Copoazú

Copoazú, or cacao blanco (Theobroma grandiflorum), is a tree of the cocoa family, native of eastern Amazonia. It is found mainly in Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. In Peru, it is concentrated in the Madre de Dios department, particularly in the provinces of Tambopata and Tahuamán. These are agricultural and forestry areas where copoazù grows together with other cultures, such as chestnuts, plane trees and pacae.
The best conditions for the growth of this plant are found in the ecosystem of the humid tropical forest, where cocoa plants can grow to about 18 meters.
Fruits are brown, elongated and weigh on average about 1.5 kg. They contain several seeds and a whitish, slightly acidic flesh with a distinctive flavor.
Both seeds and the flesh are used in the kitchen: the flesh is eaten fresh or used to make drinks, jams, desserts and ice creams. The seeds, instead, are used to make cupulate, a product with almost the same nutritional and organoleptic features as cocoa.
A byproduct of cupulate is a white colored butter, locally known as manteca, with interesting cosmetic properties.
Copoazù is not very well known and widespread in Peru, however it has a high potential for the local economy of the Amazonian populations.