The Natural History of Chocolate/Part I/Chapter IV

CHAP IV.

Of the gathering of the Cocao-Nuts, and the Manner of making them sweat, and of drying them that they may be brought sound into Europe.

The Observations which we made in the first Chapter, concerning the Alterations of the Colour of the Nuts, give us information of the time that they become ripe. It will be proper to gather them when all the Shell has changed Colour, and when there is but a small Spot below which shall remain green. They go from Tree to Tree, and from Row to Row, and with forked Sticks or Poles, they cause the ripe Nuts to fall down, taking great care not to touch those that are not so, as well as the Blossoms: They employ the most handy Negroes in this Work, and others follow them with Baskets to gather them, and lay them in Heaps, where they remain four Days without being touch'd.

In the Months that they bear most, they gather them for a Fortnight together; in the less-fruitful Seasons, they only gather them from Month to Month. If the Kernels were left in Shells more than four Days, they would sprit, or begin to grow, and be quite spoiled: It is therefore necessary to shell them on the fifth Day in the Morning at farthest. To do this, they strike on the middle of the Shells with a Bit of Wood to cleave them, and then pull them open with their Fingers, and take out the Kernels, which they put in Baskets, casting the empty Shells upon the Ground, that they may with the Leaves, being putrified, serve to fatten the Earth, and supply the Place of Dung.

They afterwards carry all the Kernels into a House, and lay them on a heap upon a kind of loose Floor cover'd with Leaves of Balize, See the seventh Note hereafter. which are about four Feet long, and twenty Inches broad; then they surround it with Planks cover'd with the same Leaves, making a kind of Granary, which may contain the whole Pile of Kernels, when spread abroad. They cover the whole with the like Leaves, and lay some Planks over all: the Kernels thus laid on a heap, and cover'd close on all sides, do not fail to grow warm, by the Fermentation of their insensible Particles; and this is what they call Sweating, in those Parts.

They uncover the Kernels Morning and Evening, and send the Negroes among them; who with their Feet and Hands, turn them topsy turvy, and then cover them up as before, with the same Leaves and the same Planks. They continue to do this for five Days, at the end of which they have commonly sweat enough, which is discover'd by their Colour, which grows a great deal deeper, and very ruddy.

The more the Kernels sweat, the more they lose their Weight and Bitterness: but if they have not sweat enough, they are more bitter, and smell sour, and sometimes sprit. To succeed well therefore, there should be a certain Medium observed, which is only to be learnt by use.

When the Kernels have sweat enough, they lay them out to air, and expose them to the Sun to dry them, in the manner following.

They prepare before-hand, several Benches about two Foot high, in an even Court appointed for that purpose; they lay upon these Benches several Mats made of pieces of Reeds split in two, together with Bands made of Mahot Bark. Upon these Mats they put the Kernels about two Inches in height and move and turn them very often with a proper Piece of Wood for the first two Days. At Night they wrap up the Kernels in the Mats, which they cover with Balize Leaves for fear of Rain, and they do the same in the day-time when it is likely to rain. Those who are afraid of having them stolen, lock them up.

There are some Inhabitants who keep Boxes about five Feet long, and two broad, and three or four Inches deep, on purpose to dry the Kernels: There is this Advantage in them, that in the greatest Rains and suddenest Showers, they may presently be piled one on the top of another, so that none but the top-most will want a Cover; which is soon done with the aforesaid Leaves, and an empty Box turn'd up-side down. But that which makes the Usage of Mats preferable, is, that the Air may pass through beneath, between the Partition of the Reeds, and so dry the Kernels better. Boxes whose Bottoms are made like a Sieve with strong Brass Wire, would be very excellent; but then they must be made in Europe, which would be a considerable Charge.

When the Kernels have sweat enough, they must be exposed upon the Mats as much as necessary: If Rain is foreseen that is likely to last, it will be best to let them sweat half a Day less. It is observable, that a few hours Rain at first, instead of doing any harm, makes them more beautiful, and better conditioned. In fair Weather, instead of this Rain, it will be proper to expose them to the Dew for the first Nights. The Rain of a whole Day or two will do no harm, if they are not covered before they have had the Benefit of the Sun, for a Day, or half a Day at least. For after a Day's Sun-shine, they are to be wrap'd in the Mat, as before directed; but if it be half a Day's Rain only, then they are only covered with Balize Leaves in the Night, kept on with little Stones laid at each End: But if the Rain be too long, it makes them split, and then they will not keep long; they therefore make Chocolate of it immediately.

If the Kernels have not sweat enough, or they wrap them too soon in the Mat, they are subject to sprit or germe, which makes them bitter, and good for nothing.

When the Kernels have been once wrapped in a Mat, and begun to dry, care must be taken that they do not grow moist again; they must therefore be well stirr'd from time to time, that they may be thorowly dry'd, which you may know by taking a Handful in your Hand, and shutting it: if it cracks, then it is time to put them into your Store-house, and to expose them to sale.

Those who would gain a Reputation in giving out a good Merchandize, before they pack it up in Vessels, pick it, and throw aside the little, wither'd, and thin Kernels, which are not only unsightly, but render the Chocolate something worse.

Afterwards the Kernels of the Cocao-Nut are dried in the Sun, before they are brought to Europe, and sold by the Druggists and Grocers, who distinguish it into great and small, and into that of Caraqua, and that of the French Islands, tho with no good Foundation, for in the Places themselves they make no mention of this Distinction: It therefore seems likely, that the Merchants find their account in sorting it, since Kernels proceeding from the same Tree, and from the same Nut, are not always of the same bigness. It is indeed true, that if one Parcel of Kernels be compared with another, the one may consist of bigger than the other, which may arise from the Age or Vigour of the Trees, or from the Nature of the Soil; but certainly there is no kind of Kernels which may be called Great, as a distinct Kind, nor consequently no other which can properly be said to be Small.

The Kernels that come to us from the Coast of Caraqua, are more oily, and less bitter, than those that come from the French Islands, and in France and Spain they prefer them to these latter: But in Germany, and in the North (Fides sit penes Autorem) they have a quite opposite Taste. Several People mix that of Caraqua with that of the Islands, half in half, and pretend by this Mixture to make the Chocolate better. I believe in the bottom, the difference of Chocolates is not considerable, since they are only obliged to encrease or diminish the Proportion of Sugar, according as the Bitterness of the Kernels require it. For it must be considered, as we have already said, that there is but one kind of Cocao-Tree, which grows as naturally in the Woods of Martinico, as in those of the Coast of Caraqua, that the Climates are almost the same, and consequently the Temperature of the Seasons equal, and therefore there cannot be any intrinsick Difference between these Fruits of any great moment.

As to the outward Difference that is observed, it can arise from nothing but the Richness of the Soil, or the contrary; from the different Culture, and from the Care or Negligence of the Labourers and those that prepare it, from the time of its gathering, to the time of its Delivery, and perhaps from all three together. It is to be observed at Martinico, that the Cocao-Trees prosper better in some Parts than others, merely from the Difference of the Soil, being more or less rich, or more or less moist.

I have had the Experience of one of my Friends, concerning what relates to the Cultivation and Preparation of this Tree and its Fruit, which demonstrates that they may add to its Value. This Gentleman, with a great deal of Application and Thought, found out the way to prepare the finest Merchandize of the Island, which was prefer'd by the Merchants to all the rest, and bore a greater Price than that of any of his Neighbours.

The Kernels of Caraqua are flattish, and for Bulk and Figure not unlike our large Beans. Those of St. Domingo, Jamaica, and Cuba, are generally larger than those of the Antilloes. The more bulky the Kernels are, and better they have been nourished, the less Waste there is after they have been roasted and cleansed, which some Years ago was an Advantage to those of Caraqua. But at present, by the Regulation from the Month of April, 1717, the Kernels of our Colonies pay but Two-pence Duty for Entry, whereas Foreigners pay always Fifteen: These thirteen Pence difference make such ample amends for the small Waste, that there is a great deal of reason to hope, that for the time to come, there will be none but the Curious, and People that do not value the Expence, that will make use of the Chocolate of Caraqua, by way of preference to that of the French Islands, and that the Cheapness of the latter will double the Consumption at least.

The best Cocao-Nuts have very brown firm Shells, and when the Kernel is taken out, it ought to be plump, well nourish'd, and sleek; of the Colour of a Hazle-Nut on the outside, but more inclining to a Red within; its Taste a little bitter and astringent, not at all sour or mouldy. In a word, without any Smell, and not worm-eaten.

The Fruit of the Cocao-Tree is the most oily that Nature has produced, and it has this admirable Prerogative, never to grow rank let it be ever so old, which all other Fruit do that are analogous to it in Qualities; such as Nuts, Almonds, Pine-Apple-Kernels, Pistachoe Nuts, Olives, &c.

There are also imported from America, Cocao-Kernel-Cakes of about a Pound weight each; and as this Preparation is the first and principal in the Composition of Chocolate, it will be proper to add here the Manner of making it.

The Indians, from whom we borrow it, are not very nice in doing it; they roast the Kernels in earthen Pots, then free them from their Skins, and afterwards crush and grind them between two Stones, and so form Cakes of it with their Hands.

The Spaniards, more industrious than the Savages, and at this day other Nations after their Example, chuse out the best Kernels, and the most fresh: Of these they put about two Pounds in a great Iron Shovel over a clear Fire, stirring them continually with a large Spatula, so long that they may be roasted enough to have their Skins come off easily, which should be done one by one, laying them a-part; and taking great heed that the rotten and mouldy Kernels be thrown away, and all that comes off the good ones; for these Skins being left among the Chocolate, will not dissolve in any Liquor, nor even in the Stomach, and fall to the bottom of Chocolate-Cups, as if the Kernels had not been cleansed.

If one was curious to weigh the Kernels at the Druggists, and then weigh them again after they are roasted and cleansed, one should find that there would be about a sixth Part wasted, more or less, according to the Nature and Qualities of the Kernels; that is to say, if you bought (for example) 30 Pounds, there would remain entirely cleansed, near twenty-five.

All the Kernels being thus roasted and cleansed at divers times, they put them once more to roast in the same Iron Shovel, but over a more gentle Fire, and stir them with the Spatula without ceasing till they are roasted all alike, and as much as they ought to be; which one may discover by their Taste, and their dark-brown Colour, without being black. The whole Art consists in avoiding the two Extremes, of not roasting them enough, and roasting them too much; that is to say, till they are burnt. If they are not roasted enough, they retain a disagreeable Harshness of Taste; and if they are roasted so much as to burn them, besides the Bitterness and ill Taste that they contract, they lose their Oilyness entirely, and the best part of their good Qualities.

In France, where they are very apt to run into Extremes, they are mighty fond of the burnt Taste, and the black Colour, as if they were proper Marks of good Chocolate, not considering that, Quantity for Quantity, they may as well put so much Charcoal as burnt Chocolate. This Opinion is not only agreeable to Reason and good Sense, but is also confirmed by the unanimous Consent of all that have written on this Subject; and I can affirm, that it is authorized by the universal Consent of all America.

When the Kernels are duly roasted, and well cleansed, they put them into a large Mortar to reduce them into a gross Powder, which they afterwards grind upon a Stone till it is very fine, which requires a more particular Explication.

They make choice of a Stone which naturally resists the Fire, not so soft as to rub away easily, nor so hard as to endure polishing. They cut it from 16 to 18 Inches broad, and about 27 or 30 long, and 3 in thickness, and hollowed in the middle about an Inch and a half deep. This Stone should be fix'd upon a Frame of Wood or Iron, a little higher on one side than the other: Under, they place a Pan of Coals to heat the Stone, so that the Heat melting the oily Parts of the Kernels, and reducing it to the Consistence of Honey, makes it easy for the Iron Roller, which they make use of for the sake of its Strength, to make it so fine as to leave neither Lump, nor the least Hardness. This Roller is a Cylinder of polish'd Iron, two Inches in diameter, and about eighteen long, having at each End a wooden Handle of the same Thickness, and six Inches long, for the Workman to hold by.

When the Paste is ground as much as is thought necessary, they put it hot in Moulds made of Tin, where they leave it, and it becomes hard in a very little time. The Shape of these Moulds is arbitrary, and every one may have them made according to his Fancy; but the cylindrick ones, which will hold about 2 or 3 Pounds of Chocolate, seem to me to be most proper; because the thicker they are, the longer they keep good, and may be commodiously held when there is occasion to scrape them. These Rolls ought to be wrapped in Paper, and kept in a dry Place: it should also be observed, that they are very susceptible of good and ill Smells, and that it is good to keep them 5 or 6 Months before they are used.

Now the Kernels being sufficiently rubb'd and ground upon the Stone, as we have just directed, if you would compleat the Composition in the Mass, there is nothing more to be done, than to add to this Paste a Powder sifted thro a fine Searce, composed of Sugar, Cinnamon, and, if it be desired, of Vanilla, according to the Quantities and Proportions, which we shall teach in the Third Part of this Treatise; and mix it well upon the Stone, the better to blend it and incorporate it together, and then to fashion it in Moulds made of Tin in the form of Lozenges of about 4 Ounces each, or if desired, half a Pound.