Chocolate Surprise Day
On October 12, the world celebrates Chocolate Surprise Day
On this day, the inhabitants of the planet give each other all kinds of chocolate gifts Candies filled with praline, bars, eggs with toys and other delicacies made from cocoa beans await gift givers in stores
October 12 was chosen for this holiday for a reason: it takes us back to those distant times when people discovered chocolate
On this day, in 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed with an expedition to an unfamiliar continent, which turned out to be America
The exact place where chocolate originated remains a mystery Historians point to Mexico, where the Olmec Indians grew the first cocoa trees Later this tradition was continued by the Maya tribe With the arrival of the Aztecs, chocolate became a food available only to the upper classes
When the Spanish arrived in South America, chocolate consumption spread among the conquistadors arriving from this sunny European country The Spaniards, being great lovers of all kinds of culinary inventions, created new versions of the delicacy with the addition of sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and improved the methods of preparing the sweet mass
Chocolate gradually reached European countries, where it became a popular dessert among aristocrats, becoming part of everyday, but at the same time luxurious dinners Also, its consumption has become a habit of regulars at social gatherings
During the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, chocolate consumption spread to the rest of the population Its low price due to improved production technology has made this product an affordable food product Since then, chocolate consumption has only increased, and this trend has continued to this day
Chocolate has become a world-famous food product, also thanks to the ability to cultivate it in areas of the equator, affecting many countries Some of the cocoa producing countries are Panama, where most of Europe's cocoa comes from, as well as Colombia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon or the Philippines
Chocolate tops the list of convenient foods, that is, those that a person thinks of when he wants to quickly satisfy his hunger and bring himself joy
High-quality chocolate consists exclusively of cocoa butter, and the higher the percentage, the higher the quality, cocoa powder, soy lecithin (for emulsification) and sugar If you add milk, you get milk chocolate
This sweet product is surrounded by dozens of myths, but most of them are false It does not cause acne, does not pose a risk of addiction and, unfortunately, is by no means an aphrodisiac Chocolate is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce stress thanks to phenylethylamine
Columbus received chocolate as a gift from the Indians, and another Spanish conqueror, Hernan Cortes, gave it to his troops when he discovered its energetic power and realized that you could get enough of chocolate
Of course, to celebrate Chocolate Surprises Day, you should give this delicacy as a gift to your loved ones When choosing, be guided by the following characteristics of this product:
• uniform bright brown color, without any defects, bubbles or dents; • aroma: the stronger the smell of chocolate, the better it is; • dry, brittle sound when dividing the bar into pieces; • the ability to melt in the mouth
When giving the recipient chocolate, gently remind him that this delicacy cannot be stored in the refrigerator It’s worth finding a dry and dark place in the room for it, or better yet, eat it right away!