chocolate cake recipe
Even though Columbus took the
cacao beans back to Europe, their
value was not known by the Spanish
King and his court. When the
Spanish conquistador Hernando
Cortez brought back three chests
of cacao beans twenty years later
they were recognized as a treasure.
Because cacao seeds are only
viable for a short period of time,
it was difficult for the cacao
tree to make the move it needed to
spread out of its native lands.
The cacao tree is also very
difficult to grow; it grows best
when shaded by larger trees. The
cacao trees are pollinated only by
midges, which are small gnats, and
the well manicured areas on most
plantations do not allow for the
midge to grow. Midges are found
in the rot of the forest floors in
dead animals, leaves and other
waste.
chocolate cake recipe
chocolate fondue
