Why We Should Be Paying More Attention to Asian Bean To Bar Chocolate
Editor’s note: It’s possible you already know that cacao can only grow within about 20° north and south of the equator. Surely, you’ve noticed that most of the focus in the media goes to Latin America and Africa, but did you know that Indonesia ranks in the top 10 cacao producing countries? Our thanks to contributor Shobitha Ramadasan for highlighting Asia’s growing bean to bar movement.
Ask a random person what they recall learning in history class about Asia’s biggest food and drink production, and they will likely answer, ‘Tea.’ Not cacao, and certainly not chocolate. Unlike its South American and (West) African counterparts, Asia is not steeped in cacao history, be it cultivation or consumption. Today, not only is Asia home to the world’s 3rd largest bulk cacao exporter, but it is also flowering new speciality grade cacao, thus solidifying its place on the world’s list of cacao origins. Despite the later arrival of the ‘Bean to Bar’ movement in Asia (as compared to its US and UK counterparts), the catch-up has been quick and intense. A rudimentary glance shows transparency, quality and traceability are at heart. But dig a little deeper and you will notice that much more is being put on offer.
Why Asian Cacao?
For starters, Asian fine cacao is bountiful with rare tasting notes. Many in the craft chocolate world may be familiar with the spicy sweet beans of Vietnam, the smokiness of Indonesia’s woodfire dried beans and the black raisin tanginess of Indian cacao origins. Yet, few have come across the intense tropical fruitiness of Thailand’s ‘Chanthaburi’ with its flavour profile reminiscent of the notorious durian sans pungence, or the naturally malty notes of Malaysia’s ‘Panchor’ which pair excellently with a well-brewed cup of any Chinese whole leaf tea. Even fewer are aware of the herbal, almost hay-like notes of Cambodia’s Mondulkiri beans – another cacao origin biding its time towards reaching world recognition.
A test batch of a new Malaysian origin during a visit to Benns Ethicoa, Malaysia’s largest bean to bar maker specializing in Asian cacao origins, revealed distinctive notes of caramelized sugar and a sumptuous pod of golden jackfruit, freshly pulled from its sticky cocoon within the gigantesque spiky fruit (the average size of jackfruit can be up to 2 feet long and weigh up to a whopping 40 pounds, in case you were wondering.) And it's not just limited to fruitiness either. ‘Calinan’, Benns’ Philippines origin, sings sweet, tannic notes of red milk tea. Another great origin to watch out for comes from the Balinese cooperative Kerta Semaya Samaniya (KSS) Jembrana in Indonesia. Thanks to developments in drying techniques, true notes of smooth floral and honey can be expected here, sans the signature smoke that Indonesia has been known for. You may chalk all the above down to localizing tasting notes to make them more relatable, but the reality is that these are highly accurate descriptions of these cacaos. In other words, this is a food adventurer’s palate playground, or may I say terroir? And you don’t even have to be in Asia to experience it all.
Creative spins on flavour meet tradition
Aside from novel tasting notes, traditional aesthetics offer a separate conversation piece. You won’t find familiar Mesoamerican motifs here, but instead, designs that pay homage to local culture. Bangkok-based Bean to Bar maker, Paradai with its colourful, vibrant artwork depicting Thai mythology is a stellar example. The renowned ‘Kranok’ motif of the bar mould and the eye-catching illustrations on the packaging are quintessential to Thai art and culture. In essence, you are not just getting chocolate made in Thailand but a taste of Thai identity, culture, and the land itself. Flavour profiles of Thai cacaos tend to be deeply fruity and creamy – think tropical fruit slowly stewed for long hours before mixed into a warm custard. Newer harvests are showing off brighter, almost juicy red berry notes. With Paradai’s signature smooth and buttery style reminiscent of Bonnat, you find a richness that builds as the piece melts in your mouth. It reminds me of the well-known Thai ‘Tom Yum’ experience – with each sip of the broth, the more heat and flavour increase in your mouth.
Speaking of Tom Yum, Paradai’s local cuisine-inspired bonbons are another gateway to experiencing the unique food and culture of Thailand. Neighbouring Benns Ethicoa also carries a fleet of local dessert-inspired bonbons, from velvety ‘pandan’ (Asia’s ‘vanilla’) to umami-Esque salted egg custard. ‘We love infusing local flavours and cultures in our creations. What’s better than a pandan gula melaka bonbon? It’s a famous local delicacy that is truly Asia.’ says Wilfred Ng, chocolate-maker/managing director of Benns. (Note: Gula Melaka refers to a local palm sugar commonly used in Malaysian desserts.) Alba Chocolatier, a small batch bean to bar maker in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, can hardly keep up with demand for their chocolate caramel dates during the Eid festival period (dates are a staple, if not almost mandatory during the month of Eid).
With such creative spins on flavour meeting tradition, you would think that Asian bean to bar makers need no further selling points. Instead, in addition to the ubiquitous price point hurdle facing the global bean to bar industry, they are faced with a set of challenges as unique as their chocolate. For local consumers accustomed to mass-produced foreign brands, ‘local’ is usually synonymous with ‘lower quality’ i.e. chocolate with plenty of sugar, palm oil, vanillin, and an overall waxy texture to boot. As local bean to bar prices are in the same realm as imported chocolate, convincing customers to choose the former as a sound alternative, is tricky. “Consumers prefer imported brands as they know what to expect [...] they feel for the price they are paying they should stick to known imported brands. It's a big step to try a chocolate brand they have not heard of before.’ explains Akhil Grandhi, chocolate-maker behind India’s latest trendy bean to bar brand ‘Bon Fiction’. And that’s not all. ‘Some special characters of craft chocolate such as fruity notes are still not the favourite. But now it is better than before.’ confirms Warit (Paradai).
Between the array of fine flavour cacaos and sweet innovative creations to suit local markets, the Asian bean to bar movement is inadvertently opening a window into Asia’s terroir, cuisine, culture and even artworks. The question is, how long will it take for the rest of the world to scramble for a front seat view? My guess is, not long at all.
Want to know more about chocolate in Asia? Check out our story on the leading artisan bean to bar producer in Taiwan, Fu Wan.