Cacao trees are a tropical species that grow in rainforests within 20 degrees of the equatorial belt. There are two main species of Cacao tree, Criollo and Forastero. The cacao tree produces star like petaled flowers. Colourful pods hold the cacao beans and are surrounded by a sweet, sticky pulp.
Cacao is created through an ancient fermentation process. The beans and pulp are removed from the pods and placed, traditionally, in a hole in the ground. The holes are then covered with banana or plantain leaf whilst the fermentation process happens.
Cacao is created through an ancient fermentation process. The beans and pulp are removed from the pods and placed, traditionally, in a hole in the ground. The holes are then covered with banana or plantain leaf whilst the fermentation process happens.
The beans are then spread out in the sun to dry. They are then lightly roasted, crushed, pressed and conched to make Cacao paste. This is then dried and set into blocks or chunks.
The flavour notes of Cacao all depends on the region it is produced in. The amount/quality of water and soil make a big difference in the flavour of the final Cacao paste.
The chunk of Cacao then become what we use in Ceremony. It is melted into a paste either with a splash of plant milk or water. More milk or water is added, to create a warm chocolate drink. We add a pinch of Himalayan Salt, a teaspoon of coconut sugar and a splash of Agave Syrup to make a salty sweet heart warming beverage.
Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica treated cacao as sacred. They drank a pure, bitter cacao beverage during rituals, offerings, and celebrations, believing it connected them to the divine and opened the heart. The Olmecs give us our first records of Ceremonial Cacao dating back to 2000BC.
The Mayans believed that the Gods found the ka‘kau’ tree (Cacao) in a sacred mountain. The Feathered Serpent God, Kukulkan, saw that humans, being newly created, needed nourishment for their hearts and spirits. He took the sacred cacao tree from the divine realm and planted it in the human world. Cacao was seen as a bridge between the mortal and spiritual realm, symbolizing wealth, abundance, and a Divine connection with the Gods.
Stories of a Mesoamerican Goddess named Ixcacao are widely told. Ixcacao is the Mayan Goddess of the Cacao tree. Ixcacao roughly translates to “Cacao Woman”. Ixcacao was adored by the common people as a Goddess of abundance, compassion and fertility. I will always invoke the power of Lady Cacao as a vital part my Cacao Ceremonies. She will help guide you on the path to your true heart and intention.