5 March - Bean to Bar, Hotel Chocolat Trip

Bit disappointed by this trip.  The route was exactly as yesterday's so we knew all the answers to the questions along the way, and anticipated the things being pointed out.

Arrived at Hotel Chocolat to find that we were joining another group who had just completed the plantation tour.  We thought this was part of ours but were told not.  The presenter of the chocolate making session said he'd take us on a mini version after lunch, as compensation.

The chocolate making was very interesting.  Given the set of ingredients and minute instruction how to grind the dried coffee nibs in a heated pestle and mortar and then add cocoa butter to make the mix into as smooth a paste as our muscles allowed.  The automatic machines take 72 hours for this so not surprisingly our results were a bit gritty.  Finally added sugar to taste before pouring the end mixture into a mould for sticking in the fridge while we lunched.

Lovely setting for lunch, looking out towards the Piton mountains.  Supposedly a gourmet lunch but not that special.

Duly had the quick tour of the growing stages, which was very interesting too but not all encompassing.

New plants in poly tunnel ...

Mature tree with big cocoa pods

Leaf cover removed to show beans fermenting ...

.. then left out to dry after the cocoa butter had been separated

Then back onto the bus where we were offered stops at scenic places but no-one was particularly interested so we came back direct.

Out to Delirius restaurant for our final evening meal, which was delicious.  Mahi Mahi fish, aka dorado?

Back at the resort there was limbo dancing and fire eating, like in Antigua.  Didn't stay too long.