This cacao pod’s about to be my breakfast. You know what’s really cool? After I open it I can fill the empty half with yogurt and granola: cacao comes with its own breakfast bowl.
Began the morning with a leisurely walk through the cacao and cashew trees at demonstration farm, than continued along the road that follows the river past the chocolate factory.
Much of the today was a non-chocolate adventure: boating and a picnic with the French contingent at Mango Bay. That’s Pierre-Jean’s speedboat on the right. Chef Bruno made excellent appetizers to supplement the prodigious provisions supplied by Rachim, an infectiously relaxed Irish-but-honorary French-but in the process of becoming Grenadan woman who’s infectiously good-natured. Baguette, cheese, wine, hummus, chocolate. Speedboat. picnic. hidden bay. Good company.
After nosing in on a beach festival, partaking in a speedboat race, and some interesting water-skiing on Jake’s part, we rejoined the Grenada Chocolate Festival for the evening’s Chocolate Culinary Experience hosted by Dodgy Dock by Magdalena Fielden, who is (1) the Festival’s organizer, (2) Dodgy Dock’s owner, (3) Honerary Consul on Grenada for Mexico, and (4) utterly charming. The chocolate dinner was wonderful, as were the event speakers: Belgian-Mexican chocolate maker Sophie Vanderbecken, Mexican chocolate maker Flor Heras, and Jamaican chocolate maker Nick Davis.
The evening was a blast, with much energetic discussion about chocolate making and the cacao industry in Grenada, Mexico, Jamaica, New Hampshire, and the World.
Monday, May 16, and the U.S. still requires a COVID test within one day of returning to the States. Stopped by the Post Office and paid $50EC, then headed to the clinic for a test. We’re on island time, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the clinic, which opens at 9am, actually opened at something like 9:40. Once we got in, the process was pretty efficient and I’m as yet virus-free.
Returned to Victoria and spent a few hours at the Jouvay Factory discussing roast and fermentation with Indy, the production manager. We’re planning to spend a few hours in the morning doing the same.
Drove across the island to the Belmont Estate resort for lunch and tour of their chocolate making facilities. Lunch was very Grenada, very tasty, and very much food. The production facility was spotless and beautiful.
The is likely to be my final post for the trip. Marietta and Jake have been perfect hosts. Magdalena ran a perfect show. And to Flor, Nick, and Sophie, I say “here’s to you! We’ll be talking.”
