Moses Mendelssohn, the grandfather of the well-known German composer, was far from being handsome. Along with a rather short stature, he had a grotesque hunchback.

One day he visited a merchant in Hamburg who had a lovely daughter named Frumtje. Moses fell hopelssly in love with her. But Frumtje was repulsed by his misshapen appearance.

When it came time for him to leave, Moses gathered his courage and climbed the stairs to her room to take one last opportunity to speak with her. She was a vision of heavenly beauty, but caused him deep sadness by her refusal to look at him. After several attempts at conversation, Moses shyly asked, "Do you believe marriages are made in heaven?"

"Yes," she answered, still looking at the floor. "And do you?"

"Yes, I do," he replied. "You see, in heaven at the birth of each boy, the Lord announces which girl he will marry. When I was born, my future bride was pointed out to me. The the Lord added, 'But your wife will be humpbacked.'

"Right then and there I called out, 'Oh Lord, a humpbacked woman would be a tragedy. Please, Lord, give me the hump and let her be beautiful.'"

The Frumtje looked up into his eyes and was stirred by some deep memory. She reached out and gave Mendelsshon her hand and later became his devoted wife.

- Barry & Joyce Vissell  

Valentine's Day - Chocolate 2

At the court of Montezuma, the Aztec ruler of Mexico, in 1519, Hernán Cortés was served xocoatl, a bitter cocoa-bean drink. He introduced to Spain in the 16th century. In the royal court of Spain the beverage was sweetened generously, flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla, and served hot. The drink, called cocoa, was a sensation. King Ferdinand issued an order that no one was to disclose knowledge of the new beverage under the penalty of death. The beverage remained a Spanish secret for almost a hundred years before its introduction to Europe.

By 1606 chocolate found its way to Italy. The Italians soon set out in search of their own sources of cocoa. Chocolate reached France as part of the dowry for the marriage of the Spanish princess Maria Theresa to King Louis XIV. On sampling the drink the French royalty swooned over its rich taste. From there the drink went to England, when in 1657 a Frenchman opened a chocolatery in London. At this shop solid chocolate for making the beverage could be purchased at 10 to 15 shillings a pound. At this price only the wealthy could afford to drink it. There then began to appear in London, Amsterdam, and other European capitals fashionable chocolate houses, some of which later developed into famous clubs. Around 1700 the English improved chocolate by the addition of milk to the beverage.

Chocolate manufacture started in the American colonies in 1765 at Dorchester, Massachusetts. Here they used beans brought in by New England sea captains from their voyages to the West Indies. James Baker financed the first mill, which was operated by an Irish immigrant, John Hanan. Waterpower was used for grinding the beans.

Chocolate remained only a beverage until the 19th century - but that's another story... Tomorrow part 3

Sources:
The Browser's Book of Beginnings and Origins of Everything under, and Including the Sun - Charles Panat | Encyclopaedia Britannica |

LOVE Quotation

To keep your marriage brimming,
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you're wrong admit it,
Whenever you're right, shut up.

– Ogden Nash