Cocoa bean

Description

Description

The cocoa bean or simply cocoa (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/), which is also called the cacao bean or cacao (/kəˈkaʊ/), is the dried and fully fermented seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids (a mixture of nonfat substances) and cocoa butter (the fat) can be extracted.The production of cocoa begins in the tropical regions around the Equator, where the hot and humid climate is well suited for growing cocoa trees. 70% of the world’s cocoa beans come from four West African countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon.It’s the fermented seed of the South American cacao tree, generally in its raw form. The flavor of these cacao beans (or “nibs”) is like dark chocolate, but the bitterest kind. It’s earthy and nutty and not sweet like processed chocolate. It can almost have a roasted coffee bean flavor, even unroasted.Chocolate is made from the seeds of this fruit.