Lost Cacao Rediscovered in Peru
December 30, 2010
A rare variety of cacao called Pure Nacional thought lost or extinct has been rediscovered in Peru.
Pure Nacional, once famous for its fruity and floral flavor notes, was wiped out by disease within a three year time period in Ecuador and Peru. At least 95% of the cacao trees died out during that plague.
However, some unusual cacao trees growing pods containing white beans were discovered in a remote canyon in Peru’s Maranon Canyon. Samples were sent to the United States Department of Agriculture for testing. The USDA recently confirmed these were Pure Nacional variety of cacao.
The current international cacao database has 5,300 entries and none of these are Pure Nacional with white beans. This really is a rare discovery.
Turns out that the Maranon Canyon creates a unique climate for cacao and is the highest altitude known to grow cacao (between 3,500 and 4,100 feet). All this helps produce a specially flavored bean which makes specially flavored chocolate.
The Maranon Chocolate will make its debut on January 11, 2011 at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.
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