Asia's Cacao Renaissance

Dedicated smallholder farmers and ardent craft chocolatiers are giving Asian cacao beans – a crop once held in low regard – their welldeserved time in the sun.

- Kenneth Lee

Almost all good things in the world require time and effort, and chocolate – bittersweet, complex, velvety, fudgy chocolate – is no exception. The confection is the result of weeks of labour and expertise exercised over manifold steps, creating a sweet adored for centuries from its inimitable and utterly humble base ingredient, the cacao bean.

Its irreplaceability, much like a grape in a highly regarded wine, lies in the bean’s provenance and terroir. Most people agree that the best cacao beans come from South America, where the cacao tree is native to; as well as West Africa – the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and the like – the other global hub of cacao production post-colonisation era.

But it might surprise you to know that cacao trees aren’t only found in Peru and Brazil – they can also be grown in places like Pahang, Malaysia, and Ba Ria in Southeast Vietnam. Likewise, the beans harvested from these trees can be turned into chocolate, if given the proper attention. Unfortunately, the general perception of Asian cacao has been poor. It is seen as a low-value commodity – and treated as such, often being handled and fermented haphazardly, leading to less-than-ideal flavours and off-odours.

TIMES ARE A-CHANGIN’