If you are looking for fully raw cocoa beans for their health benefits, I have what you want. I am very excited about this. First of, let me says, these cocoa beans are actually "transitionally organic". What that means is the farms do not yet have their certification, but are in year 3 of the 4 year program and are expecting certification this time next year. On that note, they are also working at having these certified Fair Trade. These particular cocoa beans are from four smaller farms in the Barinas region of Venezuela who are paid a fair trade price.
Over the past few months I have received a huge number of requests for cocoa beans that people can consume raw for their health benefits. In general, I have answered that any of my beans should work for that purpose BUT I highly recommended peeling them as the fermentation process leads to "a quantifiable risk of contamination". No, I have never heard of anyone becoming sick, but I also like to pass on the information I have. On a similar note, I had many people not want the fermented cocoa beans as they were not "truly raw" as the fermentation process does heat them up and it is in theory possible that some of the nutients (flavonal) is lost.
Well, I finally was able to procure some fully unfermented raw cocoa beans that I would recommend for straight, unpeeled consumption. They have a nutty, rather almond like appearance and texture, and are quite different from their fermented counterpart. As they are not fermented, the cocoa flavor is less pronounced, but it is there. What is not there is any hint of bitterness sometimes associated with raw fermented cocoa beans. I personally don't taste any unpleasant bitterness in Criollo, but some people do. This has none of that.
In addition, I also have it's fermented counterpart for sale. I will do a more complete evaluation later (on the order page) but initially, this is a very well balanced, very smooth tasting cocoa bean. It is solidly in the middle road between the Ocumare's fruitiness and and Carenero's heartiness. These are the same bean, but you can see the effect of the fermentation.
Unfermented Barinas Criollo
Fermented Barinas Criollo
Some of the specifics now. I am taking orders for both of these but they are not due for arrival for about another 7-10 days. Orders will ship out first come first serve. The prices are not yet on my order page but are:
Origin
Type
1 lb
2 lb
5 lb
10 lb
more than 10 lb
Venezuelan Barinas - "transitional organic"
Unfermented Criollo
$16.00
$30.72
$73.60
$140.80
E-mail for a quote
Venezuelan Barinas - "transitional organic"
Fermented Criollo
$17.00
$32.64
$78.20
$149.60
E-mail for a quote
If you have any questions, want an quote or want to place an order, just e-mail me at alchemist at pcinw dot com.
If you are looking for a quote or order, tell me which and please include your mailing address and I will get the information back to you including S/H.
Finally, just because I don't have photos of all of my stocks of beans, here are the rest of them for comparison sake.
Ocumare Criollo
Carenero Superior Criollo/Trinatario
Ghanan Forestero