Written by Claire Strange
If we’d thought that the road to Soufrière was steep and winding, it was nothing in comparison to the access road to Anse Chastanet. The well-sprung taxi bumped and weaved along the potholed track and we hung onto the straps, cheerfully anticipating the afternoon ahead. We were booked onto a ‘Cocoa Tree to Chocolate Bar’ experience at one of the world’s top hotels, Jade Mountain. As a self-confessed chocoholic, this was to be one of my personal highlights of our family holiday in Saint Lucia. At the front gate we were met by Wouter Tjeertes, Director of Pastry at Jade Mountain and its sister resort, Anse Chastanet. Wouter’s obvious enthusiasm and passion for his job was immediately apparent – and he swept us into another taxi to take us back up the treacherous track and high into the hills behind Soufrière, to the 600-acre Emerald Estate plantation that supplies much of the produce used in the hotels’ kitchens. As we climbed through the vine-entwined rainforest covering the steep hillsides of volcanic peaks, Wouter pointed out bananas, mangoes and breadfruit growing at the roadside.
(Photo above and below: Cocoa beans on the tree © Adam Strange)
We’d come to see the cocoa, though, so when Wouter pointed out the large, broad leaves of a 6m-tall tree, we saw other similar trees surrounding us in every direction. A close-up look at the trunk and branches revealed small white flowers growing straight out of the bark. At the centre of some flowers a small brown fruit was beginning to grow. Here and there, bigger fruit could be seen hanging from the bark, and on some trees, ripe, yellow pods around the size of a large mango were ready to be picked.
(Photo: Cocoa beans on the tree © Adam Strange)
Back at Jade Mountain, Wouter escorted us to his chocolate lab. Somewhat smaller than Willy Wonka’s outfit, at about 6m2 Wouter’s chocolate lab was an air-conditioned paradise, furnished with curious tailor-made machinery and shelves of stainless-steel trays holding an assortment of half-finished handmade chocolates. The aroma of strong, dark chocolate filled the room.
Wouter outlined the next stage of the process by showing us a Perspex and stainless-steel box about the size of a rabbit hutch, designed to thresh and winnow the roasted beans, and chop them into 2–3mm chips called nibs. Wouter showed us a stainless steel mixer where liquid chocolate was grinding continuously.
He explained that the nibs are combined with various proportions of sugar and placed in the grinder. This is allowed to run for 48 hours, to allow the cocoa solids to be broken down into a fine paste, and while mixing with the sugar, it becomes liquid chocolate. Some chocolate manufacturers grind for 72 hours, and, although this makes the chocolate smoother, it can result in a deterioration in flavour.
So, did the tour of Jade Mountain’s chocolate venture have any effect on this chocoholic? Definitely. I couldn’t believe the complexity of the flavours of really fresh chocolate. As the chocolate melted in my mouth I could identify subtle undertones – forest fruits, a hint of coffee, and the suggestion of earth and almonds. While the 92% nibs/8% sugar combination was a bit overpowering, my personal favourite was a 78/22% mixture with the plantation’s own cashew nuts, chopped and sprinkled over the top. In future, I’ll definitely go for quality over quantity – although I’m not quite sure where else in the world I’ll find chocolate that is manufactured within sight of where the beans are grown.