Did you know that chocolate has a different flavor depending on where it is grown? It’s true! Today we’re focusing on Ecuadorian chocolate, which often has a hint of green bananas and blackberries.
Ecuador is often overshadowed by it’s African counterparts when it comes to chocolate exportation, but it is still a significant player in the global chocolate industry. Most Ecuadorian beans end up in factories in the U.S., Japan and Europe, though the country is experiencing an artisan chocolate popularity surge. In fact, many artisans can distinguish where the beans have been grown down to the region and farm!
Nearly 200,000 Ecuadorians work in the chocolate industry, mostly at small family-owned businesses. Small farmers harvest and ferment the cocoa beans before drying them, and then selling them to be processed and turned into chocolate. Almost all of the world’s cocoa beans pass through either London or New York, where the two largest chocolate exchanges are located.
Once the Ecuadorian beans are in the hands of the chocolate companies, it is up to the master chocolatiers to bring out the flavor. They will roast the beans and crack them open, turning the soft nibs into chocolate liquor. By changing the amount of cocoa butter and other ingredients, chocolatiers can highlight different flavors in the chocolate.