CHOCOLATE

Discovering Chocolate: More Than Just a Sweet Treat

Chocolate, everyone’s favourite decadent treat, is made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels. Cacao is the Spanish word for "chcahuatl,” which is what the Aztecs called cacao beans. Though the Mayans and Aztecs are often credited with discovering chocolate, cacao dates back over 4,000 years to ancient Mesoamerica, present-day Mexico. It’s here that the cacao plant was first found by ancient civilizations, who used it as a drink in rituals and as medicine. Centuries later, the Mayans would go on to praise chocolate as the “drink of the gods"—a beverage they made from roasted and ground cacao seeds mixed with chillies, water, and cornmeal. Keep reading to learn the history of cacao and the origins of chocolate brands in Canada.

The main chocolate ingredient when making chocolate is a multiple-step process that begins with the cacao bean. Because the cacao tree seeds are naturally bitter, they must first be fermented to develop their flavour. Once fermentation is complete, the beans are dried, cleaned, and finally roasted. The cacao bean shell is then removed, producing what we call cacao nibs, which will either be ground to make liquid cacao mass (chocolate liquor) or pure chocolate. Chocolate liquor is then used to produce cacao solids or cacao butter, which may be combined with other components to create a variety of confection chocolates.

Exploring the Rich Varieties of Premium Chocolate

Chocolate brands in Canada utilize many different types of chocolate, including these types. The Theobroma Cacao tree yields four distinct varieties, each offering a unique flavour profile and notes. These are:

• Criollo, or “Prince of cacaos, " is rare and grown primarily in Central America and the Caribbean. Criollo beans produce very high-quality cacao.
• Forastero is one of the most common cacaos on the market and comes from the Forastero tree in Brazil and Africa. It has an intense chocolate taste.
• Nacional comes mainly from South America west of the Andes. It has an excellent aroma but is a lot more tricky to cultivate.
• Trinitario is a cross between Criollo and Forastero trees that originated in Trinidad (hence its name). It has smooth pods and flavorful beans and is easy to cultivate.

The Diverse Flavour Profiles of Quality Chocolate

Chocolate brands in Canada offer an incredibly wide range of nuanced flavour notes that can be divided into four broad categories. These are: 

• Herbal/Spicy: capsicum, cinnamon, dried leaves, jasmine, geranium, citrus, honey, etc.
• Fruity: cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, physalis, melon, guanabana, lychee, banana, plum, etc.
• Vegetal: woody, grassy, loamy, olive, coffee, coconut, dairy, rum, etc.
• Dark Sweet: molasses, dark sugars, mulberries, prunes, raisins, wine, etc.

According to experts, the most desirable flavour profiles in cacao and chocolate feature a balance of astringency and bitterness, along with delicate fruity, floral, spicy, herbal, nutty, or caramel/malty/candied notes. Beyond these, however, exquisitely crafted chocolate has a far more complex ingredient and sensory experience. It offers a range of diverse tastes, aromas, and textures, from delicate floral notes to a creamy mouthfeel.

Choosing the Best Chocolate Brands in Canada: A Buyer's Guide

If you are looking for the best chocolate experience when shopping chocolate brands in Canada, look for products with high cacao content that feature 100% certified organic chocolate that comes from sustainably harvested cacao, ideally from organic cultivations of farming cooperatives. Also, make sure to select products that are low in sugar and avoid artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and any other artificial ingredients.

Choosing high cacao-content chocolate also provides you with a solid dose of powerful antioxidants for overall health and wellness.

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