110 FOOD VALUE OF CACAO, ETC. 



Sugar has been found. This large amount of sugar is accounted 

 for by the fact that without this addition it does not sell. Not 

 a little prejudice exists as to the digestibility and indigestibility 

 of Cacao Fat, and this prejudice is taken advantage of by the 

 manufacturers in making their preparations. It is somewhat 

 curious to note however, that some of the fat extracted from the 

 preparation intended for use as a beverage is used in the prepar- 

 ation of confectionery, such as " Chocolate Creams," when no 

 question whatever arises as to its indtgestibility. Many indeed 

 who object to a certain amount of fat with their breakfast cacao, 

 use ten times the amount of quite as indigestible a fat, in the form 

 of butter, without a thought of indigestion. The value of 

 Chocolate Creams, Chocolate Stick and other " Bon, Eons'' as a 

 food may be estimated from the analyses. They contain from 

 12 to 40 % of Cacao which has a large percentage of Fat, some 

 starches, and some albuminoids, and these added to the Food 

 value of 60 % of sugar will give total value which will be found 

 overestimated in the majority of cases both by sellers and 

 consumers. If the public could be persuaded to demand pure 

 Cacao, adding the sugar themselves they would be better served. 



MANUFACTURE OF CHOCOLATE. 



The methods generally employed in Trinidad in manufac 

 turing Chocolate from the Cacao bean are extremely simple, and 

 the same in principle as tho.se practised throughout Cacao 

 growing countries; but there are a few persons who produce an 

 article little inferior in point of manufacture to that produced in 

 Europe. 



The bean after being cured and dried in a manner fit for 

 sale can be used at any time for manufacturing into chocolate. 

 The first process is to roast the beans in a cylinder over a slow 

 fire, until they assume a fine brown colour, but not to heat them 

 to such a degree as to burn them, or to destroy the essential oil 

 which they contain, for Cacao-beans once burnt or scorched can 

 never make up a cup of first-class chocolate. When browned 

 sufficiently the testa easily separates from the inner portion of 

 the seed and can be cracked off' and fanned away as soon as the 

 beans are cool enough to handle. Care should be taken to 

 grind quickly after roasting, as once roasted, Cacao soon loses 

 flavour and aroma, and the manufactured article should always b& 

 kept in sealed or close fitting receptacles. 



The "nibs", are put upon a clean piece of free stone 

 about '1 feet square, perfectly smooth, another piece of the same 

 material, somewhat rounded, bfing used as a grinder. Rubbed 

 for some little time and frequently turned with a small spathula, 

 the beans are reduced to a paste, the fat they contain assisting 

 the operation, but the grinding must be continued until the 



