Original tour date: Wednesday March 12, 2025.
One of my bucket list activities in Costa Rica was to take a chocolate tour. Luckily, there was a small “factory” near Coronado. This was a perfect morning field trip for the kids and me. We went to Bici (Bee-See) Chocolate.
First, we learned some of the history of cacao. Those gourds near the center actually cacao pods. They grow on the trunk of the tree, rather than hang off the branches.
Our guide and the producer/owner, Andres, explaining the cacao ceremony.
Adding 100% pure cacao bricks with hot water.
Stirring the old fashioned way.
approved
Ceremonial cacao drink
Before drinking, we cleanse with some smoking sage then Andres sung an Shoshone song to complete the ceremony and clear our minds.
Andres showed us an informative TED talk about the sacred history and nutritional benefits of cacao.
Cacao pod up close
Inside the pod are the beans surrounded by sweet white pulp we could eat by sucking on the bean.
How the beans attach inside the pod.
Andres described the cut open seed as resembling a dissected “heart”.
Even this way, the chocolate taste comes through.
The beans go through a fermenting and drying process over a months time then are ready for roasting, pictured above.
What makes this production unique are the bicycle machines Andres built to process the cacao. Instead of hand roasting, he could place a heat source under the drum and ride the bike to turn the drum to even toast the beans. “Bici” is short for bicycle.
My turn to give it a spin!
Andres father grew cacao so Andres started experimenting with what was available and of course, he looked for ways to make to production more efficient for his little company. Now Andres gets his chocolate from “Different origins in different areas of the country and direct to producers without intermediaries.” He has employees and volunteers for his kitchen. He no longer needs to use the bikes. His operation is very professional.
Fully roasted and ready to remove the husks.
The leftover husks are called “nibs” and can be steeped in hot water for tea.
We began crushing the inner beans by grinding them on a metate stone. These types of grinding stones were used for many tasks in the pre-Columbian period. It smelled so good.
As the beans were ground a paste began to form and the cacao “butter”, resembling oil, began to seep out.
Many tours stop at this step without further refining but Andres refines his cacao by grinding for 48 hours.
Andres built this bike machine to grind the chocolate to a finer consistency but he has more sophisticated equipment now.
After forming the paste into a ball, we had this residue on our hands. Andres rubbed it on his face and encouraged us to do likewise. All the good nutrients and moisture is nourishing to the skin. I smelled like cacao the rest of the day. I loved it!
Refined to Andres’ standard with a little added sugar, ready to temper.
But first, a taste!
Tempering the chocolate. Andres explained how to measure the temperate to temper the chocolate properly.
Trying to make chocolate swirls for us to sample.
Preparing the trays with some fillings of dried fruit or seeds.
Pouring
Scraping off the excess
Tapping out the air bubbles
Garnish with a few more nuts and berries
Chilled and ready to unmold
Not bad for their first time.
Kid approved!
A lemon tree outside Andres’ office.
A child size bike machine
The view from Bici Chocolate
I am excited to add ceremonial cacao and cacao tea into my nutritional routine once I return to Missouri.
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