A Culinary Journey Through Ecuador: Discovering the Secrets of Cacao
Day 1: La Fábrica - The Factory
Amidst the crisp winds of Quito and a visit from a few llamas, our travelers prepared to begin their chocolate journey at the República del Cacao factory in Quito.
The rich aroma of roasting cocoa beans and the local team greeted us, eager to share the secrets of their craft. After a warm welcome from Paulina Paez, the company's CEO, the plant manager walked us through the entire production line, demonstrating how we use local ingredients to craft chocolate at the source. It is in this space, where fine aroma cacaos from Ecuador, Peru, Mexico and the Dominican Republic come together with other Ecuadorian ingredients, like milk, sugar, panela, and corn, to make our signature chocolate. From start to finish, we witnessed the roasting and winnowing of dry cacaos, along with the conching, tempering, and molding processes. That day we observed how the Ecuador 65% Dark Chocolate drops were manufactured.
Afterwards, Chef Andrea guided us through her Cacao Lab, where she gives master classes, develops new recipes, and validates chocolate applications. We ended our tour with a chocolate tasting led by Carla Estévez, R&D and Quality Manager, learning not only about the notes of each chocolate but also the organoleptic profile of Latin American fine cacao.
The benefits of producing chocolate in a cocoa producing country were on full display throughout the tour. From the local team of experts to obtaining local ingredients, all while minimizing our carbon footprint throughout the process.
Day 2: The Amazon - The Amazon
After a long drive, we arrived in the lush and green region of the Amazon. You could feel the heat and humidity in the air and also the excitement to learn about the star ingredient in the República del Cacao chocolate, fine aroma cacao. We adventured by boat deep into the Tena province until we reached Maria's farm. She welcomed along her son in Kichua, their native language. She and her family have been planting cacaos for generations, handing down their knowledge and techniques from one generation to the next. After a short walk, we spotted the first cacao tree. As we walked towards it, Maria explained the life cycle of the cacao pod from flower to the mature fruit.
With a basket wrapped around her forehead and a machete in hand, she cut a cacao and smoothly opened it for us to smell, see, and taste. For many, this was the first time seeing a cacao fruit. The sweet flavor of the white pulp and the bitterness of the raw beans were a revelation. Maria and her son, continued showing us the best practices they follow for a good harvest. At República del Cacao, we work hand-in-hand with our entire community of farmers, hosting ongoing workshops that teach pruning, fermentation, and drying techniques to help them improve their cocoa production.
After learning about the endemic plants in the region that play a role in the cacao ecosystem, we had a true farm to table lunch and Maria had yet another surprise for us. Her daughter had already roasted some cacao nibs, that we grinded using a traditional stone mill, added some sugar and made some bean to bar chocolate. As we savored the richness of the chocolate, along with Maria's stories, we gained a deeper appreciation for the origins and the people behind this noble product we love.
Day 3: La Sierra - The Highlands
We headed to the Andes for our third day. We drove through the stunning mountain landscapes of the Cayambe region until we arrived to Turucucho perched at 3,300 meters above sea level were doña Maria and doña Carmen's welcomed us warmly. They proudly introduced themselves as the leaders of the Governing Committee of the milking association in that region.
We spent the day learning about dairy farming techniques, from the best types of grass for feeding cows to the traditional processes of milking and transporting. The unique characteristics of natural sweetness and a special flavor of fresh cream, makes Turucucho's milk, a unique ingredient for the Ecuador 31% White Chocolate. This partnership allows us to use high-quality milk from small-scale dairy farmers. Maria and Carmen then had a wonderful lunch prepared for us with local ingredients such as corn, faba beans, cheese empanadas, and of course chocolate milk as dessert! We ended our day driving back to Quito, with anticipation for what the last day held for us.