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enezuela is to cocoa as

Bordeaux is to wine. It

is one of the most famous

regions in the world for

growing chocolate. It is also

the region where the cocoa

beans for some of the worlds

best chocolate is grown, for

instance, Amedeis single

plantation chocolate from

the famous Chuao cacao

(a specic type of Criollo).

Michel Cluizels Conception

66% dark chocolate, made

from the highly regarded

Carenero Trinitario cacao,

is another example, as well

as Valrhonas Palmira 64%

dark chocolate made from

Criollo cacao of the Palmira

plantation in Western

Venezuela.

The avour of chocolate is often

unique, and does not only depend

on the type of the bean - there arebig differences between cacao

grown in different regions even if

they come from the same type of

cacao tree. This is why chocolate

tasting is so interesting. Cacao can

grow in a belt of subtropical and

tropical countries centred on the

equator. Although the tropical soil

and climate allows for growth of

these trees, cacao coming from a

single plantation or a vintage may

be different from the other.

For Sydney-based chocolate maker

and owner of Black Gold Cacao,

Frank Velasquez, the meticulous

growing, sourcing, importing

and creation of his single origin

Venezuelan chocolate range is

an exciting adventure. Frank has

broken new ground in the Australian

chocolate industry along with a

handful of chefs, chocolatiers and

industry specialists.

Australians are taking a greater

interest in the source and the type

of cacao that they use in their

products. There are locally based

chocolatiers from

around the world

inuencing the

quality and creation

of chocolates in our

market. The quality

is improving and

because of this there

are only more good

things to come.

This all points to

exciting times in the

chocolate industry

as Australians are

becoming more informed they

are developing a taste for special

origin chocolates. In Australia we

have access to a large selection of

boutique chocolate makers, who all

make an effort providing information

describing their craft chocolate bars,

not only by the ingredients, but also

including the origin of the bean.

The avour prole is described not

unlike the way a sommelier denesthe tastes of wine - notes of fruits,

spices, oral or earthy proles dene

the chocolate bars characteristics.

Some boutique chocolate makers

also describe the cocoa variety and

even the conching time (the process

that develops the smooth texture

and releases the avour aromas of

VENEZUELAN Origins

VENEZUELAN ORIGINS

Theobroma Cacao, the scientic name for the cocoa tree, comes

in three different cultivars or grand cocoa varieties: the rare

Criollo, the sturdy Trinitario and the biological hybrid of both,

the Forastero. What grows from these fairly small trees is the

cacao pod: an oval shaped fruit whose colour ranges from bright

yellow and carnelian orange or red to sometimes even purple.

Its skin is thick and rm, requiring a sharp tool (like a machete)

to crack it open. Inside the shell, highly aromatic cocoa beans

are encased in juicy sweet white pulp. This is the fruit that

chocolate comes from.

venezuelan origins

CHOCOLATE FROM THE CITY OF THE MASTERS OF CACAOBy Elaine Young

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VENEZUELAN Origins

venezuelan origins

plantation at Yaguaraparo, otherwise

known as the City of the Masters of

Cacao. Its natural beauty has been

preserved with a rich, fertile soil due

to the remnants of millions of years of

Amazonian jungle.

The area has barely been touched by

industrialisation and its clean natural

beauty has been preserved. The

environment is tropical with a good

balance of rainfall and sunshine, and

the temperature is consistently warm:

the perfect growing conditions for the

cocoa tree. The environment and the

richness of the area is what allows

Frank and his family to grow their

cocoa trees using organic methods.

Yaguaraparo is close to the ocean

with a small town that provides the

locals with their daily essentials. Life is

simple, but Frank describes the people

working with chocolate as always

being happy. Donkeys still walk the

streets in the small towns and rows of

huge mango trees abound. This small

city is home to the cocoa farmers and

shermen both living and working in

the area.

The farmers harvest cocoa and use

a machete carefully when picking the

pods. Picking the fruit is undertaken

carefully to avoid damaging the pods,

leaves, branches or the tree trunk as

wounds will provide entry for fungi and

insects. Only pods that are perfectly

ripe carry ideal beans that can be

made into chocolate. The pods are

cracked open with a machete, with the

beans being removed from the pods

and then the fermentation process

is started. Fermentation triggers a

series of chemical

reactions that sets

the essential avour

precursor prior

to bean roasting

eventually creating

the unique avour

of a particular

chocolate.

The fermentation

for chocolate is

similar in importance

to fermentation in

winemaking, and follows a similar

process. The cocoa pulp is rich in

sugars and high in acidity. These are

ideal conditions for the development of

certain microorganisms.

It is these microorganisms that

break down the pulp, turning the

pulp into liquid by converting sugars

into alcohol. All of these processes

contribute to the development of

different bacteria that triggers natural

chemical reactions in the beans.

The bitterness is reduced and the

chocolate avour and aromas develop.

Franks family ferments and roaststheir cacao beans prior to exporting

around the world.

It is a very natural co-existence with

the farmers and the land. This co-

existence is at the core of Black Gold

Cocoas ethos to provide quality

raw cacao and cacao products to

chocolate connoisseurs, delivering

a delicious chocolate experience

to customers whilst keeping trade

fair and benecial for all. Black Gold

Cacao products, such as their drinking

chocolate powder, raw cacao, cacao

nibs, cacao butter, cacao liquor and

chocolate couverture has a sweet,

pleasantly bitter, rounded, earthy, full-

bodied and slightly fruity avour.

Here in Australia, Frank has been

involved with the government in

growing cocoa trees in Queensland.

He believes in caring for the land,

giving back to the earth and not just

taking from it. He supports and works

with farmers in North Queensland,

providing them with cocoa beans to

grow and cultivate. Frank is a lover

of nature and you will nd him on his

board surng the ocean whenever he

isnt around chocolate.

Elaine is a Consultant Pastry Chef/

Chocolatier, who has worked with food

companies helping them to create

an engaging connection with their

consumers through professional and

expert advice, recipe development,

demonstrations and informational

content. She offers services in training

and menu design for restaurants and

hotels needing creative input in pastry

and chocolate.

chocolate by kneading them with

rollers kept at warm temperatures

for a prolonged period of time).

Frank describes the Australian

consumer as one that has great

taste and is willing to search for

premium quality: It wouldnt be

a surprise if the movement of the

chocolate industry would liken it

to where we are now with coffee.

Australia, especially Melbourne

and its coffee culture, has been

recognised by both locals and

tourists as having the best coffee

in the world. Frank was previously

in the coffee importing business

before he moved to chocolate and

sees some parallels between the

two. Eventually chocolate may be

heading that way with our chocolate

makers, chocolatiers, pastry chefs

and even baristas striving for

excellence and pushing boundaries

creating a selection of different

chocolate experiences for the

Australian market.

Frank grew up on a farm that had

been in the family since 1930, where

traditions of cultivating, harvesting

and preparing cacao techniques

were passed on from generation

to generation. Franks mother was

his business mentor, guiding him

into the labyrinth of the trade. Most

importantly, she taught him about

the value of being able to share his

passion with his employees, treating

them fairly and bringing out the best

in them. She was very organised

and it is from his mother that Frank

learned discipline. His father, his

greatest source of strength and

energy, is one of his inspirations

and the reason behind the early

beginnings of Black Gold Cacao.

Roughly four years ago when

Frank was on a vacation on their

farm in the foothills of the Andes

at Yaguaraparo in Venezuela, his

father mentioned bringing cocoa

to Australia. The family have beenproviding beans to European

chocolate makers for years already,

so Australia seemed like a logical

move. Frank started by importing

40 kilos of cocoa beans to his

home in Sydney. It was a condent

and positive move, while being

a challenging endeavour. Franks

passion to succeed was high,

but maturity and knowledge of

the market was at that time quite

young. Luckily, Franks infectious

positive energy and passion shines

through the moment he speaks of

chocolate, where he describes not

just the bean but where it grows, the

environment, even the richness of

the soil where the cacao trees thrive.

It did not take long for his effort to

bear fruit. He is now importing tons

of cacao beans, sending containers

to Australia from the family farm.

Franks approach to his business

operation has its roots focused

on growing and sourcing

the best cacao beans while

retaining the most natural and

traditional methods of growing

and processing. A dense, green

jungle with very tall trees and

ancient ecosystem surround the

Origins

continued...

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