A bean in the hand
A visitor to the plantation holds a dark brown cacao seed in her hand. The seed, which has been dried and roasted, is about the size of a silver dollar coin. Its shell has been cracked open, revealing the nib inside. (Learn more)
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Before the arrival of Spanish conquerors in the late 15th century, cacao seeds were used as a form of currency in much of what is now Central America and Mexico. Because of their size and durability, they could be easily transported and stored for years without spoiling.
Photographs and text by Janel Monroe
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