Chocolateism

Chocolate

2008-05-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Quotes

2008-05-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

"We heard one evening, under the eye of the imperturbable Paul, a foreign lady ask for a milk chocolate drink to accompany a fillet of sole Cubat, the chefs specialty. Sacrilege! Just as well that Marcel Proust and Boni de Castellane were not here to see that."
Simon Arbellot de Vacqueur, French journalist (1897-1965)

"Look, there's no metaphysics on earth like chocolates."
Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese poet (1888-1935)

"Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate."
Sandra Boynton

"Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!"
Unknown

"As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate."
Sandra Boynton, ‘Chocolate: The Consuming Passion’

"Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go."
Truman Capote

"There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who love chocolate, and communists."
Leslie Moak Murray in ‘Murray's Law’ comic strip

Chocolate Fountain

2008-05-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

Choco Facts

2008-04-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

The fruit of the Cacao tree grow directly from the trunk. They look like small melons, and the pulp inside contains 20 to 50 seeds or beans

It takes about 400 beans to make a pound of chocolate..

Cocoa and chocolate are rich in minerals that the body needs, including magnesium and iron.

Chocolate has properties that combat Heart disease-tanks to flavanoids from the cocoa plant.

Chocolate is the traditional gift of love, ranking right up there with roses as the most romantic gift one can give.

“Giri Choco” is a japanese custom which means “duty chocolate.” It calls for employees to give chocolates to their managers as a token of loyalty.

The botanical name of the chocolate plant is Theobramba cacao, which means “Food of the Gods.”

The term “white chocolate” is a misnomer. Under Fedaral Standards of Identity, real chocolate must contain chocolate liquor. “White” chocolate contains no chocolate liquor.

In 2000, the total chocolate consumption in the U.S. was 3.3 billion pounds.

The British eat 16½ pounds and the Swiss, who invented milk chocolate, consume the most at 22 pounds per person.

Chocolate is America's favorite flavor. A recent survey revealed that 52 percent of U.S. adults said they like chocolate best.

Seventy-one percent of American chocolate eaters prefer milk chocolate.

Chcolate Making Machinery

2008-04-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Quotes

2008-04-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

"Fruit of all the kinds that the country produced were laid before him; he ate very little, but from time to time a liquor prepared from cocoa, and of an aphrodisiac nature, as we were told, was presented to him in golden cups.....I observed a number of jars, above fifty, brought in, filled with foaming chocolate. of which he took some....."
Bernal Diaz del Castillo, member of Cortez's force, describing a meal of emperor Montezuma (1519)

“When you have breakfasted well and fully, if you will drink a big cup of chocolate at the end you will have digested the whole perfectly three hours later, and you will still be able to dine..Because of my scientific enthusiasm and the sheer force of my eloquence I have persuaded a number of ladies to try this, although they were convinced it would kill them; they have always found themselves in fine shape indeed, and have not forgotten to give the Professor his rightful due.”
Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
The Physiology of Taste (1825)

"which they use as money, and is produced on a moderately sized tree that flourishes only in very warm and shady localities.....The fruit is like almonds, lying in a shell resembling a gourd in size. It ripens in a year, and being plucked when the season has arrived, they pick out the kernels and lay them on the mats to dry; then when thy wish for the beverage, they roast them in an earthen pan over the fire, and grind them with the stones which they use for preparing bread [metate]. Finally, they put the paste into cups . . . and mixing it gradually with water, some times adding a little of their spice, they drink it, though it seems more suited for pigs than men. I was upwards of a year in that country without ever being induced to taste this beverage, and when I passed through a tribe, if an Indian wished occasionally to give me some, he was very much surprised to see me refuse it and went away laughing. But subsequently, wine failing, and unwilling to drink nothing but water, I did as others did. The flavor is somewhat bitter, but it satisfies and refreshes the body without intoxicating: the Indians esteem it above everything, wherever they are accustomed to it."
Girolamo Benzoni, describing cocoa beans.
History of the New World (1565)

"the damnable agent of necromancers and sorcerers. It is well to abstain from chocolate in order to avoid the familiarity and company of a nation so suspected of sorcery (Spain)."
French cleric (1620)

"If any man has drunk a little too deeply from the cup of physical pleasure; if he has spent too much time at his desk that should have been spent asleep; if his fine spirits have become temporarily dulled; if he finds the air too damp, the minutes too slow, and the atmosphere too heavy to withstand; if he is obsessed by a fixed idea which bars him from any freedom of thought: if he is any of these poor creatures, we say, let him be given a good pint of amber-flavored chocolate....and marvels will be performed."
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)

Mug of Chocolate

2008-03-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Statistics

2008-03-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

1. The average American eats 10-12 pounds (4.5 kg) of chocolate a year. The average Swiss eats 21 pounds a year.

2. Chocolate is the food most commonly craved by women, but can contribute significantly to bulimia, obesity, and binge eating.

3. Several medical studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong your life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholestorol.

4. Chocolate is not physically addictive and does not cause acne, as shown in several medical studies.

5. Chocolate is not high in caffeine. A 1oz bar of milk chocolate contains only 5-6mg of caffeine. This is significantly less than in coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

6. Chocolates can absorb other flavors and scents, and should be kept away from other household chemicals.

7. Chocolate can be frozen for up to six months. It is best to seal chocolate in a zip lock bag before freezing.

8. In genearl, the shelf life for chocolate is a year. Chocolate that is refrigerated may not melt as readily. Thus it is best to store chocolate in cool dry areas 55-60 degrees F.

9. U.S. chocolate manufacturers use 3.5 million pounds of whole milk every day to make chocolate.

10. The largest chocolate bar ever made weighed over 5,000 pounds and was made in Italy in 2000. The largest slab of fudge was over 2,000 pounds and was made in Canada.

11. Children are more likely to prefer chocolate when they reach 10-11 years old than when they are younger.

12. Chocolate is America's favorite flavor, according to recent surveys with a little over 50% of adults preferring chocolate to other flavors.

Cocoa Pods

2008-03-02T22:09:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Quotations

2008-02-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

“The Spanish ladies of the New World are madly addicted to chocolate, to such a point that, not content to drink it several times each day, they even have it served to them in church.”
Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
The Physiology of Taste (1825)

"If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?"
Marquise de Sévigné
(French writer and lady of fashion) February 11, 1677

“Carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested; that it does not cause the same harmful effects to feminine beauty which are blamed on coffee, but is on the contrary a remedy for them.”
Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
The Physiology of Taste (1825)

"Caramels are only a fad. Chocolate is a permanent thing."
Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945)
Founded Hershey Chocolate Co 1903.

"Ten years ago taffy cut up into various shapes, and variously flavored, was the favorite. Then gum drops couldn't be made fast enough to meet the call. Dealers began putting brandy and cordials into them, and with that the demand fell off, and the gum drop furore was killed. At one time New York women would scarcely eat any confectionery but cream-stuffed dates. Then fig paste had a run of about two years. Chocolate creams and chocolate caramels have had a long run, and promise to have an enduring demand, but new fashions may start up at any time."
anonymous, The Candy Maker (1878)

Chocolate

2008-02-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

History of Chocolate...

2008-02-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

Christopher Columbus is believed to be the first European to discover chocolate. When Columbus returned to Spain in 1502 from his fourth voyage to the New World, he introduced many treasures to the court of King Ferdinand. Among them were cocoa beans, almond-shaped seeds from the cacao tree that are the source of all the chocolate and cocoa products we enjoy today.
A few decades later, during his conquest of Mexico, the Spanish explorer, Hernando Cortez, found Aztec Indians using cocoa beans to prepare a drink called "chocolatl", meaning "warm liquid". The Aztec Emperor Montezuma, who reportedly drank 50 or more portions daily, served guests this royal drink in ceremonial golden goblets, treating it like a nectar for the gods.

In fact, the cacao tree's botanical name, Theobroma cacao, pays homage to its mythical origins. Translated from the Greek, "theobroma" means "food of the gods". The Aztecs held that prophets had brought cocoa beans to their lands. Thus, the beans were a valued commodity, not only for use as a kingly drink but also as a medium of exchange. Four cocoa beans was the price of a turkey, for example.

Cortez, who described chocolatl as "the divine drink ... which builds up resistance and fights fatigue", and his countrymen, conceived the idea of sweetening the bitter drink with cane sugar. The recipe for the sweetened frothy beverage underwent several more changes in Spain, where newly discovered spices such as cinnamon and vanilla were added as flavorings.

Spain wisely began to plant cacao trees in its overseas possessions, but consigned the processing of cocoa beans to monasteries under a veil of secrecy. They kept the recipe to themselves for nearly 100 years, but the secret was finally leaked to the rest of Europe. As first, chocolate was restricted to the nobility. In fact, the Spanish Princess Maria Theresa presented cocoa beans as an engagement gift to Louis XIV, and soon chocolate was the rage of the fashionable Court of France. The famous historic figures Casanova and Madame DuBarry both believed that chocolate was conducive to romance. So popular did chocolate become that in 1657 the first of many English "chocolate houses" was established, to serve the drink to the general public.

Chocolate drinking arrived in the American colonies in 1765, when the first chocolate factory opened in New England. Even Thomas Jefferson extolled chocolate's virtues, describing "...the superiority of chocolate for both health and nourishment".

Mass production of chocolate began when the steam engine, invented by James Watt in 1770, mechanized the cocoa bean grinding process, thereby replacing the time-consuming hand method of manufacture. The invention of the cocoa press in 1828 by C.J. Van Houten did much to improve the quality of the beverage by squeezing out part of the cocoa butter, the fat that occurs naturally in cocoa beans.

In the middle of the 19th century, two significant developments revolutionized the chocolate industry. In 1847, an English company introduced solid "eating" chocolate. Now the public could enjoy chocolate eaten out of the hand as well as in the form of a drink. Three decades later, at Vevey, Switzerland, Daniel Peter found that milk could be added to chocolate to make a new product, appropriately named milk chocolate.

Since that time, chocolate has been manufactured in solid bar form and to enrobe confections, as well as an ingredient in baked goods, ice cream, and flavored milk. The value of chocolate as a portable food for both energy and morale has long been recognized. From the Civil War on, chocolate has been carried into the field by soldiers.

Many Chocolates

2008-01-29T22:15:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Quotes

2008-01-20T14:34:00.000-08:00

“Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands -- and then eat just one of the pieces.”
Judith Viorst (1931)

"What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate."
Katherine Hepburn

“Life is like a box of chocolates.”
Tom Hanks in 'Forrest Gump' (1994)

"What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead."
George Bernard Shaw (British playwright and critic)

"Once in a while I say, 'Go for it' and I eat chocolate."
Claudia Schiffer

Molten Chocolate

2008-01-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

CAFFEINE CONTENT

2008-01-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

White chocolate 3ounce bar or 1 cup chips
Caffeine 0.0 mg
Theobromine 0.0 mg

Baking chocolate unsweetened 1 ounce
Caffeine 57.120 mg
Theobromine 346.360 mg

Semisweet chocolate 1 ounce (chocolate chips)
Caffeine 17.577 mg
Theobromine 137.781mg

Milk Chocolate 1.55 ounce bar
Caffeine 11.440 mg
Theobromine 74.360 mg

Cocoa mix 1 envelope/3 heaping tsp
Caffeine 5.040 mg
Theobromine 169.680 mg

Cocoa powder unsweetened 1 tbsp
Caffeine 12.420 mg
Theobromine 111.078 mg

Chocolate Candy Piece

2007-12-20T22:15:00.000-08:00

Reichstag Chocolate

2007-12-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

Chocolatey Facts

2007-11-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 golden goblets of hot chocolate every day. It was thick, dyed red and flavored with chili peppers.
(Now that’s Hot Chocolate!)

Columbus brought cacao (chocolate) beans back to Spain on his fourth voyage in 1502.

Hershey's Chocolate was introduced in 1900.

Cole Porter got a kick from fudge. He had nine pounds of it shipped to him each month from his hometown.

The fruit of the Cacao tree grow directly from the trunk. They look like small melons, and the pulp inside contains 20 to 50 seeds or beans. It takes about 400 beans to make a pound of chocolate

Never give a dog chocolate, as it contains theobromine, which is a central nervous system stimulant. As little as 2 ounces can be lethal to a small dog.

Bittersweet chocolate is what is usually called for in baking.
It contains more chocolate liquor (at least 35%) and less sugar than sweet chocolate.

Semisweet chocolate contains 15% - 35% chocolate liquor.

Chocolate syrup was used for the blood in the famous shower scene in the Alfred Hitchcock movie 'Psycho'. The scene lasts for about 45 seconds in the movie, but took 7 days to film.

Hawaii is the only state that grows cacao beans to produce chocolate.

In the U.S. chocolate candy outsells all other types of candy combined, by 2 to 1.

Seven billion pounds of chocolate and candy are manufactured each year in the United States.

Americans consumed over 3.1 billion pounds of chocolate in 2001, which is almost half of the total world's production.

There were 1,271 U.S. manufacturing establishments producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2003. These establishments employed 43,379 people and shipped $13.5 billion worth of goods that year. California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments (with 146) followed by Pennsylvania (with 120).

Chocolate Myths

2007-11-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

1) Chocolate causes acne, or eating chocolate can worsen acne . This was once a widely-accepted statement, but further research has shown that eating chocolate does not cause or exacerbate acne. Acne is caused by hormonal imbalances.

2) Chocolate contains caffeine. True, but only a fraction of the amount contained in regular coffee and some teas. Estimates for caffeine in foods and beverages vary widely, but I’ve seen figures ranging from 60 to 100 mg of caffeine in 7 to 8 ounces of instant coffee; in brewed coffee, that figure starts at 80 mg and can go up to 135 mg. Caffeine in tea varies according to tea type. Eight ounces of black tea might contain 40 to 50 mg of caffeine, while the same quantity of green tea would have around half that amount, and white tea has roughly 15 mg of caffeine per 8 ounces. By contrast, 1 ounce of dark chocolate has about 20 mg of caffeine, and an ounce of milk chocolate, half or less of that, 6 to 10 mg.

3) Chocolate causes weight gain. This can be accurate; if you eat too much chocolate, you’ll probably start to put on pounds. However, the same applies to eating too much of almost anything. Yes, chocolate is a high-fat food, and if you’re concerned about your weight you ought to limit your intake of high-fat foods. But chocolate can be enjoyed by most people---in moderation

4) Chocolate causes hyperactivity in kids and/or worsens ADHD. A link between chocolate consumption and hyperactivity in children has not been established. That also applies for any link suggested between sugar consumption and hyperactivity. However, it has been suggested that consumption of chocolate and/or sugar (as well as of some other foods) can cause symptoms that mimic those of ADHD or hyperactivity.

5) Chocolate is an aphrodisiac. An especially popular urban legend. Some evidence suggests that cocoa is, in fact, a mild aphrodisiac. However, chocolate contains over 300 different chemical compounds. Scientists still don’t understand exactly why people react so positively to chocolate or crave it; theories on both subjects are plentiful. Such being the case, it seems reasonable that they might not fully grasp chocolate’s effect on the human brain yet. Certainly, chocolate puts many people in a very good, more relaxed mood---particularly women. And there’s never any telling where a good, relaxed mood can lead you…

6) Chocolate is healthy for you. No it isn’t. Chocolate provides pleasure, it provides comfort, it provides a temporary respite from the many cares of this wearying world. Make all the claims about antioxidants and minerals you want, but those are in pure cocoa powder; when comparing nutritional density with other foods on a per-calorie basis, chocolate scores very poorly.

7) Chocolate raises your cholesterol level. Untrue. Chocolate does contain saturated fat, the type often associated with elevated levels of LDL. But the saturated fat in chocolate consists primarily of both stearic and oleic acids, neither of which has been linked scientifically to higher LDL numbers.

8) Dark chocolate gives some people headaches. While it can be difficult to establish a genuine cause, dark chocolate apparently does give some people headaches. The same people often get headaches from red wine and aged cheeses. Some researchers have associated this with the chemicals in chocolate, including caffeine and theobromine; others say these headaches occur most commonly in those prone to migraines.

9) Chocolate causes cavities. Your dentist will have to find another scapegoat; this is not true. In fact, there is speculation that the cocoa butter in chocolate coats the teeth and prevents plaque from forming. The sugar in chocolate is a contributor to dental cavities, but so is the sugar in any other food. Additionally, chocolate melts quickly in your mouth, so it doesn’t leave a long-lasting residue as do some sticky candies, like taffy.

10) People can be addicted to chocolate. Yet another myth. Chocolate cravings can seem overpowering at times, but chocolate is not a habit-forming drug after the manner of heroin or cocaine.

11) We shouldn’t eat chocolate because producing countries use child slaves to tend and harvest the cocoa beans. This is a complex issue, but the short answer is that child slavery is apparently not nearly as prevalent as had originally been thought. In the late 1990’s, articles alleging that child slavery was common on cacao farms in West Africa began to be published. These led to great outcries. But subsequent reports found that almost all of the children found working on such farms had some degree of kinship to the farmer. Additionally, many did not work full-time. Inhabitants of cacao-producing regions are often poor, and because of that it’s frequently necessary for children in such areas to help on these plantations.

General Chocolatey Stuff

2007-11-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Native to lowland tropical South America, cacao has been cultivated for three millennia in Central America and Mexico, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. All of the Mesoamerican peoples made chocolate beverages, including the Maya and Aztecs, who made it into a beverage known as xocolātl, a word meaning "bitter water". The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After being roasted and ground, the resulting products are known as chocolate or cocoa.

Much of the chocolate consumed today is made into bars that combine cocoa solids, fats like cocoa butter, and sugar. Chocolate has become one of the most popular flavours in the world. Gifts of foil-wrapped chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and hearts on Valentine's Day.

Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and cocoa.

Chocolateism

2007-10-31T15:38:00.001-07:00

Hi! This blog if full of chocolate...sorry... stuff about chocolate - hope you enjoy it!