The Natural History of Chocolate: Being a Distinct and Particular Account of the Cocoa-Tree, its Growth and Culture, and the Preparation, Excellent Properties, and Medicinal Vertues of its FruitQuélus, D.
Science
The Natural History of Chocolate: Being a Distinct and Particular Account of the Cocoa-Tree, its Growth and Culture, and the Preparation, Excellent Properties, and Medicinal Vertues of its Fruit
Quélus, D.
Cacao -- Early works to 1800; Chocolate -- Early works to 1800
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_[7],
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[8]. 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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