Hug This Tree: The Chocolate Tree
November 10, 2007 by Jennifer
If you’re in the mood for something sweet; then the cacao tree is just the sort of tree you should be hugging.
There is so much you can learn about this amazing and beautiful tree that it can be overwhelming. Cacao Web has some nice and simple information about this tree and b5media’s own Heather over at Chocolate Bytes also offers some handy facts along with more chocolate fun.
Here’s the perfect kid-friendly project for the family — one that uses real trees and real chocolate!
Chocolate leaves! These are fun but kind of testy. The best leaves to use come from organically grown trees but well-washed leaves will do as well. Have your kids gather leaves of all shapes and sizes — the sturdier the better but I’ve used some flimsy ones too.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler and let cool slightly. Spread on leaves with paint brushes. Place on wax paper, chill (no less than 15 minutes) and carefully peel leaves off.
You can get super creative with these. You can use white chocolate or color white chocolate with food coloring. You can add tiny candies on top of the leaves or paint two colors of chocolate on. Kids love them on cakes or alone.
Visit Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate to see secret chocolate recipes, beautiful chocolate tree pictures and more.
I can’t wait to have enough space to grow one at home.
I don’t know if these will grow in all climates. But if you do get one going you can go ahead and send me some chocolate! Or you know a pod. I love how colorful some of the pods are.
I read about cacao trees a few years ago when I was bored at my job. I even wrote a poem about them, but somehow I missed that these trees can be so colorful!
Thanks for posting about the cacao tree. I hug it in my mind each time I eat dark chocolate (Endangered Species Chocolate is my favorite).
I thought most cacao trees had yellow pods — these ones are very colorful. I like the endangered species peanut butter chocolate.
Yum. I haven’t tried the peanut butter chocolate. It must be a milk chocolate variety. I’ve been sticking with the dark. Maybe I’ll branch out.
I don’t like dark chocolate. I like milk because too much sweet bugs me. The dark stuff always seems a little much. I do like dark coffee
Wow! I didn’t even now coco came from the cacao tree or was even in a pod!! Until i recently learned it in my 7th grade social studies class!! (We’re studing Africa and its deserts, the sahel, savanna and all that good stuff! If any of you have anygood pictures of any of the things i listed above please post them here on the website
)
Hi Alysia. You can find some African animal photos in the Hug This Animal category:
http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/category/endangered-animal-posts/