Day 2 in Ecuador started with an early morning at 5:30. We went up to the rooftop and Skip used his drone to take videos and pictures of us. We went to breakfast at the hotel where we were served eggs, bread with jam, and fruit (cantaloupe and pineapple). After breakfast we walked to our first chocolate tour of the day in Quito called Yumbos. In this we had a chocolate tasting, where we first started with the 100% chocolate which was very bitter or as the chocolatier would say, strong. We then tasted many different flavors: ginger, lemon grass, coffee bean, chile and salt, tangerine, mint, and other chocolates of different percents of cocoa. We also tasted a brownie and hot chocolate. They were very delicious together because the brownie was very sweet and the hot chocolate was not sweet, so they balanced each other very well. We also learned a bit about the process of going from the cacao bean to the chocolate bar.
When the tasting was over, we visited a gorgeous church filled with lots of gold. After, we had some free time and a big group of us went to get lunch at Hasta la Vuelta Señor. Maggie and I shared Arroz Especial, Locro Quiteño, and Humita de sal. The rice dish was my favorite, but it was all very delicious!
After lunch, we went to a chocolate factory called Bios to taste and learn more about chocolate. We tasted many different flavors and also ones with inclusions. We even tried the cocoa gummy bears and freeze-dried sugar from the white part of the cacao bean. After, we did a tour of the factory and saw all of the machines and processes they use in creating their chocolate. We got to put our heads under the chocolate fountain which was so fun! He also gave us strawberries, bananas, and bread to dip in the chocolate fountain. We then learned to wrap chocolates and were able to take home any that we wrapped. I bought four different bars. David, the chocolatier, even showed us the shrunken heads that his great grandfather traded for chocolate.
After this, we took a bus ride to the lodge in Cayambe. We were given dinner as soon as we got there which was one big taco with ground beef, black beans, cheese and guacamole. We then went to the cabin and Antonio helped us to create a bonfire. We all gathered around and listened to music. It was a busy but very tasty day with all the chocolate.
