Travel Diary: Ortinola Cocoa Estate, Trinidad & Tobago

Four years ago, it dawned on me that despite being a chocolate lover, I had never witnessed the process behind making chocolate. What's more, I'm from a nation that has a history intricately tied to cocoa and chocolate. Granted, I had learned about Trinidad &Tobago's storied past with cocoa in school but I hadn't grasped just how special Trini cocoa is. Fortunately, over the past few years I have met some of the people lovingly dedicated to revitalising the Trinbagonian cocoa/chocolate industry. Becoming exposed to their work has given me a much deeper appreciation for the significance of T&T's coca legacy as well as for the high quality chocolate/cocoa products produced locally. Today, I'm thrilled to highlight Ortinola, one of our oldest surviving cocoa estates and a part of the new Trini cacao renaissance.

The Ortinola Cocoa Estate is sheltered by the lush rainforest of Trinidad's northern mountain range. Interestingly, it's located a few kilometers 'up the road' from my old secondary school. It is a place that holds many happy memories for me. I have often fantasized about buying an old house in the historic town. I was in this nostalgic state of mind upon arriving at the property. The bucolic landscape of Ortinola and its immediate environs turned my already peaceful mood into total blissfulness. Before us lay an expanse of mountains, perfectly trimmed lawn, groves of cocoa, citrus and other trees. Standing among all these was a darling colonial era house painted in white, pink and green. The pictures I had seen of it did no justice to its beauty. Immediately it struck me that the house would make a gorgeous boutique hotel. I climbed the steps while day-dreaming about remodeling possibilities. A pleasant voice drew me back from my musings. The owners' daughter Nikita, who manages much of the estate's affairs and coordinates its tours, was as warm in person as she had seemed through emails. With a friendly smile she invited us to begin the tour. Since my photographer Kyeon and I were on a tight schedule, we decided to head to the grounds first.

Given how enamored I was with the house, I was happy that Nikita delved into describing how her family came to acquire and later restore the property. She listed the obstacles they faced from salvaging the Great House to cultivating the abandoned land. Comparing the current pristine appearance of the estate to its dilapitadted condition before the family assumed ownership made it clear that the restoration has been a labour of love. As we strolled from the house to the trees, Nikita shared Ortinola's story dating back to the colonial period. One of the most significant parts of this era was probably the emergence of Trinitario cocoa. It's a tale of tragedy creating something positive. In 1727 there was a rare hurricane in Trinidad. The powerful storm decimated the Criollo crop on the island. After that natural disaster, the remnants of Forastero cacao previously brought across from Venezuela cross-pollinated with remnants of Criollo. A hybrid was born, which combined the hardiness and flavour intensity of Forastero with the delicacy and flavour nuance of Criollo. Trinitario cacao blended the best traits of its parents. It transformed the global cocoa market and was prized by prestigious chocolate makers from England to France to Belgium. The demand for Trinitario helped turn T&T into the world's third largest exporter of cocoa at one point. Then calamity visited again. Cocoa prices dropped in the world market; a disease called Witch's Broom attacked trees in Trinidad and much later on, Hurricane Flora levelled the crop in Tobago. The country's shift to oil and natural gas exportation finished off cocoa’s reign in T&T. Production plummeted. Centuries later, a thriving local cocoa industry seemed relegated to the past but alas, a new generation including Nikita's family, is leading a revival.

I thought about this rebirth as cocoa leaves rustled beneath my feet. Nikita nudged me to break open one of the cocoa fruits. Even with instruction and the right mallet, my cocoa opening skills sucked. We joked that it was a good thing I wasn't responsible for the Estate's crops. I was adept at enjoying them though. Lol. I placed a fleshy pod in my mouth, savouring the sweet milkiness. I was more than willing to lean against one of the trees for the rest of the day relishing the fruit. There was no need to complain though because in a few minutes we were on to another treat. Nikita led us to a squat shed called the drying house and I had the privilege of 'dancing the cocoa'. The phrase refers to a shuffling of feet traditionally done to dry and polish the beans. It proved more difficult than I imagined. I was so scared of crushing the beans, having been told that this causes them to become bitter. As we continued through the grounds, Nikita pointed out banana, citrus and immortelle trees that were planted to provide shelter for the cocoa crop. More and more I learned that there are so many factors entailed in bringing forth quality cocoa and chocolate. We wrapped up our tour with a sampling of some of the products made from Ortinola's cocoa including cocoa nibs and chocolate bars etc. I was even challenged to a fun game of guessing the flavour notes of different pieces of chocolate and of course, I couldn't leave without purchasing some Ortinola items. Driving away from the verdant Maracas Valley, I felt excited about T&T's cocoa future and the goodies I was taking home.