With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, and with this being prime chocolate season, I thought it would be fun to share a few facts about chocolate. Most everything on this list is something that was new to me.
10 Fun Facts About Chocolate
1. Cacao beans were reportedly eaten by the Olmec civilization, part of now Mexico, about 2,500 years ago. Along with the Mayans and Aztecs, they were mostly consumed as beverages.
2. Cacao beans are fermented, dried, cleaned, and then roasted to get rid of the very bitter taste.
3. Cacao originated from the Americas, but now Ghana and The Ivory Coast produce about 60% of the world’s supply.
4. Columbus brought back cocoa beans back to Spain around 1504. Spanish friars introduced it to the Spanish court and it took off from there.
5. Dark chocolate has more cacao and less sugar than other chocolates, so it is considered healthier than milk and white chocolate. I like milk chocolate a bit better.
6. It takes 400 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate and each cacao tree produces approximately 2,500 beans. No wonder it’s expensive.
7. According to the BBC, research found that chocolate can actually stimulate your brain and releases more endorphins in the brain than kissing does. Unless you’re kissing Ryan Gosling…
8.White chocolate isn’t technically chocolate. It contains cocoa butter, but doesn’t contain any cocoa powder or cocoa solids that give regular milk and dark chocolate its color or flavor.
Since cocoa butter doesn’t actually taste good on its own, it’s mixed with milk fat, vanilla, and sugar. I don’t care for the taste at all actually.
9. German chocolate cake isn’t from Germany and has nothing to do with the country. It was actually invented in the United States by a baker, Sam German, and was named after him. Huh, never knew that myself.
10. Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest days of the year for chocolate sales around the country. During the week of Valentine’s Day, more than 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold, and makes up a large percentage of yearly chocolate sold in the US. WOW!
Have a great day everyone,
~Mavis
Lauralli says
Have you ever had Italian hot chocolate? I made some last night for the first time and I can’t stop thinking about it. They like theirs more semisweet but I’m adding more milk chocolate when i make it again….probably tonight! 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
No, but I’ve had the real Cadbury hot chocolate in England and it was crazy good. I’ll have to look up Italian hot chocolate.
cindy Miller says
Mavis-The very, very best over the top is Cadbury chocolate from England! I have not had the hot chocolate but I have no doubt it is the very best. Good to know about the German chocolate cake. I never knew a Mr. German invented it. 🙂
Anne Wiebe says
Mr. German had his own branded chocolate bar, called German’s Sweet Chocolate. You can still buy this chocolate bar, and it still called that, but it’s in smaller type under the brand-name Baker’s. https://amzn.to/3oowfLw
The original recipe for German chocolate cake called for that specific chocolate bar.
Lauralli says
I used Female Foodie’s recipe except I used tapioca flour because that’s what I had. I also added a little vanilla.
I’m going to England this spring so I’ll make sure to find me some of the Cadbury hot chocolate, too!
Diana says
Ryan Gosling???
I’m thinking more of Tom Selleck or Sam Elliot.
Cathy says
Yeah, if only…
Linda Practical Parsimony says
Glen Ford!
Lace Faerie says
Ohhh! Me, too! Me, too!
Lace Faerie says
Tom Selleck or Sam Elliot! Hubba Hubba
HollyG says
Sam Elliot grew up near here. My husband teaches at the High School he attended (also The Bionic Woman – Lindsay Wagner). They were both gone before he started, but David Douglas High School is still very proud.
Pat says
Hey Diana, those two guys are mine, all mine!
Gerri G says
I agree! They’re both virile, powerful, and handsome. Love Sma Elliot’s voice. too. But, Ryan is handsome.
Linda Practical Parsimony says
I love all chocolate, even white chocolate. But, dark chocolate is my favorite. I love hot chocolate, but I have to drink ice water to get the chocolate from my mouth and settle my stomach after I finish.
Susie says
Question to everyone: Would you give up chocolate for one kiss from Ryan Gosling?
Mrs. M says
Nope.
Happily married, can have all the kisses from my HH that I want AND still have chocolate!
Terri S. says
Definitely not. Chocolate is too awesome. Lol
Mrs. Mills says
I’m actually married to Sam Elliot’s twin, hair, facial features and body.
Terri S. says
Sam Elliot’s voice is what gets me. So sexy! Of course, the rest of the package isn’t bad either. Lol
Pat says
Lucky you! I am so jealous, but happy for you.
Carolin says
We also make Italian hot chocolate sometimes, but only as a dessert / meal replacement, since it is soo rich and heavy. We put whipped cream on top, a little chocolate sprinkles and add a bit of orange zest.
Living in Switzerland has it perks, because we are surrounded by fantastic, freshly made chocolates and truffes 😀
I prefer the dark variety, don’t care at all about white and not too much about milk chocolate.