The Cocoa plant
Thanks to the climate in equatorial and tropical areas, the cocoa tree is always full of flowers - with colours that range from yellow-white to shades of pink - and fruits: both grow on the main trunk or on the biggest branches. The first, shell-shaped fruits appear starting from the third/fourth year of life and are called "cabosse".
These are either grey or dark red when unripe and bright red or golden when ripe. They are 15-20 cm long and, when ripe, their skin is as hard as sole-leather. The "cabosse" fruits contain up to 40 seeds, otherwise known as beans. These are placed in 5 rows and sunk in a white, mucilaginous sugary pulp.
The cocoa beans are made uo of a capsule-shaped almond, with two cotyledons and a germ, all wrapped in a tannin-rich tegument. The most popular variety of cocoa trees among the many cultivated species are "Criollo", "Forastero" and "Trinitario": these three give different varieties of "cru", according to the soil where they live. "Criollo" is the most precious type o cocoa, but is very difficult to grow. It has an intense, aromatic and refined scent, is generally used to reinforce the quality of a cocoa blend and is widespread in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico.
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