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Last time we discussed the stages in bean-to-bar creation, from cacao pod harvesting, fermentation and drying of the cocoa beans; all of which are important in setting up the foundation for great flavors in the finished product.  But how exactly do cocoa beans get turned into chocolate?   Once cocoa beans arrive at Michel Cluizel there are several more critical steps that are needed to become the chocolate we all love.   First, the beans need to be sorted to remove cracked or moldy beans as well as debris like rocks!  Even the highest quality beans may arrive with non-edible items mixed...

Ever seen bean-to-bar (referred to as “Cacaofevier“ by Michel Cluizel) on a chocolate label or description? What does that mean?  Read on to find out.Picture in your mind a globe with the equator running around it. Run up and down 20 degrees above and below that line and you will see the countries that are home of the Theobroma cacao tree that produces pods (some grow right out of the trunk) that contain “beans” which is the very start of where chocolate originates. The pods come in many varieties, shapes, colors, and levels of quality with each pod containing 25-50...

French Chocolatier Michel Cluizel's seventy-year history in chocolate making.