sweet Milk) chocolate is sweet chocolate with condensed milk or milk powder added with the sugar. For Pulverized chocolate, or Soluble chocolate, the cakes are re-ground into an impalpable powder. Tn the manufacture of Cocoa, or Breakfast cocoa, the liquid which comes from the grinders is deprived of some of its oil, or butter, leaving a comparatively hard, dry substance which is ground to powder and bolted through very fine silk screens. Only the fine powder pa es through. the remainder being held to grind over again. One of the distinguishing characteristics of pure cocoa when ready for the market is a rich, reddish color, commonly known among artists as ‘‘cacao-red.’? When the powder is so dark as to appear almost black it is generally a sign that it has been made from imperfectly cleansed beans of poor quality, or has been artificially colored. Dutch cocoas, manufactured chiefly in Holland and Germany, and Dutch-style of domestic production, are distinguished by their treatment with alkalis or alkaline carbonates, etc. The chief objects and effects are the supposed enhancement of the appearance of the beverage by darkening it to a resemblance to chocolate, and the more consistent suspension of the cocoa particles -—-the latter having given rise to the unwarranted claim of greater general solubility and, consequently, higher food merit. It may be added parenthetically that the fact that a cocoa-tin is not full when opened does not nece arily imply short measure. The tins used by manufacturers are larger than required for the weight designated, as cocoa fresh from the machines bulks a little more than after it has been shaken down in commercial handling. Broma is similar to cocoa in preparation except that practically all, instead of only part, of the butter is extracted. The cocoa-bean contains a percentage of theobromine—which corresponds to the stimulating properties of tea and coffee—but its chief merit lies in its large proportion of nutritive substances. The roasted beans show an average of 49% pure oul, 18% protein, 10% starch, and 7% other carbohydrates, ete., presented in a form which is very palatable, whether consumed as a beverage or confection, in puddings or cakes. Its food value is highly regarded by all civilized governments—in Europe and the United States, chocolate is a part of the army ration as a food and of the navy ration as a beverage. One square (one ounce) of plain chocolate generates about 173 calories. Two squares of chocolate, two medium-thick slices of bread, and a gla of milk constitute a wholesome and sufficient luncheon. The combination includes an adequate percentage of protein and affords about 600 calories (see Foon VaLv ). When you eat chocolate or drink it as a beverage made with milk, eat plain (not buttered) bread with it. The chocolate and milk thus consumed contain sufficient fat —butter is not needed. This advice does not nece arily apply if cocoa is drunk instead of chocolate, but it is generally best observed with cocoa also, if made with milk. Neither chocolate nor milk-made cocoa should be drunk with a heavy meal. To prepare cocoa or chocolate as a beverage, it should be boiled for four or five minutes in order to obtain the full flavor and digestibility. Neither is properly cooked by simply pouring boiling milk or water over it. But, on the other hand, care must be exercised not to cook it longer than five minutes as the penalty is the lo of much of the volatile oil which gives the aroma. 7 Also, the cooking should be done in water—not in milk. The several minutes’ boiling makes cocoa or chocolate more easily digestible and brings out its flavor, but it gives a ‘‘cooked’’ taste to milk which offsets to some degree the delicacy of the cocoa flavor and aroma. If you intend making with milk, the best method is to cook the cocoa or chocolate in a small quantity of water, then to add the scalding milk when the five minutes is nearly up, stir well together, and remove the mixture from the fire immediately. Unle the brand or style used is already highly flavored, the beverage is made especially delicious to the average palate by adding a pinch of salt and a drop or two | of vanilla extract—just before serving if to be drunk hot, or before setting to cool if to be served iced. Because of its smaller fat content, cocoa is more acceptable to some digestions than the richer chocolate. Cocoa and chocolate and all allied products should be kept cool and dry. The ‘‘white’’ appearance sometimes noted on cake chocolate generally indicates that it has been kept in an over-warm place. When pure chocolate is subjected to a temperature of above 80° Fahr., it begins to soften and melt and allows part of the cocoa-butter to rise to the surface. When the temperature is lowered, so that the chocolate again becomes hard, the outside will show a thin covering of congealed butter, which looks ‘‘white’’ in contrast to the brown of the chocolate itself. This is not an indication that the chocolate is of inferior quality or is irretrievably injured, for if it should be melted and cooled at the right temperature it would resume its original color.