Читать книгу The Manufacture of Chocolate and other Cacao Preparations - Paul Zipperer - Страница 10

Mindful of Goethe’s dictum: Friend, the paths of theory are uncertain, and hid in gloom, we propose to devote this chapter to an exclusively practical discussion of the commercial value of raw cacao, and from the merchant’s point of view.

Such differences of opinion prevail in manufacturing circles as to the possible uses of each separate sort, that for this reason alone any other than a purely geographical classification would scarcely be feasible. But apart from this, varying as it does with the protective duties imposed, the commercial value of cacao can by no means remain a universal constant; and it must be noted that variations in the national taste serve to heighten its instability.

This latter circumstance also causes a deviation from the nearly related principal that the Motherland becomes chief consumer of the varieties grown in her colonies. The cacao sorts of the English Gold-Coast running under the collective name of Accra, have taken complete possession of the German market; Trinidad cacao enjoys immense popularity in France, and the Dutch pass on the larger part of their Java importations to other consuming nations. As regards this latter sort, however, the fact they are chiefly employed as colouring and covering stuffs for other cacaos must be taken into consideration.

In most cases either the producing country or a principal shipping port gives its name to the different sorts. Yet paradoxical exceptions will at once occur to the reader. The inferior and mediocre Venezuelan varieties of the Barlovento district shipped from La Guayra are generally denominated as Caracas, notwithstanding the fact that the capital of the republic Venezuela, situated as it is 1000 metres above sea level (being about 3300 feet), and therefore quite outside the cacao zone, has practically no connection with the cacao trade. The collective name, Samana still holds good for the cacaos of the Dominican republic, at least in Germany, although this outlet of a tiny mountainous peninsular has long ceased to export any but very insignificant quantities. Consequently, and rightly, the French merchant specifies these sorts as Sanchez, adopting the name of the principal cacao exporting port of the republic. Arriba, the choicest product of Ecuador (port, Guayaquil) takes its name from the Spanish word arriba, above, the plantations being situated along the upper sources of the Rio Guayas (to wit, the rivers Daule, Vinces, and Zapotal). Other Guayaquil cacaos are named after the rivers (Balao, Naranjal) and districts (e.g. Machala) where they are most cultivated.

As in the case of so many other cultivated plants, distinguishing characteristics of the various sorts are not only determined by the different species of tree, but are rather and principally dependant on the combined effect of physical and climatic conditions. So whether the seedling Criollo, the splendid Creole bean native to Venezuela, belongs also to the more fruitful Forastero species (spanish forastero, foreign), a variety less sensitive and consequently commoner, is a problem which can only claim secondary consideration.

Apart from the geographical influences mentioned, method and nicety of procedure are of prime importance in the preparation of the cacao sorts. Yet technically perfect implements do not always prove the best means to an attainment of this end; it being a fact recorded by experience that the chemical constituents of the cacao bean reach their fullest developement in such simple and primitive processes as, e.g. are still patronised in Ecuador and Venezuela. It is scarcely necessary to observe that these simple and primitive methods postulate nicety and carefulness, which failing, there will be no lack of defects in the cacao prepared. On the Haiti/Domingo island, e.g. a variety of cacao is harvested which is in itself very profitable, as stray specimens finding their way to the market testify, but which as an article of commerce proves most unreliable, being generally brought on the market in such an unprepared state, that fermentation first takes place on the sea voyage, and then of course only in insufficient measure. During this period appear those disagreeable and accompanying symptoms technically known as “Vice propre” and the beans, which were not completely ripe in the first place, do not develop further, and greenish breakings in the skin become pronounced, and remain a source of terror to the manufacturing world. All attempts made in European interests to bring about an alteration in this deplorable state of affairs have hitherto been lost on the indolence of the native planters. Indeed, until the political and economical conditions prevalent among the mixed Negro population of Haiti/Domingo are thoroughly reformed, no perceptible improvement can be expected in the qualities of the Samana and Haiti cacaos, for which reason, with rapidly disappearing exceptions, there are scarcely any well organised plantations in these parts.

Turning to the Old World, we find in the West African Gold Coast a typical example of the possibilities of cultivation on a small scale, under proper and competent guidance, and with primitive processes; for not only as far as quantitative progress is concerned, but also in respect to quality, the varieties produced by the natives of this English colony improve from year to year. Kameroon, a district which like the Gold Coast has only taken to the cultivation of cacao of late years, provides us with an exactly opposite instance. Here the plantation system has been in force right from the commencement of the industry, with all its technically perfected implements, yet nevertheless the perfecting of the cacao proceeds very slowly, and it will be a long time before the produce of this land can lay any serious claim to specification as a variety for consumption. Its large proportion of acid ingredient has been above all detrimental, almost completely precluding its use as any other but a mixing sort, although some plantations have been yielding comparatively mild cacaos now for several years. We cannot stay to discuss the problem of causes in this instance, and whether the fact that the Forastero species has been exclusively planted prejudices the developement of the cacao, or the climatic conditions, must remain an open question. Let it be noted in passing that the Forastero Bean has taken universal possession of Africa, as well in Kameroon, as in the Gold Coast, on the island of St. Thomas and also in the Congo Free State. The Bahia cacao, again, owes its origin to the Forastero seedling.

We will refrain from any further elaboration of this introduction, however, so as not to anticipate the following review of the various commercial sorts of cacao.