flavors.
Manufacturers grind the beans, add
sugar, and then physically work the
mixture to refine its flavor and create a
silken texture.The Cacao Bean The cacao tree, named
Theobroma cacao by Linnaeus — theobroma
is Greek for “food of the gods” — is a broad-
leaved evergreen that grows between 20º north
and south of the equator, and reaches about 20
feet/7 m in height. It produces fruits in the
form of fibrous pods from 6 to 10 inches/15–
25 cm long, 3 or 4 inches/7.5–10 cm in
diameter, and containing 20 to 40 seeds, or
“beans,” each about an inch/2.5 cm long,
embedded in a sweet-tart pulp.
Varieties There are a number of different
cacao varieties that fall into three botanical
groups: the Criollos, Forasteros, and
Trinitarios. Criollo trees produce relatively