Cacao

Cacao is an evergreen tree whose scientific name means “food of the gods”. Its fruits are the source of chocolate.

The fruit is a football-shaped pod up to 30 cm long. The pod has a hard shell and is typically yellow or orange, sometimes red and green when ripe. It contains 20-60 seeds encased in a sweet white pulp. In contrast, the raw seeds taste bitter.

The seeds are known as “beans” and contain a stimulant compound like caffeine. To produce chocolate, the beans are fermented and dried, then processed into cocoa butter. The flavour of the final product depends on the cacao bean’s origin as well as the specific preparation process.

Other uses: wood, medicine