February was the perfect month to shower those you love with affection and gifts from the heart. With chocolate being at the top of the list, did you know that centuries ago chocolate was strictly a beverage? Yes, that is how it was enjoyed for ages!
Chocolate has been around for about 2000 years and although it is probably the most popular candy, not many people know its origins. The ‘cacao’ plant was named by the Mayans as early as 500 AD. Both they and the Aztecs believed the cacao bean had magical properties. They also enjoyed drink-ing it in a frothy bitter form and using it as currency. It wasn’t until the Spanish invaded the Aztecs that the cacao drink was brought to Europe and became well accepted after honey or cane sugar was added to the mix-ture. It was a "fashionable" drink in Europe, and those who could afford it would enjoy drinking their chocolate in new coffee houses all across London.
As cacao became more readily available, people began experimenting with it and chocolate was found in cakes, sorbets, pasries and more. It wasn't until the mid 1800's that chocolate debuted in the solid candy form that we all enjoy today. The secret to making the chocolate bar was adding powdered milk and making the mixture more blendable and therefore tastier!
Thanks to the breakthroughs of Swiss Chem-ist Henri Nestle (yes, Nestle chocolate!) and Rudolphe Lindt, the process of making fine choc-olate hasn’t needed much changing since the late 1800’s. Today, chocolate production is more than a $4 billion dollar industry in the United States.
If you are up for a ‘mug of chocolate’ experience, stop by the Cafe Leonidas in the Walnut Creek neighborhoodat 1397 N Main Street. I hear the Belgian chocolate is the best and the truffles are to die for!
Renee White Keller Williams Realty East Bay Top Producing Team 2011/2012
925-876-2411 renee@reneewhite.com www.ReneeWhite.com
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