Now what could be better in Costa Rica than experiencing the country's rich history in chocolate? I'm sure there are better things you could do, but let's just say that this is at the top of the list. Our abroad program IFSA sponsored a trip to cocoa plantation located in Tirimbina Rainforest in Sarapiqui. Now I don't know about you, but for me the word plantation has a certain connotation that is associated with organization and man-made. However, while accessible, the cocoa plantation that we visited was anything but. To get to it we first had to cross a 300 meter-long suspension bridge. This was unfortunate for a girl in our group who is terrified of bridges, although even I started to freak out a little when someone started shaking the bridge.
At the beginning of the presentation we learned that historically the indigenous population made a chocolate drink that was considered to be "the drink of the gods" (Theobroma) and they would drink it before fighting. In addition to the main ingredients of chocolate and sugar, the drink also consisted of flour, and small amounts of vanilla, nutmeg, and of course both black and chile pepper. We got our own little samples of the drink, which was delicious ;)
Then they poured the chocolate into molds and gave us some pre-done ones. Soo tasty! We got to taste both the milk and the dark chocolate, and the dark was definitely my favorite. After the yummy taste-fest they showed us the actual chocolate fruit on a tree and we ended our day with some great casados; these are a typical Costa Rican dish eated mostly for lunch. They consist of some kind of meat, rice and beans, plátanos, and a salad of some sort.
Besides the steps that I left out, there were many for for the other uses of cocoa. So here is the diagram our guide showed us for those of you who are curious. Which knowing my friends and family are probably all of you :)
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