In Baracoa, we saw the process from cocoa fruit to cacao

In Baracoa we visited Finca La Esperanza to see how cacao grows and is processed

Theobroma cacao also cacao tree and cocoa tree, evergreen treeIts seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make cocoa mass,

cocoa powder, and chocolate

Cacao trees grow poorly in full sun and therefore cocoa usually grown under shade trees 

A cacao tree can be over 50 years old, up to 10 meters high and has a moderately thick trunk 

If the tree is about 4 years old, he is going to flourish and the flowers are produced in clusters directly on the

trunk and older branches

The flowers are small with pink calyx

While many of the world's flowers are pollinated by bees (Hymenoptera) or butterflies/moths (Lepidoptera), cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, Forcipomyia midges

The fruit, called a cacao pod, is ovoid, ripening yellow to orange/red,

and weighs about 500 g (1.1 lb) when ripe

The cocoa tree yields only 30 to 40 fruits per year

(1 to 2 pounds of beans)

They are picked and broken open

The pod contains 20 to 60 seeds, usually called "beans",

embedded in a white pulp

The seeds are the main ingredient of chocolate, while the pulp is used in some countries to prepare refreshing juice, smoothies, jelly

Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50%)

as cocoa butter

Their most noted active constituent istheobromine,

a compound similar to caffeine

The beans are dried in the sun

A ball of pure cocoa

The dried beans are then roasted

The chocolate milk was made ​​from pure cocoa and tasted delicious

Of course we bought a supply of chocolate in Baracoa