To have a glass of rum in one hand and excellent dark chocolate in the other - the perfect mix to enjoy the beautiful sunsets on the Grenada Island. Any sweet tooth will like the trip to one of the local chocolate plantations. It is important to know how people produce your favorite treats.
The Belmont Estate plantation is rather old, but it looks very nice. Though the age affects the condition of the buildings. People have grown cocoa here since the 17th century. The knowledge about the cultivation and production of it was passing down from generation to generation.
This climate is suitable for cocoa. It feels good and grows rapidly. The name of the estate, where the first plantation was made, is a combination of the French words “Belle Mont”. It is translated as “Beautiful Mountain”. The estate offers a beautiful view of the plantations, the entire island, and the Caribbean.
Have you ever seen cocoa-growing? Did you know what it is? Here, in front of you, workers put a large basket with bright yellow, orange, red fruits of a pineapple size. It is the fruit of the cocoa tree. The company follows certain rules which make chocolate unforgettable. They grow organic cocoa and do not use fertilizers.
You can see how workers take out beans with special knives and let them dry for 6-7 days. Cocoa beans can be dried in two ways: on special pallets and with conventional machines. It is hard to believe that it is future chocolate located on these huge pallets looking like solar panels. Beans are periodically stirred to let them dry on both sides.
At the end of the tour, you will have the most pleasant and delicious moment - tasting. Everyone can try a nice chocolate drink. Locals add some spices to it: nutmeg, cinnamon, carnation, and even pepper. They give the chocolate a special piquant taste.
Among the buildings, pallets, and fields where the cocoa is growing, you can notice dancing people on a raised platform. This is a special and unique dance. Its main function is the grinding of cocoa beans. That is what it looked like earlier.
Beans were poured into huge copper boilers. Workers came into them and began dancing. It reminds mashing the grapes in old wineries. Belmont Estate preserves traditions and old methods of growing and processing cocoa beans. It makes local chocolate special. That is why tourists can still see this dance fun on beans.
 | |