1. A Brief History of Chocolate

2.  A product of the cacao tree, chocolate is made from seeds the tree produces, called cacao beans (they’re also known as cocoa beans). Cacao from the tropical rainforests of the Americas was discovered by the Mayans. ~Cacao Tree~

3.  The Mayans would take the cacao seeds and ferment them, roast them, and grind the seeds into a paste which was mixed with water, Chile peppers, cornmeal, and various spices. This made a bitter, frothy drink called “Xocoatl.”

4.  When the Spanish conquered the Aztecs in the 1500s, they defeated entire populations of Aztecs and took the cacao home to Europe.

5.  Europeans then adapted the recipe because of the bitter flavor, adding sugar, cinnamon and other sweet spices, creating what is known as hot chocolate in today’s world. YUMMY!

6.  With the Industrial Revolution came new ways of making chocolate. New inventions and advertising paved the way for solid chocolate candy to become the globally favored sweet it is today.

7.  The largest candy bar ever made weighed over 5,000 pounds and was made in Italy in 2000. The largest slab of fudge was over 2,000 pounds and was made in Canada.  Chocolate syrup was used for the blood in the famous shower scene in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho.  The average American eats 10-12 pounds (4.5 kg) of chocolate a year. The average Swiss eats 21 pounds a year.  Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows cacao beans to produce chocolate.  Several medical studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong your life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholesterol.