You would probably say, I know everything about Chocolate, but the truth is there are some facts you are not aware of.
So just take a look at the 10 things you don’t know about Chocolate.
1. July 7 is Chocolate Day: This Holiday was established on July 7, 1550, it was the day chocolate first arrived in England. There is also National Milk Chocolate Day on July 28, International Chocolate Day on September 13, and, of course, National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day on November 7.
2. Chocolate Is Actually a Vegetable—Kind Of: Milk and dark chocolate come from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree (theobroma cacao), an evergreen from the family Malvaceae (other members of the family include okra and cotton). This makes the most important part of the sweet treat a vegetable.
3. White Chocolate Is Not Chocolate: Because it doesn’t contain cocoa solids or chocolate liquor, white chocolate isn’t chocolate in the strict sense. But it does contain parts of the cacao bean—mainly cocoa butter.
4. The Cacao Bean Is Native to Mexico and Both Central and South America: It’s believed that inhabitants of these areas first started cultivating the bean as far back as 1250 BCE, and perhaps even earlier.
5. Hot Chocolate Was The First Chocolate Treat: Cacao was brewed in both Mexican and Aztec culture, though the result was nothing like today’s hot chocolate—it was a typically bitter concoction that was often used for ceremonial occasions like weddings.
6. Cocoa and Cacao Are the Same Thing: The words are interchangeable! It’s all one bean.
7. Milk Chocolate Was Invented in Switzerland: Daniel Peter created the tasty treat in 1875—after eight years of trying to make his recipe work. Condensed milk ended up being the key ingredient.
8. Making Chocolate Is Hard Work: Despite its regal background and revered status, the cacao bean doesn’t just magically turn into chocolate—it takes about 400 beans to make a single pound of the good stuff.
9. The First Chocolate Bar Was Made in England: Way back in 1842, the Cadbury company made the very first chocolate bar. The company is still in existence, and is perhaps most famous for their delightful Easter-themed treats.
10. Chocolate Has a Special Melting Point: Chocolate is the only edible substance to melt around 93° F, just below the human body temperature. That’s why chocolate melts so easily on your tongue.
