Coca is the name of a shrub, Erythroxylon Coca. The coca leaves contain many alkaloids, one of which, cocaine, has gained notoriety as a narcotic, leading to the mistaken idea that coca equals cocaine.
Cacao is the name of a tree, Theobroma Cacao. The botanical name of cacao is Theobroma cacao, first defined by Carolus Linnaeus. The word ‘cacao’ is derived from the Olmec and the subsequent Mayan languages (Kakaw).
Cocoa is the name of a product, viz., the powdered fruit of the Theobroma Cacao, from which a part of the oil has been extracted. Cocoa is a beverage prepared from the above with milk and sugar.
Couverture: a glossy chocolate used for enrobing (couverture is French for “blanket”).
Cocoa liquor, cocoa mass: Also known as chocolate liquor, this is composed of roasted and ground cocoa nibs.
Chocolate is a beverage prepared from the crushed unexpressed fruit of the theobroma. The word ‘chocolate’ is derived from the Nahuatl (the Aztec language) term ‘cacahuatl’, which is in turn derived from Olmec/Mayan etymology. Chocolate is the term applied to a confection made from the above with sugar.
Alkalized Cocoa Powder: Dutch process powders which have been treated with alkali. They range from very light reddish brown to dark reddish-brown in color, and mild cocoa flavor to strong cocoa flavor.
Words and terminology of chocolate
