An ecology student showed me how chocolate is made, from picking the pods, to drying and roasting the beans, and grinding them into what we would call pure chocolate. Finally we made it into the hot chocolate drink people enjoy here. Everything took place within walking distance of UCNH university near Limbe. Let me know if you would like to set up a tour! See this blog for how to identify the 3 varieties.
Drying the cacao beans
Grinding the cacao beans
Resulting balls of cacao which are boiled to make hot chocolate.
Boiling the ground chocolate in water, before adding milk and sugar to make a drink.