Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Chocolates!



Being a chocolate person, besides enjoying the heavenly experience, I'm also interested to know more about chocolates and hence picked up a book from library. Chocolate by Sara Jayne Stanes is a little and easy to read book - perfect for me since I'm a lazy reader. ;p

Here are some interesting info which I have gathered from the book and would like to share with you...

1. Cocoa was first used as a gift by the Mayans (600 BC to AD 800) who used the cocoa beans as a prenuptial acknowledgement between bride and groom.


2. ~ 1518 to 1520s, cocoa bean was even used as a currency ($$$) - e.g. a slave costs 100 beans and a rabbit costs 30 beans.

3. Early consumption of chocolate was in liquid form (cocoa nibs were grounded using a metate and a metalpili, rolled into a lump, grated and then add water) and no sugar (instead, some herbs and spices were added) was added to the drink.

4. In the mid-seventeenth century, the nuns of Puebla in Mexico discovered the idea of adding sugar to cocoa drink.

5. Natural cocoa bean contains around 300 different flavours and 400 separate aromas!

6. Top quality chocolate is made from 70% cocoa solids and 30% sugar and refining was done to reduce the size of the solid particles to less than 20 microns.



Christmas is coming soon! Everywhere I go, I can see lots of chocolates (in different shapes, sizes, flavours...and even organic ones) piling up on the shelves. Have you bought some for Christmas?


Merry X'mas and Have Fun! :)


15 comments:

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

Merry X'mas!! :)

Lori said...

Im dieting....no chocolate for me:( Happy WW and thanks for stopping by:) Merry Christmas.

DNLee said...

happy ww

Judith said...

ooooo chocolate!! too much of it at Christmas time.. Happy Christmas, Judith

Little Inbox said...

Hi Dora, wishing you and your family Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Food Lover said...

Merry Christmas!

Andrea said...

I loooove chocolate and hopefully can get a couple handfuls (at least) of it yet! ;) Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm...chocolate... I was pleasantly surprised when my Dr. told me to start eating chocolate when I have low blood sugar. What a wonderful doctor! :)
Happy Wednesday!

Food For Tots said...

Dark chocolate is always my hubby's favourite. Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!

Mojo said...

Chocolate as currency? Who knew? I guess I'm not surprised though... way we still use it that way -- after a fashion.

An encyclopedia of choco-facts here!

Susan Demeter said...

Merry Christmas and all the best in 2009 :)

Anonymous said...

I love chocolates. Royce chocolates is one of my favorites!

Merry Christmas to you and your family :-)

bluedreamer27 said...

aahhhhhh Chocolates ...cudburry products are sooo good i love toblerone as well and even Hersheys
hello dora how's your Christmas>> hope you had a great one
have a great day my friend and may God bless you always

Unknown said...

Wow! I now know more about cocoa. :) I LOVE chocolate - it's my friend. :)

tigerfish said...

Yum yum! Dark chocs are my fav!