Chocolate. Milk or dark, or when all else fails, white, chocolate is almost everybody’s go-to candy. Who can resist?

Continuing with my Chocolate Education, this is Part 4 in my series.

That sweet lady is holding a bowl of dried, roasted cacao beans. After they are pulled from their pods (Part 3), they are spread out on trays to dry and they hot-dry roasted in a big swirling copper pot. The result is crunchy dry beans. She’s offering them to us to taste. Ever had a crunchy coffee bean? Tasted something like that but again with only a faint chocolate flavor.

Next week, Part 5, the end of my Chocolate Saga.