454484 Fri Oct 26 14:48:26 -0700 2007 16 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 3070805 I found a recipe for 'Ultimate Chocolate Milk' that I simply must try -- it calls for cocoa beans as an ingredient, and I have absolutely no idea where to find these. I'm in Palo Alto, so suggestions around the peninsula are appreciated. Thanks! Fri Oct 26 14:48:26 -0700 2007 67893 jcarlile 1 3070850 Is it the one from Sunset magazine? They mention Mexican/Latin markets, so if you have one of those around, that's where I'd look. Otherwise mail order... they give a resource which is just in San Carlos, so not too far away. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n4_v192/ai_15331141 Fri Oct 26 15:07:22 -0700 2007 3070805 25012 chemchef 2 3070979 Even in the Mexican markets its hard to find them unless they have a Southern Mexican customer base. Best bet is probably at Whole Foods or any store that carries a full line of Sharfenberger or Valhrona products (closest they get is cacao nibs which is essentially the same). If you really want to go authentic... then I believe Gourmet Sleuth sells the green Cacao Beans you would roast yourself. Fri Oct 26 15:53:34 -0700 2007 3070850 42572 Eat_Nopal 3 3070990 Berkeley Bowl sells cacao beans in bulk, as do a few other places in the EB, so I don't think they're that hard to find. Roasting the beans is fine, but if they're green, its likely that they still need to be fermented as well, which is more work than anyone I know is willing to do for chocolate milk! :-) Fri Oct 26 15:56:28 -0700 2007 3070979 25012 chemchef 4 3071365 Any 'raw' cacao you find anywhere (unless you're growing your own trees in the tropics somewhere) will be of the dried, fermented sort. It's not a good idea to eat or include in recipes at this stage without some kind of sterilization. You can find good raw cacao here: http://www.chocolatealchemy.com And questionable, origin-unknown stuff in bulk bins lots of places. Check your recipe though--I'd be surprised if it's not actually calling for nibs rather than raw fermented beans. As mentioned above, you can get those at most any market from Scharffen Berger or other chocolate makers. Fri Oct 26 18:41:45 -0700 2007 3070990 12831 fqalzai 5 3072634 fgalzai: What makes you say that dried, fermented cocoa beans need to be "sterilized" before eating? Sat Oct 27 13:02:59 -0700 2007 3071365 19117 Pollo 6 3073006 Cacao fermentation is fundamentally just a controlled composting process. The beans are sun dried, but not sterilized, so prior to roasting there are lots and lots of potential contaminants...See: http://www.rawfood.com/index.cgi?id=176712833605&sp=CacaoPSA If you do want to eat them raw, make sure you know the origin and are comfortable with the processing. Sat Oct 27 16:29:28 -0700 2007 3072634 12831 fqalzai 7 3074696 The same is true after roasting....which is not a sterilization process...you still have many "bugs" (thermophilic spores) that are left but these are no-pathogenic.... Sun Oct 28 15:56:04 -0700 2007 3073006 19117 Pollo 8 3075166 Which is why many chocolate makers steam sterilize before (or during) roasting. Still on the coliform bacteria front, roasting alone is almost totally effective, and that's the area most people worry about most, if that makes sense. Also, keep in mind that conching occurs at higher temps than are comfortable for most bacterial baddies, and may run for 24-72 hours... Sun Oct 28 19:18:30 -0700 2007 3074696 12831 fqalzai 9 3075270 Applying live steam (not under pressure) to a product (cocoa - liquid/dry) doeas not sterilize it....check your defintion of "sterilization". I agree with your second comment which in essence is what I said that any pathogenic mesophilic "bugs" will be inactivarted either through the fermentation process or the roasting process....so the chances of picking up something from eating roasted cocoa beans are very remote.... Sun Oct 28 20:07:22 -0700 2007 3075166 19117 Pollo 10 3076271 Oh, I totally agree. Eating roasted cacao is quite safe. I thought we were discussing eating dried fermented cacao (pre-roasting)--I do worry about some of the raw foods folks on that front. Mon Oct 29 09:20:14 -0700 2007 3075270 12831 fqalzai 3 3074665 I was able to find whole cacao beans at Mi Puebla market off Alma at Rengstorff in Mountain View. The beans come in 8oz packages and were only about $3/package. Nibs at whole foods were $8 for a 6oz pack. Here's the recipe link if anyone is interested: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n4_v192/ai_15331141 Thanks for the replies! Sun Oct 28 15:41:07 -0700 2007 3070979 67893 jcarlile 4 3074855 Mi Puebla... there you go... you found a market with a Southern Mexican customer base. Sun Oct 28 17:07:27 -0700 2007 3074665 42572 Eat_Nopal 4 3075169 Cool! Thanks for the link. 'Freshly roasted cocoa beans' means nibs, basically. If you're roasting the cacao yourself, make sure you winnow the beans before adding them to the mix. Sun Oct 28 19:20:29 -0700 2007 3074665 12831 fqalzai 1 3075264 Whole Foods San Mateo has them in the chocolate section in vacuum bags. You could call and see if the PA WF has them too. Sun Oct 28 20:04:16 -0700 2007 3070805 15457 peppatty 1 3192955 I'm in Santa Clara...has anyone been successful in finding cocoa nibs at the Cupertino Whole Foods or anywhere else? I really hesitate to go there without knowing for sure....that place is crazy busy on Sundays! Thanks, margy Sun Dec 09 13:07:23 -0800 2007 3070805 104165 Margyb 2 3198322 can you call them and ask if they have them? Tue Dec 11 09:31:47 -0800 2007 3192955 25012 chemchef