A Brief History of Chocolate

[Michie]

In 2017, two members of a Russian crime syndicate in the United States were charged with the transport and sale of 10,000 pounds of “stolen chocolate confections.” The indictment didn’t mention whether the thieves took a few bites for themselves, but if they did have a sweet tooth they’d hardly be alone: Napoleon Bonapartewas a fan of chocolate, which was said to be his drink of choice when working late. Thomas Jefferson fell in love with it while serving as minister to France, and proclaimed that it might soon be more popular than tea or coffee. And though she probably never said “let them eat cake,” Marie Antoinette wasknown to enjoy hot chocolate, which was served at the Palace of Versailles.

Chocolate’s worldwide popularity streak has lasted centuries, but it wasn’t always the sweet, easily accessible treat we know today. So what is chocolate, and how did it transform from sacred beverage to sweet snack?

Continued below.
A Brief History of Chocolate

 

[Joyous Song]

In 2017, two members of a Russian crime syndicate in the United States were charged with the transport and sale of 10,000 pounds of “stolen chocolate confections.” The indictment didn’t mention whether the thieves took a few bites for themselves, but if they did have a sweet tooth they’d hardly be alone: Napoleon Bonapartewas a fan of chocolate, which was said to be his drink of choice when working late. Thomas Jefferson fell in love with it while serving as minister to France, and proclaimed that it might soon be more popular than tea or coffee. And though she probably never said “let them eat cake,” Marie Antoinette wasknown to enjoy hot chocolate, which was served at the Palace of Versailles.

Chocolate’s worldwide popularity streak has lasted centuries, but it wasn’t always the sweet, easily accessible treat we know today. So what is chocolate, and how did it transform from sacred beverage to sweet snack?

Continued below.
A Brief History of Chocolate

JS: tanks for the history but I'm afraid this triggers another story, sorry. Anyway a friend of our son who was from Brazil said he hated American Chocolate. Well Christ, growing up near enough to Buffalo to ave tasted Buffalo's specialty chocolates challenged him to taste this "real chocolate".

So when he visited us we took him to Watrson's Candy in Kenmore (just outside"commercial American chocolate is bad, but local chocolate is delicious.