GREEN COFFE

COFFE - DRINK OF GODS

Since 1990s the coffee cultivation has been explored by Portuguese.  In the past the coffee cultivation represented with 370 ha. Were introduced 3 types of coffé.

•          Arabica - Sensorial characteristics:   The taste depends on its varietal. The range differs from sweet-soft to sharp-tangy. When unroasted, Arabica beans smell like blueberries as perfumey with notes of fruit and sugar tones.
•         Robusta - Sensorial characteristics: Has a neutral to harsh taste range and is often likened to having an “oatmeal-like” taste. When unroasted, the smell of Robusta beans is described as raw-peanutty.
•           Liberica

I  Today, I am going to share same pictures about the robust coffee plantation in São Tomé.

COFFE BEANS DRYING

I hope that you enjoy it.

ROÇAS - COCOA PLANTATION AND TRANSFORMATION

ROÇAS - ALIVE MUSEUM

I can´t speak about cocoa and forget the roças.

You will ask yourself what roças means?

So, in this chapter I will share same pictures and information about the roças. 

When I came back to São Tomé 1 year ago, I visited some roça, and the first sensation that I felt was I am living in sec. XIX, it was like I am living in that time, because the building was with the same architecture as before.

I went to several museums in Europa, but the sensation isn´t the same. It was very different; the words could not explain that just living in.

Anyway, I am going to focus about the roças.

Roças was the colonial plantation house. Normally, was divided in administration; technology part, plantation of cocoa or cafe and the worker house, sanzala.

In São Tomé there are 150 roças around all rhe island.  

The roças was like a small company with their budget and production.

The main House:

Roça Água Izé

Uba-Budo

 Nova Moka

Boa Entrada

Picures of worker house:

Tecnology transformation part:

COCOA TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

Where  chocolate come from?

Everyone loves chocolate, but most of people don´t know about the process cocoa transformation production.

So, this first chapter I am going to share same pictures about the  fresh cocoa transformation.

The first step is Harverst process.

The second process is the transportation to the fermentation box.

During the fermentation process there is chemical and biologic transformation inside the beans.

First, you have transformation of sugar in alcohol in anaerobic system, then  there is oxidation of alcohol in acetic acid. During the fermentation process the temperature of the cocoa mass achieve 50ºC. This condition allow the cocoa died, not germinate during the fermentation process.

There is a development of the flavor; it is very important component in the chocolate process. 

After that, the cocoa has to go the solar drier as you can see below. It is also a important step in the cocoa transformation. In order to develop other chemical componets.

I hope that you enjoy it.São Tomé Cocoa production in 1929