What Is Cacao? And How to Use It in Cooking | Eater

"A San Francisco–based bean-to-bar chocolate maker whose sourcer emphasizes cacao as a fragrant, fruit-bearing plant: pods are “football”-sized and come in yellows, greens, and reds, each housing roughly 30–60 large seeds wrapped in a pulpy white flesh described as lychee-like and intensely floral. The team stresses how fermentation (a two- to nine-day process) and sun-drying develop the beans’ brown color and nuanced flavors—ranging from strawberry, pineapple, and rose to almond or simply chocolate—driven by terroir and the crop’s wild genetic diversity. Their sourcing perspective highlights the importance of origin, processing, and transparent supply chains in shaping a bar’s final taste." - Sylvio Martins