Re: Cacao Beans for Testing!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on September 10, 2011 at 11:17pm

FYI, everyone, Ernesto is in the Philippines.

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Bugarin Pantua Jr. on September 10, 2011 at 11:18pm

Thanks Clay that was helpful.

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on September 10, 2011 at 11:21pm

Most people don't know that there is a very long history of cacao in the Philippines. Until recently, with chocolate made from beans from Davao I don't think many people knew that cacao even grew in the Philippines.

Is there some particular interesting history in the beans you're growing? And what part of the Phillipines are you growing in?

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Bugarin Pantua Jr. on September 10, 2011 at 11:43pm

Yes the criollo beans and other varieties of cacao that was originally planted in our farm was sourced from the big Island of Luzon (The cacao of the Philippines actually brought by the Spaniards from Mexico during their 400 years of occupation of our country).  We now grow them in our farm in the foot of Mt. Matutum about 500m above sea level 35 km from the City of Gen. Santos, located in the Island of Mindanao about 200 km west of Davao City.

Permalink Reply by Sebastian on September 11, 2011 at 9:24am

Ernesto - can you elaborate a bit on how you ferment (mass size, box configuration, duration, # of turns, etc), as well as how you dry (what does improved drying mean - how is it done)?  Are you doing the post harvest work yourself, or is the fermentation and drying being done by multiple farmers?

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Bugarin Pantua Jr. on September 11, 2011 at 9:40am

Hi Sebastian -  We have the crop, harvest, ferment in boxes (200kg per batch) in two tier box, on the first 12 hours we let them drain then put them in a box for 3 days after which they are transfered in another box and leave it for another 2 days on the 6th day we dry them in the sun

Attachments:

• KF Cacao dryer.JPG, 3.2 MB

Permalink Reply by antonino allegra on September 11, 2011 at 9:33am

HI Ernesto, i would like to test your beans.

i'm based in South Africa, how do i get them here?

Permalink Reply by Tom on September 12, 2011 at 11:13pm

Hi Ernesto, I would be interested in giving you feedback on your beans. I have had a lot of experience with different origins and have done some work with Australian farmers on the issue of post harvest processing and its effect on the final chocolate. I have worked with a lot of cacao from the South Pacific too, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and PNG and could give feedback on how your cacao relates.

Let me know. Cheers

Tom

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Bugarin Pantua Jr. on September 13, 2011 at 7:25am

Hi Tom,

 

I will have my first 5 kg ready by Monday next week.  Can you please email me your address.  kablon.farm@gmail.com.

 

Regards,

Ernesto

 

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Bugarin Pantua Jr. on September 16, 2011 at 6:33am

Sent you today via POST AIR PARCEL 4 kg of Dried Cacao Beans.  Looking forward to your receipt of the beans.

 

Jun

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Tom on September 16, 2011 at 7:28am

Me too, thanks again!

Permalink Reply by antonino allegra on September 16, 2011 at 4:47pm

Hi Ernesto,

what is your "standard of choosing" your tester? my name might sound useless to you but at least say you are not interested in us would have been fine. I did quickly  to respond to your request but you didn't even consider my email....

BTW we opened our small factory 3 months ago and we have already moved over 1.5T of chocolate made from beans.....

best of luck!!!