NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CANDY DAY is today.
For Chocolate Devotes, this is a Jackpot day, second only to Valentine's Day!
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| December 28th! |
National Chocolate Candy Day offers an opportunity for us to polish off the last of the specialty candies we received as gifts. Celebrated on December 28th, the day points us to the truffles and chocolate oranges tucked into stockings.
Remember to check those boxes of candy that may or may not have guides to help us choose cream-filled or ganache.
The word “chocolate” comes from the word “xocoatl” or “chocolatl.” Mayan “school” means hot or bitter, and the Aztec “atl” means water. Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia and grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. The earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds is from around 1100 BC.
But before it was ever made into a sweet candy, it was ground into a beverage. In ruling class society, the beverage was used for medical purposes.
In 1828, Dutch inventor and chemist, Coenraad Van Houten, developed a way to produce chocolate in solid form. His hydraulic press made it possible to remove the cocoa butter from the cacao. His invention leads to producing a powder opening the way for the first chocolate confections. It’s thanks to Van Houten we can enjoy the variety of chocolates we do today.
Chocolate Facts
Whitman’s produced their first box of chocolate in 1842.
In 1847, British chocolate company J.S. Fry & Sons combined cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and sugar producing the first edible chocolate bar.
The invention of the conching machine by Rodolphe Lindt in 1879 ushered in mass production of the creamy treat.
The first chocolate Easter egg was made sometime in the early 19th century. In 1875 John Cadbury introduced his first chocolate egg.
When Allied troops stormed the beach of Normandy on D-Day, part of emergency rations and in soldiers’ packs included the D ration bar designed by Hershey Chocolate company for the U.S. Army.
Americans consume 12 pounds of chocolate each year (5.4kg per person).
Australians consume 32kg of chocolate person person per year.
The British consume an average of 11kg per person per year (3 bars a week).
Canadians eat an average of 6.4 kilos of chocolate a year, which, based on an average bar size, is at least 160 chocolate bars per year, per person.
The Swiss were the top consumers per capita, with each person eating an average of almost 12 kilos a year. That is 26 pounds! Wow!!
When someone says 'chocolate' this is what my mind locks onto:
Who doesn't remember, and still love, this classic "I Love Lucy" episode filmed at See's Candy?
If you love chocolate, you may wish to join in on the celebration.
HOW TO OBSERVE #ChocolateCandyDay
There are so many different kinds of chocolate candy.
What’s your favorite?
Do you enjoy a piece or two or three?
Do you have leftovers?
How do you plant on celebrating National Chocolate Candy Day this year?
Are you hosting a family/ Social Distancing chocolate candy party? This is the perfect way to taste and sample all the varieties. A way to discover new favorites.
Or how about a Zoom tasting event--that's one way to gauge the effects of a 'sugar rush' on your family, friends, and co-workers.
Here's a little known candy fact.
Did you know the center of a Butterfinger Candy Bar contains melted Candy Corn, peanut butter, and finely chopped salted peanuts? Yep. I always ignore the Candy Corn during Autumn , 'cos I don't like/or eat candy corn (or so I thought) Butterfinger Candy Bars happen to be one of my faves!
Watch for my new 2021 releases:
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A very fun choice. One of my favorite memories is of making a tour of the Hershey Chocolate factory, riding on a conveyer belt past all the vats and processes and learning a bit about the making of chocolate. Keep writing
ReplyDeleteFor many years I autographed my books at the Chocolate Affaire in Glendale Arizona. The February event no longer exists, but I have fond memories of Mr. Ceretta (Ceretta candy factory, a sponsor of the event) bringing us authors chocolate covered strawberries. What a treat.
ReplyDeleteDelicious post--From Hershey, PA I salute your love of chocolate! Janet must have toured here a long time ago--the new factory is top secret now, with no visitors allowed. I arrived in town 38 years ago, so I too had the actual factory tour. The heat and noise was tremendous.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite is anything from Lindt, love them--too much. Interesting to hear about the inventor, and how it all began.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and informative blog post. I love chocolate!! We toured a candy factory in St. Augustine, FL. They built a set so tourists could have their picture taken at the belt just like Lucy and friend. Fun idea. But the best part of the tour was the samples supplied at the end. YUM.
ReplyDelete