The Chocolate Tree: A Natural History of Cacao

by Allen M. Young

Young provides an overview of the fascinating natural and human history of one of the world’s most intriguing chocolate. Cultivated for over 1,000 years in Latin America and the starting point for millions of tons of chocolate annually consumed worldwide, cacao beans have been used for beverages, as currency, and for regional trade. After the Spanish brought the delectable secret of the cacao tree back to Europe in the late 16th century, its seeds created and fed an insatiable worldwide appetite for chocolate.  The Chocolate Tree chronicles the natural and cultural history of Theobroma cacao and explores its ecological niche. Tracing cacao’s journey out of the rain forest, into pre-Columbian gardens, and then onto plantations adjacent to rain forests, Young describes the production of this essential crop, the environmental price of Europeanized cultivation, and ways that current reclamation efforts for New World rain forests can improve the natural ecology of the cacao tree. Amid encounters with sloths, toucans, butterflies, giant tarantula hawk wasps, and other creatures found in cacao groves, Young identifies a tiny fly that provides a vital link between the chocolate tree and its original rain forest habitat. This discovery leads him to conclude that cacao trees in cultivation today may have lost their original insect pollinators due to the plant’s long history of agricultural manipulation.In addition to basic natural history of the cacao tree and the relationship between cacao production systems and the preservation of the rain forest, Young also presents a history of the use of cacao, from the archaeological evidence of Mesoamerica to contemporary evidence of the relationship between chocolate consumption and mental and physical health.A rich concoction of cultural and natural history, archaeological evidence, botanical research, environmental activism, and lush descriptions of a contemporary adventurer’s encounters with tropical wonders, The Chocolate Tree offers an appreciation of the plant and the environment that provide us with this Mayan “food of the gods.”            

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Food, Science, Nature

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 1994

Reviews

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting book that focuses on the natural history of cacao (as the title implies). The author explores in depth the sorts of ecological requirements of cacao, its role in the rainforest, and its interaction with other organisms. The author conducted research in Costa Rica and ran several experiments on cacao; this is fascinating to read about.

This sets us up for a very intriguing conclusion- that cacao farmers who grow small clumps of cacao trees amid rainforest-like conditions or even in genuine rainforest and wild lands can sustain a higher pollinator population and thereby make their lesser number of trees more productive. This agricultural model would guarantee the long-term sustainability of both the crop, promotes conservation, reduces the risk of disease, and help preserve key habitat and ecological diversity.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting if you are curious about chocolate, but reads a little like a science text book.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about how the cacao tree is grow, how the fruit is harvested and made into chocolate. There was a lot about the caca0 in this book. I have never thought about caca0 plant before reading this book.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title is a bit misleading. It starts off with a best guess history and then goes into painstaking detail on different research and pollination studies he's done on cacao. Parts of it are quite interesting especially describing the plant, they are just few and far between.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It definitely gives you an overview of cacao, but reads a bit like a textbook and is definitely heavy on the author's specific research, which you may or may not find interesting in that detail. It took me a long time to get through this, and I am really into the topic, as you know.

[Miriam-Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it definitely wasn't a light read I did get a better idea of how to care for my seedling cacao house plants. Hopefully I can find a way to pollinate the little guys with some local midges when they're old enough. I do wanna grow my own chocolate, yum, yum, yum!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. I should have studied botany. The cacao flower is fascinating. What a cool tree.

[Mills College Library]

633.74 Y683 2007

[Chris Still]

I want to read this

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a student of biology this was an enjoyable read. Good, clear writing involving some interesting studies of common concerns of fruiting trees, including environment and insect pollination addressed at a consistent pace. Plus the historical insight with regards to the Central and South American cultures associated with the wild cacao tree makes this a solid reference if you are interested in chocolate.