A little history lesson about our favorite delicacy.
We have just finished the chocolate letters and now our tree is already full of wreaths. For cocoa lovers, December is literally wonderful. That’s why a masterclass on the most divine ingredient in the kitchen: chocolate!
From magic bean…
The first cocoa drinks were consumed as early as 5500 BC, by the Mayo-Chinchipe peoples in what are now the highlands of Ecuador. The locals were sophisticated, fond of symbolism and quite commercial: via the Amazon River they exchanged their ‘magical’ bitter cocoa beans with other peoples who were interested in their stimulating and healing effect.
Years later – in 1900 BC – fermented drinks were made from the cacao bean in Mesoamerica (Central America before the arrival of the Spanish). The beans were seen as a gift from Quetzalcoatl, an Aztec God of wisdom and life. The beans were so valuable that they were used as currency.
…To a billion-dollar industry
After European colonists discovered the substance, business boomed, and today the chocolate industry is worth 127.9 billion euros annually. The Dutch eat an average of 4.5 kilos of chocolate per year, which puts them in thirteenth place worldwide. That seems like a lot, but it is still modest compared to the Swiss who consume 11.4 kilos of chocolate every year.
Well, don’t blame the Swiss, with big names like Henri Nestlé (yes, that one!) and Rodolphe Lindt (yes, that one!) in their chocolate history.
Would you like some wine?
Do you serve chocolate for dessert? Then choose the right wine. Red wines usually go well with dark chocolate, especially if they have a full body and lots of tannins. When in doubt, go for a Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon or possibly a Merlot. Don’t choose your red wine too sweet; this can overwhelm the chocolate. From the white category, sauternes or moscato d’Asti go well with the bitterness of dark chocolate because of their fruitiness. Or present a glass of port, which is also nice to warm on cold days.
Cheers!
This article comes from the latest Glamial. Would you like to know even more about chocolate, cocoa ceremonies, and the best chocolate shopping tips? Then run to the store now!
Text: Agnes Hofman | Image: Adobe Stock
