In search of

ARR I B A
Ecuador’s Arriba cacao—also known as cacao nacional—has long been
prized for its earthy but floral aroma and flavor. Although officially of the
forastero variety, the Arriba’s unique qualities put it in a class all its own.

In order to understand the nature of Arriba cacao, its origins must be

explored. Yet it is important to remember, as with other varieties of cacao,
that there are an infinite number of combinations and types of Arriba.
Therefore, while the government of Ecuador classifies Arriba into three
general categories:—Arriba Superior Summer Selected (ASSS), Arriba Supe-
rior Selected (ASS), and Arriba Superior Epoca (ASE)—the specific genetic
make-up of the Arriba, how it is cultivated, and how it is harvested are what
ultimately determine its quality and characteristics. This is why a select
number of chocolate makers are now working directly with Ecuadorian
cacao farmers to together better capture the true essence of Arriba.

The following photo essay is but an introduction to Arriba. For the true
chocolate connoisseur, C. Reginald Enock’s scintillating first-person account
of his travels in Ecuador (Ecuador. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1914) offers a
more intimate portrait of the country’s cacao history.

E cuador , 1882, B lackie & S on , G lasgow . A map of Ecuador at the beginning of the
country’s cacao boom. Just east of the city of Guayaquil is the Rio Guayas, which if
followed north, leads into Los Rios Province, one of Ecuador’s great cacao-producing
regions. Farther east is the Rio Napo, a tributary of the Amazon River. It is in this
river valley that Theobroma cacao is thought to have originated.

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 Guayaquil
Between 1880 and 1920, Ecuador’s Guayas River Valley was one of the
most productive cacao-growing regions in the world. Although not
the native habitat of Theobroma cacao, Guayas—with its fertile soil,
hot and wet climate, well-protected port, and network of navigable
rivers—provided an ideal setting for the cultivation of a global,
cacao-based economy. It is therefore not surprising that in the span
of these four decades, Guayas’s capital, Guayaquil, became one of the
wealthiest cities in South America. (Pineo, Chapter 2)

28 COCOAROMA 1:1
G uayaquil today . (Opposite page, clockwise from top left) Downtown Guaya-
quil with the Rio Guayas in the background; street 10 de Agosto; the old colo-
nial homes of the Las Peñas district at the foot of Cerro Santa Ana. G uayaquil
at dusk . (This page, from left) Iglesias de San Francisco, one of Guayaquil’s oldest
churches, first built in the 1600s by Franciscan monks; the Columna de los Próceres
de la Independencia, built in honor of Ecuador’s declaration of independence on
October 9th, 1820.

COCOAROMA 1:1 29
The Babahoyo
The Rio Babahoyo, at one time also known as the Rio Bodegas, is
one of the main arteries of the Guayas River Valley. Along with the
tributaries Caracol, San Pablo, Pueblo Viejo, Palenque, Quevado,
Vinces and others, the Babahoyo is what originally gave the cacao of
the region its name: Arriba, or cacao from “up” river.

The land along the riverbanks was typically reserved for growing
Arriba cacao. Bancos, as these naturally occurring riverbanks are still
called today, consist of some of the most fertile soil in the world. Al-
though quite sandy, the soil is effective at capturing the considerable
moisture needed for supporting productive cacao trees.

“This district produce[s] the Cacao de Arriba, which is superior in

quality, and fetches a higher price in the market, than the Cacao de
Abajo of Machala and Naranjal, on the coast below Guayaquil.”
— C.R. Enock, Ecuador (p. 129)

COCOAROMA 1:1 31
 Vinces, Los Rios Province
The province of Los Rios has been known to produce some of Ecuador’s most flavorful cacao due to an
ideal combination of certain soils, rainfall, and climate. In 1900, close to 50 percent of all cacao pro-
duced in Ecuador was grown in Los Rios. Just 20 years later, at the peak of the country’s cacao boom,
the province produced 70 percent of Ecuador’s cacao.

The town and parish of Vinces in Los Rios is said to be named after an 18th century priest who owned
a small hacienda in the area. (In Ecuador, provinces were divided into cantons, which in turn were
divided into parishes.) Records show that at the turn of the last century, there were some 5.9 million
cacao trees in the Vinces parish alone, making it the richest in all of the country. The town was later
given the nickname “Little Paris” because its wealthy cacao plantation owners often travelled to France
for business and pleasure, and also sent their children there for study. (Pineo, Chapter 2)

“Vinces is the chief town of the canton, situated about nine miles to the south of Palenque, on the
eastern bank of the river. It presents an extremely picturesque appearance with its background of dark
cocoa plantations and the slender stems of its coco-palms.” — C.R. Enock, Ecuador (p. 131)

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 Window into the Past
Ana María, Clementina, Curiquingue, Corozal, Ventanillas—these were the names
of some of the many large cacao plantation estates (haciendas) that dotted the
landscape of Ecuador’s Los Rios Province at the turn of the last century. Owned
by families of Aspiazu, Seminario, and Clemente-Ballen, and others, a single
hacienda easily spanned more than 70,000 acres. It was also not uncommon for
families to own several such estates. As one visitor to the area noted in his jour-
nal at the time, surveying the Seminario family’s more than two million cacao
trees took an entire day’s journey by boat along the Rio Caracol.

An afternoon in Vinces. (Opposite page) Two women on a park bench;

the town’s seal, reflecting the region’s agricultural roots. O verlooking
the R io V inces . (This page) A former plantation owner’s wooden man-
sion in central Vinces.

COCOAROMA 1:1 35
 Recchiuti
Ecuador 65%
Made with E. Guittard Ecuador Nacional 65%, the aroma
of Recchiuti’s Ecuador shares the same earthy and floral
character as its couverture. The flavor release, however,
is more complex, even elegant. The ganache allows for
a more complete experience in the mouth, capturing the
subtle herbal overtones of the cacao more effectively.

In addition to the Ecuador varietal box, Recchiuti offers

chocolates made with cacao from Venezuela, Colombia, and
a blend of Central and South American origins. Started
in San Francisco, California in 1997 by Jacky and Michael
Recchiuti, Recchiuti Confections also makes chocolate
dipped fruits, chocolate bars, and chocolate sauces.

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Richart
Equateur 82%
Richart’s Equateur 82% has an earthy aroma that is broader
and deeper than typical Ecuador origin chocolates. The
flavor conjures up images of a fresh, wet meadow and
young forest flowers. There are hints of black currant and
orange citrus. The chocolate is very smooth, very clean,
and has a gradual flavor release.

Michel Richart’s chocolates are known for both their beau-

tiful designs and extensive selection of flavors. By classify-
ing his chocolates into distinct flavor categories—such as
balsamic, roasted, fruity, citrus, herbal, and floral—Richart
is expanding connoisseurs’s understanding of what makes
different chocolates unique.

Richart was started by Michel’s father, Joseph Richart in the

Croix Rousse district of Lyon, France in 1925. Today the
company has boutiques in Lyon, Strasbourg, San Francisco,
New York, Boston, Tokyo, and Seoul. ❍

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