1
Most Americans consume chocolate frequently, if not daily. In fact, studies indicate that Americans eat approximately 100 pounds of chocolate each second. People eat chocolate frequently, and in various forms, from cocoa powder when they bake brownies, to candies when they watch movies, to chocolate chip cookies when they pack school lunches. Given the amount of chocolate Americans consume, it is worthwhile to ask where it comes from and how it is made.
2
Amazingly, making chocolate is a highly complicated, multi-step process that starts with hand-picked bean pods and ends with processed chocolate that comes in a multitude of shapes and sizes. Although various chocolate producers have different and sometimes secret recipes for their end products, the basic production is universal. The basic process actually has not changed significantly since the time of the Mayans, and each step is crucial to ending up with the rich chocolate taste.
3
It all starts with a humble cacao tree. Nearly 75% of the world's cacao trees used for chocolate production are in Africa, with the remainder mostly in Asia. The name cacao fittingly means "food of the gods." These trees, which grow predominately in tropical climates, thrive in shaded areas and look similar to apple trees. They have big, broad leaves, colorful pink and white flowers, and the highly sought-after seed pods. Each pod can hold from 20–40 beans and each tree can be harvested twice per year on average. These pods are the first step toward making chocolate. Workers harvest the cacao pods by hand, careful not to damage the branches or flowers on the tree. Once the pods are cut down, they are broken by hand to release the purple seeds and the white pulp that surrounds them.
4
Fermentation is the next step. The seeds and the pulp are kept together and placed either in a box with holes for draining or in a huge pile. Regardless of the method, in this step the pulp drains away and leaves the fermented seeds ready for the next step. This process can take up to eight days.
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After the seeds have fermented, they must be dried before they can be shipped. To dry the beans, workers store them in sheds to prevent them from being rained on. They are simply spread out and rotated until they are dry. Workers must wait until they are completely dry, which can be a long period of time. Once they are dry, they are separated by quality and shipped off where individual chocolate producers work their magic.
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Up to this point, all of the beans have been treated the same way. Chocolate producers follow a different recipe when they manufacture their chocolate, but they must do several more crucial, universal steps in production. The first is to roast the beans. Many manufacturers will evaluate each bean for quality before roasting it. During this roasting process, the shell on the seed cracks to reveal what is called the nib. This process, called winnowing, varies for the type of chocolate being produced.
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Once the shell is shed and the nib is revealed, the nibs are ground or pressed into cocoa liquor and then into cocoa butter and cocoa mass (also called cocoa press cake). Here is where the recipe comes in again, as the degree of pressing is based on the type of chocolate being produced. Once pressed into these two materials, the manufacturer either makes cocoa powder using the cocoa mass or chocolate using the cocoa butter.
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If the manufacturer is making chocolate, the cocoa butter is put through a smoothing, mixing process known as conching, and other ingredients are added based on recipe. Once the chocolate is smooth and uniform, it is tempered and formed into the bars and shapes that consumers know. Altogether, it is a complicated process that ends in a product that is immensely popular worldwide.
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Because chocolate is such an enormous industry, many efforts have been taken recently to ensure that cacao workers are treated fairly and that consumers are getting the best possible product. Many consumers are now looking for Fair Trade chocolate manufacturers. A Fair Trade company must meet certain standards for quality of product as well as treatment and condition of workers. Currently, Fair Trade chocolate is a vast minority of the world's chocolate, but it is gaining momentum. Similarly, many consumers are now demanding organically grown and produced chocolate. Organic chocolate must adhere to the strict growth and production guidelines given by the importing country. Both Fair Trade and organic chocolate are more expensive than other chocolate, but as more and more consumers demand these types, producers will be forced to become more innovative in their production techniques and their chocolate will become less expensive.
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So, who eats the most chocolate? The United States is the country that eats the most chocolate per year when compared to every other country in the world. That said, Europe accounts for almost half of the chocolate consumed each year, so Americans are not the only chocolate lovers out there! Most people would agree that with its typically high fat and sugar content and delicious taste, chocolate is terribly good. Chocolate, one of the world's oldest and most popular foods, shows no signs of losing its place among the world's favorite snacks.
Multiple Choice Question
Re-read paragraph 3 of the text.
It all starts with a humble cacao tree. Nearly 75% of the world's cacao trees used for chocolate production are in Africa, with the remainder mostly in Asia. The name cacao fittingly means "food of the gods." These trees, which grow predominately in tropical climates, thrive in shaded areas and look similar to apple trees. They have big, broad leaves, colorful pink and white flowers, and the highly sought-after seed pods. Each pod can hold from 20–40 beans and each tree can be harvested twice per year on average. These pods are the first step toward making chocolate. Workers harvest the cacao pods by hand, careful not to damage the branches or flowers on the tree. Once the pods are cut down, they are broken by hand to release the purple seeds and the white pulp that surrounds them.
Which statement best describes the central idea of the paragraph?
A.
Chocolate starts with the delicate process of collecting beans from a specific tree.
B.
Cacao trees are sturdy and grow both fruits and flowers that are used to make chocolate.
C.
Harvesting seed pods from cacao trees is a complicated process that needs to be updated.
D.
The cacao tree grows the beans that will make chocolate, but these trees are very hard to locate.
1 answer
The statement that best describes the central idea of paragraph 3 is:
A. Chocolate starts with the delicate process of collecting beans from a specific tree.
This statement captures the essence of the paragraph, which details the cacao tree and the labor-intensive process of harvesting its pods for chocolate production.
