Today is World Chocolate Day. Apparently they day of July 7 was chosen as it was believed to be the day chocolate first arrived in Europe in 1550. I’m not sure who was keeping track, but they can probably tell from the brown, smudgy fingerprints on the shipping legers of the time.
As with most days of this type, there is more than one. The United States has a Chocolate Day on October 28. (Really? Just before Halloween?) Also one on September 13, which was Milton Hersey’s birthday. Ghana, which is the second largest chocolate producer in the world, celebrates on February 14 which seems a good fit. And there are others, like milk chocolate day, white chocolate day, cocoa day… there are a lot of days that celebrate chocolate.
Making chocolate is not as easy as you might think. You take the cocoa beans and have to ferment them. Then you roast, dry, temper and mold. And probably a few other steps. And actual solid chocolate, like a chocolate bar, didn’t come along until the mid-1800s. Before that, people were just drinking the stuff. There were even special houses where those who could afford it could go to have a cup of chocolate.
There are a lot of different ways to enjoy chocolate, and many of us do on a regular basis. Probably more than we should. But it is just one of those treats a lot of people crave.
Although along with being World Chocolate Day, this is also strawberry sundae day. It wouldn’t be wrong to celebrate the two together, would it. Like at the same time. In the same bowl.
I think I need to pick up a few things on the way home.
