Multicolored pods mark the path of the cocoa tree in Archidona, a tourist venture for small producers

Bolívar Alvarado Yumbo walks around his chakra (planted plot of land) with a machete in hand and a straw basket. These days he is harvesting what he calls “the best cocoa in the world.” It has one hectare and, together with the plots of other Kichwa compañeros, is part of the municipality of Santa Rita, “Pueblo del cacao y del chocolate”, located in Archidona, in the province of Napo.

In the locality, where the heat and humidity are characteristic of the area, trees of peculiar, unique shapes rise, full ears of yellow, green, wine concho, black… Many were born from the same tree, they are different, but they are all connected. They are like sisters from different fathers. From February to June is the time of harvesting this cocoa tree, whose specialty is that it is not influenced by foreign cocoa trees, that it is original cocoa. Cocoa is 100% organic, treated only with biofertilizer that they produce themselves.

Bolívar tells the secrets of plants that are “jealous and when they bloom you cannot touch them.” Cut the fruit, show it to the tourists White flesh with a green apple flavor surrounding cocoa beans. “The seeds are sour, bitter and astringent”.

The pulp and inner seeds are melted in the fermentation process in drawers made of sweet wood. It is a process in which bacteria and oxygen show how life itself works. It is about the fact that in trays wrapped in banana leaves, the candy penetrates the grain, in a warm environment that can reach between 50 and 60 degrees. Touching the mixture creates a deep warmth “it feels like we’re touching the mother’s womb,” he says.

When the process is complete, the beans are transferred to the clothing line, where they are dried and ready to be turned into chocolate.

Like Bolívar, others The 80 members of the commune – who own 90 hectares – currently participate in two production lines: on the one hand, they are long-term suppliers of the chocolate company Paccari, and they also receive visitors who want to participate in the cocoa tree journey, a tourism venture of the community.

Bolívar Alvarado says they have been working with Paccari since 2013. The community supplies them with fermented and dried cocoa beans. Last year, they delivered 7.5 tons of beans, at a fair trade price, which is almost twice the value of the cocoa tree on the general market. The tourist project Cocoa route also started to be prepared in 2013, but it started already in 2016. Paccari cooperated with it, but they are not owners, but helpers, because the philosophy of the company is “give them a rod so they can fish”. “.

This route, in addition to learning about the chakras and the process of fermentation and drying of cocoa beans, also includes enjoying the typical gastronomy of that sector.

The Kichwa community feeds on fruits and vegetables, some of which are unknown to city dwellers. The lunch menu, for example, consists of a typical mait, wrapped in a bijao leaf pre-seasoned by Mme. Edelina Puuchi, Bolívar’s wife. Heart of palm and garabatoyuyo, a fern from this region, are also placed in the wrapper. Each diner prepares his own wrapper, which he must close with a strip of toquilla straw, and then goes to the grill. Chopped python and paso are used as decorations. It is also accompanied by toasted patasyuyo, some crunchy white seeds. You can’t miss the guayusa tea mousse from the cocoa tree.

Bolívar says that there are currently three cacao route guides in his association, six “mamasitas” who are in charge of the kitchen and three in the service department.

In accordance with Santiago Peralta, co-founder of the Paccari family business, began his relationship with the Santa Rita community ten years ago. In the beginning, they didn’t really know how it could work: there were cacao trees and lots of fruit (oranges, lemon-tangerines, pineapples), but they didn’t know anything about tourism: “it was a virgin area in that sense.” Thus, through the relationship between suppliers and customers, they got to know each other and saw cultural and gastronomic potential. He says this route is important as a window for people in the city to know where food comes from, where chocolate comes from.

Peralta claims that this cacao from the Amazon is original. It is emphasized that it was in this region that man incubated and domesticated cacao. From there he starts his journey through the Andes, goes to the Pacific and travels around the world. For Paccari, it is important to have this product that consists of various species and is therefore a large gene bank. Consider that this Archidona cocoa is special because it has different flavors, fruity, floral, caramel. Point out that they are 100% organic, because in the Kichwa culture there is no custom of using pesticides. “You have to appreciate, you have to applaud those who don’t poison us,” he says.