Processing the First Chocolate Harvest

Chocolate, Food of the gods 

Chocolate has been revered for many centuries, and not just in the United States or Europe where we may think of when we think of today.  Chocolate has a rich history in South America where chocolate ruled.  If someone poor was caught stealing chocolate, they would be killed.  Chocolate was only for royalty, and it was the self proclaimed food of the gods.  After all, the Latin name Theobroma Cacao means food of the gods.  Therefore it had great religious significance and value.  It was even used as a currency at times where the beans would serve as a type of coin.  This was one of the first ideas of having a currency with an item that held its value, and would always be worth a fairly stable amount.  Here today we are going through the process of making chocolate.

             

                    The fruit comes from leafy trees shown in the video. The cacao pods grow directly on the wood, unlike many other fruits.   One must harvest the pods when they reach a certain size and softness.  They then split them open and scoop out the seeds that are covered in soft white pulp.  This pulp is pure sugar, and is edible. The seeds inside are what the chocolate is made of.  One must dry the seeds under the sun for 5 days allowing it to ferment in order to develop flavonoids and flavors of the beans.  They are then cooked in a shallow pan for twenty minutes in order to develop flavor as well as shrink the bean and make liberating it from the shell easier.  The beans are then peeled.   There is a thin peel layer that is not good to eat, this is peeled off.  Then the beans are put through a basic corn mill.  They are usually processed three times in order to make the chocolate smooth.    

Guayusa, a Nutritional Wonder Tea

Fresh Guayusa Leaves

Guayusa 

         Esta semana, el "Gringo en la playa" viajó a un pequeño pueblo cerca de Tena, donde nos encontramos con puestos de venta con las guirnaldas de hojas secas que adornan pequeñas chozas en las carreteras. Nos enteramos de que se trataba de un tipo de té llamado guayusa (Pronunciado Por why-you-Suh). Es en el acebo (Ilex) género y tiene una estructura similar a la hoja del acebo, pero no incluye las espinas afiladas. Se cultiva principalmente en las regiones de Napo y Pastaza de Ecuador, pero también existe en zonas limitadas en Colombia. El pueblo (indígena) Kitchwa del Amazonas consumen las hojas como una bebida cargada y disfrutar de los efectos calmantes y estimulantes del té tiene para ofrecer. Ellos pueden quedarse despierto toda la noche, y el té se cree que tiene más cafeína que una taza de café negro. Algunas tribus creen que al beber la guayusa, los sueños se inducirá que prever si la misión de caza próximo será un éxito. Esta notable planta también contiene muchos antioxidantes, aminoácidos importantes, teobromina (la droga en el chocolate que produce euforia). La L-teanina, un ácido glutámico se encuentra en el té verde está presente, y se cree que hay una mayor concentración en la guayusa que en el té verde. Este ácido es el responsable del efecto calmante que sienten los bebedores de esta bebida fabulosa.

Guayusa

Dried Guayusa Wreaths

         This week, “Gringo on the Beach” traveled to a small town near Tena (in the Napo Region in central Ecuador)  where we encountered roadside stands with wreaths of brown leaves adorning little roadside huts.  We learned that it was a type of tea called guayusa (Pronounced Why-You-Suh).  It is in the Holly (Ilex) genus and has a leaf structure similar to that of the holly but does not include the sharp spines.   It is mainly grown in the Napo and Pastaza regions of Ecuador, but also exists in limited areas in Colombia.  The (indigenous) Kitchwa people of the Amazon consume the leaves as a steeped beverage and enjoy the calming and stimulating effects the tea has to offer.  They can stay awake all night, and the tea is thought to have more caffeine than a cup of black coffee.  Some tribes believe that by drinking the guayusa, dreams will be induced that foresee whether the upcoming hunting mission will be a success.  This remarkable plant also contains many antioxidants, important amino acids, theobromine (the drug in chocolate that induces euphoria).  L-theanine, a glutamic acid found in Green Tea is present, and it is thought that there is a higher concentration in guayusa than in the Green Tea.  This acid is responsible for the calming effect felt by drinkers of this fabulous beverage.   

       Michael Harner, the founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies described how “the Jivaro say guayusa is so habituating that before it is offered to a visitor, he is warned that once he drinks it, he will ever always after return to the Ecuadorian Jungle. 

We tried our guayusa and it was excellent, giving coffee a run for its money.  We would like to grow Guayusa on our property and seek any help on where to locate it, and the most efficient propagation methods. 

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