During a conference call with Josef Zotter & his daughter Julia in the summer of 2010, the subject of fermentation arose. Discussed were all sorts of innovative techniques ranging from the small tray method (as opposed to the more traditional large cascading boxes) to perforated seeds (allowing for easier penetration of the cacáo pulp) & additives to spike the ferment pile (the likelihood in one controversial chocolate).

Julia Zotter reacted with "hmmmm, fascinating because I'm going to Brazil next month".

There she conducted a research project. The result of her experimentation is this bar.

Cacáo usually ferments in its own pulp. That pulp imparts key pre-cursors which shape a finished chocolate’s flavor. Adding the pulp of other tropical fruits to the mix at the fermentation stage is hardly anything new. Admitting it is however. As well as... well, refreshing.

Julia added bananenfruchtfleisch (= 'banana fruit pulp' in German) to essentially the same seed lot used in the label's Brasilien 60.

They're harvested, fermented & dried as usual; then twice-fermented -- the second time around with banana fruit pulp & dried again. The flavor transfer tastes apparent yet just a soft notch above subtle.

Incidentally, the Zotters also relate some C-spot™ kind-of-liner-notes on how Julia plucks chickens with a machete & deals with tarantulas & poisonous snakes.

Hmm, could they be part of her next fermentation experiment?