Friederike, Fortunato & Roslyn
In April 2016 we made a return trip to the Marañón Canyon in Northern Peru where Dan Pearson and Brian Horsley established ‘Marañón Chocolate’. This time we took along our 7 year old daughter Roslyn, it was her first trip to South America.
We all had an amazing experience that brought us closer to the families there and gave us a better understanding of the awesome post harvest work that Brian has been doing. Marañón Chocolate have made a fantastic social impact in the region and at the same time preserved the once endangered genetic of native cacao; known as ‘Pure’ Nacional. This cacao has an excellent wood & citrus note, we have used it very successfully to create our Whisky Nibs Bar which won a silver in the 2016 International Chocolate Awards.
The region had developed since we last visited, and it was a pleasure to see how things are changing and new opportunities are opening for communities in this part of Peru. We are proud to have such a connection with them and look forward to the next harvest!
Pure Nacional Cacao (40% whites) – Pod taken from the original Mother Tree on Don Fortunato’s farm.
Farmhouse style chocolate in preparation.
Cacao flowers in bloom.
Harvesting the pods.
Our chocolate from this origin has a brilliant citrus and wood note, we make both a dark and a milk version.
Brian Horsley with Don Noe, head of the cacao association in the area.
Don Noe, great guy with a beautiful farm.
Don Fortunato Colala, on his land the ‘Pure’ Nacional genetics were discovered, thought at the time of their discovery to be extinct.
Roslyn, Friederike and Alastair with Fortunato.
‘Pure’ Nacional cacao pods.
‘Pure’ Nacional cacao pods.
Don Fortunato’s son Jose, stripping sugar cane stalks.
Roslyn with Brian Horsley.
Friederike with Don Fortunato’s family preparing empanadas.
Beans being prepared for a special drying process to remove acidity.
Crazy kid on a motorbike, nearly crashed showing off!
‘Pure’ Nacional cacao pods.
After harvest the outer husks are discarded on the forest floor to provide nutrient and produce midges for pollination.
Cacao farms in South America can be hot spots of biodiversity, thriving with insects and tropical plants.
Pre-fermentation sorting of the cacao beans, any imperfect beans are removed.
Pre-fermentation sorting of the cacao beans, this is a labour intensive process to ensure only the best quality makes it through.
Discarded beans could be germinated, cut by machete or over ripe.
During fermentation the beans are mixed by hand every couple of days.
The effort taken by Marañón Chocolate to process the cacao is exemplary.
Post harvest equipment kept nice and tidy.
Roslyn with Cielo and friend eating cacao fruit.
Brian explaining the Marañón Chocolate principles to local farmers considering growing ‘pure’ Nacional trees on their farms.
Cacao fruit.
Climbing for coconuts!
Different cacao genetics from one farm.
Roslyn with cacao fruits.
Different cacao genetics on one tree!
Cacao fruiting from flower.
Shade tree and other plants growing on Don Noe’s farm.
Taxi driver at cacao nursery.
The local town square, typically bustling around 8pm.
