Interesting facts about chocolate. Secrets of chocolate production. Holiday of chocolate

Chocolate refers to certain types of edible products that are obtained from cocoa beans. The latter are the seeds of a tropical tree - cocoa. There are various interesting facts about chocolate, telling about its origin, medicinal properties, contraindications, types and methods of application.

Chocolate is a delicious treat that everyone loves, from the smallest gourmet to the elderly. This is a feast idolized, organizes festivals in its honor, opens museums and devotes whole exhibitions to it. Therefore, chocolate has something to tell.

A little bit from the history of chocolate

For the first time, chocolate appeared among the Aztec, Olmec and Mayan tribes. But how exactly this product arose, from where it came to us, who exactly discovered it for the world, no one knows to this day. But there is a version according to which chocolate comes from Mexico. The supreme god of the Aztecs - Quetzalcoatl - possessed a magnificent fruit garden. A variety of plants grew in it. There were also very unsightly cocoa trees among them, and their fruits had a bitter taste and unusual appearance. The king long thought about how to use these tasteless fruits, and what to do with the trees themselves.

And once, one thought occurred to him: God cleared the cultures of the peel, chopped them to a powdery state and filled it with water. The resultant drink was very popular with Quetzalcoatl, as it inspired joy and gave strength. The drink was called "chocolatl" and after a while found wide distribution among the Indians. As a result, the new dish was given the name "drink of the gods". Christopher Columbus, who visited Mexico, was honored to try this nectar.

Interesting facts about chocolate are associated with Anna Austria. After all, it was thanks to her that this product got to Europe. When the future Queen was 14 years old, she married the King of France, Louis XIII. On a strange land the girl experienced incredible longing. To somehow create the atmosphere of her home and raise her spirits a little, she drank hot chocolate, which she brought with her from her country. Also, Anna brought a huge number of unprecedented earlier in France outlandish fruit and a servant who knew the recipe for making chocolate. Later, the priest used the new drink to teach her husband. Knowing with all my strength I tried to get food and drinks, which the king himself indulged in. That's how chocolate began its spread across the European continent.

Richelieu, Casanova and chocolate

With such famous historical figures as Cardinal Richelieu and ladies' man Casanova, there are also some interesting facts about chocolate. The French cardinal, suffering from many ailments, drank a chocolate drink on the advice of his doctor. Every morning Richelieu used chocolate, not knowing that the doctor secretly adds medicine there. Soon the cardinal recovered. It is not known what gave a greater effect - drugs or still chocolate, but the product has since become the best medication.

Lovelace Giovanni Casanova also started his day with a cup of delicious drink and was sure that his unquenchable "man's power" owes him. Casanova treated him with black liquid chocolate and his mistresses, so that they warmed up a little.

All the fun about chocolate

All the most interesting facts about chocolate we will try to give below. So, for the first time chocolate tiles were made in 1842 by the British factory Cadbury. Today, Côte d'Ivoire is the largest cocoa producer. This state accounts for about 40% of all world shipments of the product. Every year in the world, the proceeds from the sold chocolate exceed 83 million US dollars. But this is not the limit - economists argue that demand in the near future will grow by another 15-20%.

Cocoa trees grow in Central and South America, Southeast Asia and West Africa. To make 400 grams of chocolate, you need to use about 400 cocoa beans. For health, black chocolate is more useful. White and milky variety will not bring as much benefit as their dark "relative" will do.

Many, many years ago, only elite sections of society could afford to use sweet delicacy from cocoa beans. In Barcelona in 1870 the first mechanical machine that made chocolate was designed.

Chocolate Benefits

The benefit of chocolate was noticed by Indian tribes. Modern scientists only confirmed their theories. Thus, it is proved that a cup of hot chocolate helps the wound to heal faster, increases the tone of the body and relieves a person from fatigue. Lovers of chocolate can not worry about the occurrence of such a disease as atherosclerosis. The essential oils contained in the product prevent the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels, and therefore the disease will not develop.

Neurosurgeons and cardiologists also note the benefits of treats. Thus, patients who regularly eat sweets and tiles from cocoa, do not form clots. And the flavonoids, which are present in the product, protect against heart attacks and strokes. 50 grams of goodies every day prevents the development of ulcers and cancers.

The process of producing goodies

The production of chocolate is a long and difficult process that begins with the extraction of cocoa grains from the fruit. They get rid of the gelatinous ball that surrounds them, and leave the beans for fermentation for several days. During this time, the elements that subsequently affect the flavor of cocoa are manifested. Then the grain is again cleaned and roasted at a temperature of 120-140 degrees. During this process, the taste of the final product is formed.

Further chocolate production looks like this: the fried granules are ground into a gruel, which is then finely grinded and cocoa butter and sugar are added. Now you can also add almonds, liquor, milk and other ingredients. In order to give the chocolate sweets and aroma, the resulting mass is cleaned from the smallest grains and mixed in special tanks for several days.

Such a composition is cooled to the temperature at which chocolate looks most appetizing, and is poured into molds. Molding is the final stage of making chocolate. The molds are filled with a liquid mass, then the product cools, it is easily removed from the containers and sent for sale.

Museum expositions

Chocolate is such a popular and favorite treat that almost every country has a chocolate museum. In such an institution you can learn a lot of interesting things about the product and its history, and also try its various kinds. One of the best museums is in Belgium. And this is not surprising, because this country is considered a chocolate state, and its sweets - the best in the world. Located in the city of Bruges in the old castle of Castle of Harze and called Choco-Story. The chocolate collection of the royal dynasty is presented here. The museum has a Choc bar, which sells 44 varieties of chocolate cocktails.

An interesting museum of chocolate is in Prague. The museum of Vladomir Cech is dedicated to chocolate as a drink. A fascinating exposition shows the history of the product. Also there is an interesting exhibition of paintings painted with liquid chocolate. After viewing the exposition, visitors can pass the exam and as a reward get a sweet tile and a few grains of cocoa.

Holiday in honor of chocolate

In addition to the museums dedicated to the delicacy of cocoa, in many countries every year is a cheerful chocolate festival. The most famous is the Eurochocolate festival, which takes place in the Italian city of Perugia. Every year the event is visited by approximately one million people. The holiday gathers about 200 chocolate producers from all over the world.

In Paris, also regularly, local authorities organize a chocolate festival, at which world food manufacturers offer chocolate festival visitors not only to drink and eat, but also to put on themselves. The Parisian celebration is considered the most ambitious on the planet.

Chocolate festival in Ukrainian Lviv is the youngest, as it was founded only in 2007. It takes place every year on Valentine's Day. On this day, everyone can taste only the best chocolate delicacies.

Careful, chocolate!

Many sweets have chocolate addiction today. To understand if you are not addicted to this product, follow your behavior: if you notice that you can not fall asleep until you eat a chocolate and drink a cup of a fragrant hot beverage from cocoa beans, you can be sure that you are suffering This ailment. It is comparable to alcoholism and drug addiction, so it requires immediate treatment.

Dependence on chocolate causes psychological reasons. After all, on television, often broadcast colorful commercials, calling to eat a chocolate bar. And a person is hard to resist, especially if the tile is stored tasty. Also, cocoa provokes cocaine, in which there are many substances that stimulate the production of the hormone of happiness - phenethylamine. Thus, chocolate is an excellent antidepressant.

As a result of excessive consumption of chocolate in the body, there is a shortage of substances necessary for its functioning. This leads to the development of many ailments. Therefore, chocolate dependence should be disposed of as quickly as possible.

Unusual kinds of chocolate

Everyone knows that there are four types of chocolate: bitter, milky, dark and white. But today there are chocolate sweets, which are a curiosity, especially for the domestic consumer. For example, chocolate made from camel milk. It is produced in the United Arab Emirates. Experts are sure that such a variety is much more useful than usual, and it can be consumed even by people suffering from diabetes.

The Swiss company delivers chocolate to the European market with absinthe. At a time when sweetness begins to melt in her mouth, she releases bitter tincture of wormwood, and the taste of the chocolate is particularly acute. The product contains only 8.5% alcohol, so you can not get drunk on it.

Now dark chocolate with salt is also available. It is an organic commodity produced by an American enterprise. The composition of the tiles includes sea salt, but you can find specimens with pepper and salt, with salt and ground coffee, as well as with salt and cane sugar.

The most expensive chocolate in the world

For more than one century, the American company Chocopologie by Knipschildt (Connecticut) offers the world's most expensive exclusive chocolate. From him, all the inhabitants of the White House are crazy. Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II also likes to enjoy American sweet. This chocolate is produced exclusively by hand. One pound of this delicacy costs $ 2,600.

Is there any harm

Many skeptics are sure that chocolate is not capable of bringing anything but harm. Negatively affects the sweetness only on individuals prone to allergies, people with diabetes and personalities who can not limit themselves in eating. All the rest can enjoy with a calm soul the divine taste of the delicacy, which they will benefit solely.