MEEKS: From trees to boxes, chocolate makes a delicious journey
As you are reading this article, Valentine's Day has passed and so has the gifting of heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Oh, how I love those boxes. I can thank my father for this. Because I was daddy's little girl, he always got me a heart-shaped box of chocolates on Valentine's Day. Luckily, I have found a great husband who continues the tradition that my father started with me years ago.
Chocolate comes from cocoa tree, which is grown throughout the tropical world, and has been harvested for thousands of years by people of Central America and South America. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, Europe was introduced to cocoa in the 16th century, and solid chocolate was developed later, between 1825-1828, by separating the cocoa butter from dried beans. The Swiss were responsible for the invention of milk chocolate, which resulted in a multibillion dollar industry.
According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, cocoa trees are suited for tropical areas, where year-round temperatures are above 68 degrees and rainfall is evenly distributed. They are a medium understory tree reaching about 30 feet high. Flowers and fruit can be found on the older branches and trunk. Insects are needed for pollination to be successful. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, the fruit from time of pollination to fully develop takes five to seven months. Pods are initially green and turn yellow to yellow-red as they reach ripeness. The fruit pods contain 20 to 60 seeds. The seeds/beans are what are processed to make chocolate.
According to the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, after the beans are harvested they are fermented in wooden boxes covered in baskets made of banana leaves. The fermentation process is done to develop flavor. The process takes about a week and the beans are stirred at least once for aeration. According to the Queensland department, they are then dried until 6 percent to 7 percent moisture content is reached. Beans are later roasted to further develop their chocolate flavor and processed into our favorite treats.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Tuesday: Auxin-Tolerant Technologies, Vienna 9 a.m.
March 4: Green Up, Macon 9 a.m.
March 10: Vegetable Gardening 101, Perry 6 p.m.
MIDDLE GEORGIA PRODUCTION MEETINGS
Wednesday: Cotton Production Oglethorpe, noon
Feb. 25: Peanut Production Perry, noon
March 4: Sorghum Production Hawkinsville, noon
For more information, contact Houston County Extension at 478-987-2028 or visit the office at 801 Main St., Perry, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Visit www.caes.uga.edu/extension/houston for more news about your local Extension office.
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 6:53 PM with the headline "MEEKS: From trees to boxes, chocolate makes a delicious journey ."