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Post by reelchemist on May 6, 2007 7:18:19 GMT -5
Hi guys and gals, just purchased my first beans, I got two lots one from each of the two easiest sources in this part of the world. One lot claims to be South American Criollo and the other is definitly forastero from the Tava guys. Just wondering what they should smell like (both lots are raw) and importantly what they shouldn't smell like.
I am going to have to say it but the site is brilliant, it seems every newby says that but it's true.
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Post by Samantha Madell on May 6, 2007 8:10:58 GMT -5
Hi Reelchemist, and welcome to the forum.
The fact that you ask what cocoa beans "shouldn't smell like" seems to imply that one (or both) of the bean samples you have smells odd. Just for the record, I'm one half of Tava, so I'm possibly not the best person to answer your question (given my vested interest and all). But, for what it's worth:
I'm sure you realise that roasting and conching are both essential steps in creating the classic chocolate flavours we know and love, as well as many of the nutty and fruity flavours that give chocolate its wonderful complexity. For example, the Maillard reactions that take place during roasting produce many flavours with classic chocolatey and nutty characteristics.
In other words, raw beans don't smell very chocolatey. Indeed, when the beans are raw and still in their shells, they smell a lot like straw to me. This is because you're smelling the shell rather than the nibs.
It's also not unusual to detect the mild pungency of acetic acid, which is quite normal (although too much acidity is not a good thing!).
I hope this helps, but I'd also be very interested to hear what you think the beans smell like. There's no right or wrong answer to this question ... whatever you smell, you smell. But perhaps if you can describe what you're smelling, including any surprising or "off" odours, you might enable other members to help you figure out whether the aromas are normal, desirable, undesirable, or indicative of flaws in the beans. Smoke, mould, and rancidity (which causes meaty odours in cocoa) are the most common faults which lead to off aromas.
Sam :-)
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Post by reelchemist on May 6, 2007 9:07:00 GMT -5
Yeah, no worries Sam, I was after, I guess, a non prompted answer from people to hear what they smelt when they got their beans. But since you have identified the smell - straw - I'll elaborate my confusion. I bought a little pack of beans from a health food shop near me - I just saw them the other day. They were the said South American criollo distributed by PowerSuperFoods. Now I am not one to believe everything written down they say there beans are raw, they also say that the product can be eaten as is (shell and all). From what I understand about fermentation that is a bit like eating raw eggs. Anyway, they smell wonderfull, like I wanted to pour the packet into my mouth and eat them all at once and from what I have read raw beans don't usually evolk that response. Obviously the ones from you guys smelled straw like but also chocolatey. Oh and before I go on I got raw beans, raw nibs and roasted nib packs from you the raw nibs have hardly any straw smell and the roasted nibs smell great! However I have since (in the last few minutes) chewed on everything again and have come to the conclusion that the PowerSuperFood stuff is roasted. The raw beans from you have the astringent 'raw' taste and a more I don't know 'fibreous' feel between teeth. I use the word fibreous to distinguish it from the crisp crunch and buttery mouthfeel of your roasted nibs. This crisp crunch and buttery mouth feel is the same as with the Power supposedly raw beans.
Do you think this logic is sound? Is this a common experience in progression of smell and mouthfeel moving from raw bean to roasted nib? From the threads I have been reading since my first post it seems like it is. I guess you can test it for yourself Sam the Power stuff is widely distributed in Australia through Mega Health shops.
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Post by sugaralchemy on May 15, 2007 12:39:16 GMT -5
There's a great deal of variation in the characteristic of cacao. As you should know, the most aromatically noticeable acid, acetic, is primarily due to fermentation. You may have raw, unfermented beans, or raw beans fermented in such a way as not to produce much of the volatiles you may have associated with 'raw' beans. Additionally, given a great deal of time and air circulation, the acetic character will slowly fade.
Roasted cacao also tends to have more maillard reaction brown-type flavors. The roasting process gives cacao a taste that is very close to unsweetened chocolate. Interestingly, the maillard reaction flavors are such an intrinsic part of the 'chocolate' taste that some flavor companies sell them as cocoa enhancers and present some interesting taste panel results showing how much the simple addition of these reaction flavors increases the 'chocolate' characteristic the finished product.
I tend to suggest that if a company says the cacao is raw and is a large, reputable company, it probably is raw - more likely it just hasn't been processed ideally. Personally, I obtain shelled, whole, raw cacao beans from South America - heavily fermented - and they are a superb snack. They don't capture the same chocolate characteristic, but they are very intensely flavored and have a great crunch and a nice mild kick of lactic and acetic acids which accentuate the floral and fruity tones.
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