A Short History of Chocolate
No one really knows when chocolate was discovered, but the earliest records of it are from approximately 2000BC.
Chocolate was very valuable to the Aztec people (in fact, the Aztec name for chocolate means "gift from the gods"), and the beans were used as currency and given as special gifts, as well as being made into drinks. The Aztec's chocolate drink was made with chili peppers and other spices, so it was not at all sweet.
Chocolate was "discovered" by the Spanish in the 1500s, however, they kept it secret for over one hundred years. The Spanish did not use chili peppers in their chocolate, preferring to drink it hot and sweetened.
When chocolate reached France and England in the 1700s, chocolate houses became very popular, much like today's coffeehouses. The English began adding milk to their chocolate drinks and enjoyed it as an after dinner beverage. The drink eventually traveled to the American colonies, and became very popular after the Boston tea party and the tea boycott.
Nearly a century later, solid chocolate treats were being perfected. In the early 1900s, a Dutchman invented the cocoa press. The cocoa press is used to press the cocoa butter out of cocoa beans. The beans can then be ground and sifted into cocoa powder. Further experimentation and refinement has led to the chocolate we know and love today.
Historical uses of chocolate:
-Wealthy Aztec and Mayan people (cocoa beans were used as currency) believed that they would gain wisdom and power by drinking chocolate.
-Montezuma, purportedly, drank nothing but chocolate, and believed it to be a powerful aphrodisiac.
-Supposedly, Napoleon carried chocolate with him and ate it when he needed quick energy.
-Europeans often drank chocolate to sooth or settle their stomachs.
How to Taste Chocolate
You didn't know you'd been doing it wrong, did you?
To taste and experience chocolate like a professional, follow these easy steps:
Look The piece of chocolate should have a nice, soft shine.
Listen Hold a square of chocolate up to your ear and break it in half. Darker chocolates will have a sharper snap, while white chocolate will be softer.
Smell Hold the chocolate under your nose and take several quick sniffs. White chocolate will smell more like vanilla, milk chocolate will have a delicate chocolate aroma, and dark chocolates will smell stronger.
Taste Finally. Put the chocolate in your mouth and let it melt a little before eating it. The lighter the chocolate, the faster it will melt. This is because lighter chocolates have more cocoa butter. Observe things like texture and other flavors.
Important Things and Terms to Know
Percentages Most chocolate bars indicate a percentage on them. Higher percentage = higher cocoa content. Cocoa butter is separated from the cocoa beans, and during the mixing of chocolate, both butter and cocoa powder made from the beans are mixed with other ingredients.
While you don't need to know exactly what the percentages mean, you should know:
White chocolate contains cocoa butter, but no cocoa powder.
The average milk chocolate is usually 30 – 40 percent cocoa.
Dark chocolate can come in many varieties. 50 – 56 percent is about average. 60 – 70 is quite dark. 70 and higher is very dark and is often bitter.
Vocabulary
Chocolate Liquor – Chocolate, straight from the bean, ground into a liquid. There is no alcohol in it, despite the name.
Cocoa Butter – Natural fat extracted from chocolate liquor. It has little or no aroma.
Cocoa Powder – The solid that is left after the cocoa butter has been extracted from the chocolate liquor. This can also go through a Dutch Process.
Dutch Process – A process that reduces the natural acidity of cocoa powder. It makes the cocoa milder.
Myth vs. Fact
While chocolate does contain fat, there is no evidence that it raises cholesterol.
Chocolate does not cause or aggravate acne. In fact, professional dermatologists do not link acne with diet at all.
Chocolate can be lethal to dogs. Just two ounces of milk chocolate can be fatal for a 10-pound puppy.
While chocolate is not an aphrodisiac, it does contain a natural substance that may stimulate the same bodily reactions as falling in love.
Since chocolate comes from a natural source (Theobroma cacao tree) it contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals including, copper, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
One of the causes of PMS is a drop in pre-menstrual progesterone levels. The addition of magnesium to the diet increases progesterone and eases the symptoms.
Chocolate has the highest natural magnesium content. Magnesium deficiencies can result in: hypertension, heart disease, joint problems, diabetes, and PMS. Eating dark chocolate (with 60 - 70% cocoa) can be very beneficial.
The healthiest chocolate is dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (60 - 70 % or higher) because it is low in sugar and fat and high in nutrients.
Chocolate and You
Storing If chocolate is stored in a warm environment too long, it will develop what is called
bloom. This is grayish blotches and streaks on the outside of the chocolate. This is simply the cocoa butter forming into crystals. It almost always happens on my chocolate chips, but it does not seem to have an adverse effect in baking.
Just store your chocolate some place cool and dry. It can be refrigerated or frozen (for about 6 months) but it probably isn't necessary.
Melting You should
always melt your chocolate in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, you can improvise by filling a medium sized pot with about 1/2 inch of water and placing a smaller pot on top of the larger pot. After your chocolate starts to melt, stir it constantly. I mean that. If you just let it sit there it will seize, meaning that it becomes separated, lumpy and dry. So just keep stirring.