Chocolate & Cacao

The fall and winter months call for one of our favorite flavors: Chocolate.  There are many ways to enjoy chocolate, and one has started to make its way into our hearts for the holiday season: Chocolate bombs.  If you are unaware of these great spheres of flavor, let me help you.  Chocolate bombs, also known as hot chocolate bombs, are chocolate spheres filled with anything from flavored powders to marshmallows or peppermint.  They work by pouring hot milk over the sphere, and the chocolate melts, revealing what is inside.  Think of it as opening eggs for adults.  These chocolate bombs can gift you anything from a peppermint latte to a dark chocolate sea salt mocha.  The best part is the decorations outside.  Chocolate bombs can come with simple flavor pairing such as caramel and sea salt or elaborate Halloween designs and unicorn drawings with those so famous edible sprinkles.  Chocolate bombs can range from $6 up to $32 each.  Yet expect to spend about $8-$11 per, depending on the design and the contents.  Note these have not gone mainstream yet, as in dropping in on major department stores, yet it would not be surprising if they did in the next few months. 

The accessibility for better ingredients is better than ever, and most people want some of the best ingredients available for specific recipes.  Chocolate is no exception.  One of the most popular foods of all time, chocolate comes in many forms, and knowing the difference between cocoa and chocolate can help make the best cup with marshmallows for those soon-to-come fall and winter days. When examining chocolate, there are two parts: Cocoa butter and cocoa solids.  Cocoa butter gives chocolate its texture, and cocoa solids contain chocolate’s flavor.  So cocoa powder removes an amount of cocoa butter, leaving less texture and a more robust flavor.  You can use less cocoa to get a more robust flavor in a cup of hot cocoa, yet you will need to add a sweetener to adjust the bitter taste.  For a more balanced taste, use chocolate.

Most chocolate lovers don’t like white chocolate.  It is often in third place behind milk and dark chocolate and often not on the menu of coffee shops unless it is the holiday season.  White chocolate has its advantages that many overlook.  It has a smooth and creamy taste and pairs well with minty and nutty flavors.  That said, there are three surprising facts about white chocolate that you need to know. 1) Real white chocolate isn’t white.  Quality cocoa butter used for authentic white chocolate is ivory-colored.  If your chocolate is white, then it could be bleached or confectionary.  Pay attention to the ingredients. Make sure that it contains cocoa butter and is not a cheaper oil substitute.  Interestingly enough, in The United States, white chocolate must contain a minimum of 20% cocoa fat. 2) It isn’t chocolate.  White chocolate indeed originates from the cacao plant, yet the FDA states that ‘chocolate’ must contain chocolate liquor giving the bitter chocolate flavor and color we all know and love. 3) It absorbs odor.  The smooth and creamy taste comes in part from the high-fat content, which allows it to absorb odor.  When storing white chocolate, make sure it is in a cool location away from any foods that might emit odor.  On the plus side, these same high-fat content also brings many antioxidants, allowing you to keep it for up to four or more years if stored properly. 

​This spicy style of hot cocoa, or chocolate, got its origins in Mexico-Tenochtitlan when the Aztecs and Mayans started grinding up cocoa seeds and add water, chili peppers, or vanilla and thicken it up by using a wooden made frother.  After the fall of the capital city to Spain, which was observed 500 years ago this August, the Spanish brought it back to Europe and added sweeteners as it was too bitter or strong for their taste.  ​After spreading throughout Europe after hundreds of years and introducing milk to hot cocoa through Jamaica, ingredients such as cinnamon and nutmeg accompanied chilies to make this drink a delightful yet complex drink.  The most popular brands of Mexican hot chocolate are Abuelita and Ibarra.

​International chocolate day, some call it world chocolate day, is a day to remember every year.  Tell Google, Siri, Alexa, and every other AI to set an annual reminder.  Observed on July 7th, international chocolate day is a day to celebrate one of life’s most precious foods.  How did we come upon this glorious day to exist? Well, according to historians, this is the day that chocolate was introduced to Europe.   Spanish explorers, Hernan Cortes in particular, discovered it when visiting the Americas.  Chocolate was already present in Mexico, Central, and South America.  Throughout time, they added different ingredients, particularly sugar, making it much more acceptable throughout Europe. Most believe chocolate is an unhealthy dessert that should be consumed in moderation.  It is true that everything should be consumed in moderation. However, chocolate has many healthy attributes.  Chocolate is packed with antioxidants, especially dark chocolate. It also possesses flavonoids, helps your heart and helps memory, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory.   Before going out and snack attacking this great food, remember everything in moderation.  A few nice cubes or squares per day, with or without the green stuff (that’s up to you), is all you need.  Just think of today as the day you started enjoying this rich and flavorful food more often than binge eating it, and thank me later.