Chocolate from the Source

In Panama we went to a family farm of ex pats called, Green Acres. They were located on the mainland of Bocas del Toro. When Linda and David Cerutti bought this land they didn't think very much about the cocoa trees that covered it. After reading more about them they learned how these trees are essential to the survival of the Rainforest. They began to cultivate the trees in the name of the environment and chocolate!





In a little tin shed at the bottom of a hill Mr. Cerutti turns the pods into chocolate. He cracks open the giant pods and pops out the 30-40 seeds inside. The he ferments the beans and drys them in the sun. Next he roasts them and chops them into nibs. After that he process them down into a liquid. He puts the chocolate into molds and then freezes them. Voila: Unsweetened chocolate right from the source! Of course this has taken years of experimenting and testing and inventing his own equipment to get all of the timing and technique just right on his little secluded part of Panama. Tranquillo Bay makes all of their chocolates desserts from their neighbor's farm.