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| Chocolate Trivia! |
| The Swiss lead the world in chocolate consumption per capita. Americans eat roughly 10 lbs of chocolate per person, per year. While this is far less than some of its European counterparts, the huge population of the US makes it the leader in the world chocolate consumpution. Mozart made reference to chocolate in his opera, cosi fan tutte. African countries got into the cocoa marke relatively late in the game, in the early 1800's African countries produce nearly double the tonnage of South American plantations. Chkocolate was first manufactured in the USA by the Johnm Harmon Company in 1765. Gianduja is the name given to the popular chocolate and hazelnut confection of Italy. The cacao tree was introduced to Hawaii around 1830. The Dutch have a way of manufacturing that raises the pH balance of chocolate. When the fat is removed from the cocoa bean, it is called cocoa butter. Press cake is the residue that is left after cocoa butter has been removed from the bean. Research shows that cocoa, like red wine, contains substantial amounts of flavonoid phenolics which may lower the risk of heart disease. Cocoa is roughly 20% protein, 40% carbohydrate and 40% fat. When Cortez arrived in Mexico, he found the native Mayans and Aztescs using the beans extensively in trade. When they had too much "money" to spend, they brewed the beans into hot chcolate drinks. The nation that produces the most chocolate is the United States. Holland's cocoa powder has long been considered among the b4est in the world. It was Dutch industrialist van Houten who invented the cocoa press. |
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