As cacao farmers in Cambodia we are operating with other Khmer cacao farmers but also with members of different tribal communities, like the Krung and the Bunong. For the website bartalks.net I wrote an article about these experiences and also about our plans with indigenous groups in Malaysia. If you are interested, you can checkContinue reading “Khmer & Indigenous Cacao Farmers”
Category Archives: Cacao
Cacao From Cambodia?
It was the Year of the Lord 1586 and Portuguese capuchin monk António da Madalena was the first Westerner to admire the largest temple complex in the world, Angkor Wat, with his own eyes. Today, millions of people a year visit Angkor Wat. But with the exception of this ‘world wonder’ is no one interestedContinue reading “Cacao From Cambodia?”
Thai Cacao Mafia
There has been a true revolution when it comes to when it comes to the rise of bean-to-bar chocolate makers in Thailand. Bangkok and Chiang Mai are the epicentres of this beautiful development. But what’s happening with cacao farm production in Thailand? Why did cacao production go in a downward spiral during the past twentyContinue reading “Thai Cacao Mafia”
The Cacao Link Between Suriname, Curacao, Ceylon and Malaysia
Considering the arrival of experimental cacao in Ceylon in the first half of the 18th century, and taking into account the start of commercial cacao production in Suriname by the Dutch in the same period, it seems plausible that Dutch traders brought the cacao tree not from Venezuela but from some of the first DutchContinue reading “The Cacao Link Between Suriname, Curacao, Ceylon and Malaysia”
The Dutch Cacao Route To Asia
On 2 June 1603, Dutch admiral Joris van Spilbergen stood before King Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy (Ceylon, Sri lanka). Van Spilbergen had just arrived after a 12-months journey that brought him from Veere, in the Netherlands to Kandy. Apparently, the admiral made a good impression, because the two immediately developed a close friendship. The King even became curious about theContinue reading “The Dutch Cacao Route To Asia”
Live to 100! The Secret Formula from a Remote Archipelago
In 1944, Benjamin H. Kean was a 32-year-old army surgeon stationed in the Panama Canal Zone by the US army. Later he would play a disputed role in the Iran hostage crisis as physician to the exiled Shah. But in WWII he was an unknown doctor who, one quiet day decided to visit the islands ofContinue reading “Live to 100! The Secret Formula from a Remote Archipelago”
Who Were The Cacao Pioneers of Africa?
It was a hot day in the year 1822 on the tiny Portuguese island São Tomé, 200 kilometers from mainland West Africa. Governor João Baptista de Silva e Lagos was personally present in the harbour to witness a merchant ship arrive from Brazil. The ship carried a valuable cargo, ordered by King João VI ofContinue reading “Who Were The Cacao Pioneers of Africa?”
Golden Opportunity for Chinese Chocolate Brands
Read all about an upcoming trend of the symbiosis of chocolate with local Chinese delicacies. If local Chinese brands pick up on this trend, they will have a golden opportunity for market dominance. And this could well be the final breakthrough in average Chinese acceptance of chocolate as a daily consumable item. Read all aboutContinue reading “Golden Opportunity for Chinese Chocolate Brands”
Stop poisoning your body!
You want to eat healthily and honestly. But not everybody wants to give up on sweets. In the last fifty years, we tripled our consumption of sugar. Tripled! All Americans are weighing now 12 kilos more than they did 25 years ago. One of the main reasons was the anti-fat rage. And the food industryContinue reading “Stop poisoning your body!”
Sorry, it is cacao, not cocoa
Until 1755 British people spoke of cacao, just like the rest of the world. So, why did they change their pronunciation of this magical food? How popular was chocolate actually in 1755? Probably more widespread than you would have expected. Nobody had ever seen a chocolate bar yet. That would still take another hundred years.Continue reading “Sorry, it is cacao, not cocoa”
Stefan Struik 