98 The Fermentation of Cacao 



further noticed that when the oxidation process 

 had been properly carried out, the beans were 

 covered by a delicate white efflorescence. 

 This may serve as a means of recognizing 

 whether the cacao has been treated in the 

 above manner or not. 



I remarked also that the time required for 

 the change in colour from reddish-violet to 

 brown varied in different beans. As is well 

 known, the same observation has been made 

 in the case of beans treated by the usual 

 methods. This peculiarity probably depends 

 on the varying degrees of maturity or ripeness 

 of the pods themselves, and possibly this is 

 the reason why some planters believe that it 

 is advisable to allow the fruit to continue 

 to ripen in the pod for some time after being 

 picked. 



The flavour of each lot of cured cacao was 

 tested after being dried. For this purpose 

 tasting samples were prepared exactly in the 

 same manner as is done in the chocolate 

 factories when testing samples of cacao to be 

 offered for sale. A sample of cacao was 

 roasted, ground, and, for want of a small rolling 

 machine, crushed to a fine powder in a mortar. 

 Exact portions of this powder were weighed 

 off, and boiled in definite and equal quantities 

 of water, and then tested as to colour, aroma 

 and taste. In my first experiments I took 

 samples from the same batch on each day 

 of the oxidation process, and dried them. 



