Chocolate Trivia Collected from our Newsletters
- The stage blood in the black and white Hitchcock thriller "Psycho" was really chocolate syrup.
- The word "chocolate" comes from the Aztec word "xocoatl". The Aztecs, and before them the Mayans, used to drink spicy chocolate flavored with chilis, achiote, and vanilla.
- The famous "Three Musketeers" candy bar got its name in 1932 when it was originally made of three pieces of candy: one chocolate, one vanilla, and one strawberry. One for all and all for one!
- It takes about 400 cacao beans to make one pound of chocolate. That means there are thousands of beans in our Mt. McKinley Mountain of Chocolate alone!
- Theobroma cacao, the scientific name for the tree that cocoa and chocolate are made from, means “Food of the Gods”.
- Many of us believed an old myth that chocolate causes acne. The good news for teenagers everywhere is that modern research showns that's just not true. The only effect of chocolate on your face is to induce a smile.
- In early America, sugar was a rare and prized ingredient, so gifts of sweets were especially generous and meaningful. Marzipan, sweetmeats, and sugar plums seem old fashioned now but the tradition lives on in candy, cake, and especially chocolate.
- Long before Easter was a holiday, eggs symbolized the rebirth of everything living in Spring. In the 17th century people decorated eggs and made artificial eggs. Many materials were used including fabulous gems and precious metals. Then in the early 1800s someone got the idea of using chocolate which caught on in a big way!
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- "Candy" is such a delightful word — so where does it come from? In modern usage it means a sweet made from sugar syrup but it was originally borrowed as so many English words are. As early as the year 1274 the term sucre candi was known in Old French. That term probably derived from the Arabic qandi which came from Persian's qand and that came from the Sanskrit word khanda. Even older derivations are thought to possibly come from Tamil in Southern India.
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- Anyone who's read a newspaper in the last 5 years has heard that chocolate might be good for your health. We've been bombarded with terms like flavanoids, antioxidants, immune support, and nitric oxide synthesis. Is all this hype true? Should we eat more chocolate for our health? To paraphrase the famous scientist Frank Oppenheimer, "Chocolate is a lot like sex. It's got a practical purpose, but that's not why people want it normally."
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- Candy has a long history with strange brands we might not even recognize any more. Who remembers "Nik-L-Nip", a package of 5 wax bottles filled with sweet syrups? Or how about Abba-Zaba, Chicken Dinner, Fizzers, Mallo Cups, Now and Later, Sugar Mama, and Yoo-Hoo? Believe it or not there are entire websites devoted to remembering nostalgic candies from the last century. Look up your favorites and let us know what you find!
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- One of many reasons chocolate is so appealing is the glorious sensation when it literally melts in the mouth. But did you know that cocoa butter can form in any of six different crystaline structures? The one called "Form 5" is the best kind for candymaking because it has just the right melting point to keep it solid at room temperature and liquid on the tongue. Mmmm!
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- How can you store your chocolate? It should be kept between 59°F – 63°F. If it gets too cold or hot or changes temperature often it can form a white coating that looks like mold. But don't worry, it's just a film of cocoa butter crystals that look funny but are completely harmless. If kept well, chocolate can be stored for at least a year. But how long can you really stand not eating your Wild Berry Centers? They'll be gone long before then.
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- Romantics promote the legend that chocolate is a love chemical. You know, one of those mysterious substances that encourage, um, you know what. So is it true? Well, partially yes and no. While chocolate has no proven ability to directly arouse passions, it certainly does lift one's spirits which can lead to the same result. It is associated with kindness, generosity, and closeness, it smells heavenly, and it even melts in the mouth sensuously. If you're looking for a love potion, this is probably your best bet.
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