Round Grenada in a day - part 2

Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Tue 5 Jun 2012 19:11

Tuesday 5th June 2012

 

The visit to the Belmont Estate began with an excellent three-course lunch of typical Grenadian cooking.  It was an effort to leave the table, but with the prospect of chocolate before us we somehow managed.

 

We were shown the process the cocoa beans go through on their way to becoming chocolate.

 

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A ripe cocoa pod.                                                                                                                             The cocoa beans inside are covered with sticky (but tasty!) white stuff.

 

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The beans are put into fermenting bins and covered with banana leaves and sacks.         Once fermented they turn brown.

 

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The beans are then spread out on racks to dry in the sun.

 

Once dry the beans are crushed and then used to make chocolate by the Grenadian Chocolate Company.  No milk chocolate is made here as the melting point is too low for this climate.  Their chocolate ranges from 60% to 100% cocoa content.  We sampled the 60% and 71%, but as a Galaxy lover, they were a bit too strong for me!  James and Steve both enjoyed it though, and James bought several bars for later consumption!