Meet Petronila, an indigenous woman from the Bri Bri tribe in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. I had learned about Doña Petronila on the Internet before I went to CR. I was amazed to find out that she lives on a cocoa plantation and that she makes chocolate and invites the public to come to her home to watch the chocolate making process. I was determined to find her when I got to Puerto Viejo. I found some tour companies that mentioned her but you had to pay a hefty price and go with a guide, etc. I wasn't interested in going with a guide and I set out to find her on my own. I went for a few services at a spa called P.U.R.E. Jungle Spa and one of my body treatments involved them spreading organic chocolate and crushed coffee beans all over my body. It was amazing and I loved every minute of it....it felt like I had been dipped in a bowl of warm baker's chocolate. Anyway... I asked the girl doing my service if she had ever heard of Petronila and she gasped. Guess what... Petronila makes the chocolate used in the spa services! I got the info that I needed to be able to find her and my mom and I went to her house and had a wonderful time. She was so fun and a great teacher. The chocolate was super yummy and I really learned a lot!
Roasting the cacao beans
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