Cara's Alcove

Hhmmmm the first step is to toast the chocolate beans. it's good to use a metal pan rather than an earthen-ware griddle since the pores of the griddle soak up the oil the beans give off. it's very important to pay attention to this sort of detail, since the goodness of the chocolate depends on three things, namely: that the chocolate beans used are good and without defect, that you mix several different types of beans to make the chocolate, and, finally, the amount of toasting. it's advisable to toast the cocoa beans just until the moment they begin to give off oil. if they are removed from the heat before then, they will make a discolored and disagreeable-looking chocolate, which will be indigestible besides. one the other hand, if they are left on the heat too long, most of the beans will be burned, which will make the chocolate bitter and acrid.