As promised, here’s more of the world’s finest chocolates presented for you to enjoy!
French chocolate
At first, chocolate was not appreciated or loved by the French market when it was first introduced during the sixteenth century. However, with the arrival of the wife of King Louis XIV, Maria Theresa of Austria who shared her love of chocolate to the French people that an appreciation for chocolate began. Since then some of the highest quality chocolates and chocolate truffles in the world are produced and manufactured in France such as Chocolat Bonnat, Valrhona, La Maison du Chocolat, and Jean-Paul Hevin.
Mexican chocolate
Long considered the home of chocolate, Mexico, from the chocolate drink “chocolatl,” which is documented to have existed as early as 400 AD. Made from liquefied cocoa beans and then spiked with chili pepper, vanilla, and annatto. This same drink is made today as a hot chocolate drink and is highly valued commodity for Mexicans.
Spanish chocolate
Chocolate was introduced in Spain in the 16th century by Hernán Cortés Pizarro who was first tasted it while having breakfast with the Emperor of Mexico. For almost a centrury, the Spanish kept “chocolatl” a secret from the rest of Europe and only the royal family and the well-connected had access to this richly delicious drink. In experimenting and enhancing the delicious flavor, the Spanish began to add cane sugar to it. The Spaniards prefer their chocolate as a hot drink that is thick and creamy, flavored with cinnamon, and served together with churros.
Swiss chocolate
World famous Swiss chocolate is one of the major products of Switzerland and recognized for its high standards and excellent quality ingredients. The creaminess of Swiss chocolate that is makes their gourmet chocolate creations unique! The Swiss also hold the world record of gourmet chocolates consumption. Approximately one bar per person is eaten each day of the year!
I hope that you enjoyed your brief history of international gourmet chocolate tastes from around the world! Give something new a try when choosing your next delicious chocolate and when having chocolates delivered!
When you are looking for gourmet chocolates, you can now find chocolates and chocolate gift baskets from all around the world. Each with their own distinct flavors and characteristics, delicious gourmet chocolates can be experienced in a variety of countries. Some of the top gourmet chocolates include:
Chocolate production in the U.S. first began to grow during the Industrial age with the first chocolate factory opening in the country in 1765. Today, the U.S. is one of the biggest chocolate producers, distributors and chocolate consumers in the world. American chocolate lovers have generally preferred milk chocolate to the richer dark chocolate, though that trend is changing. Hershey’s is one of the most widely known U.S. chocolate manufacturers.
Belgian chocolate
Belgian chocolate is considered to be the gourmet standard of chocolate and many will claim it to be the best type of chocolate in the world, especially their dark chocolate. This country has worked hard at its chocolate industry and is quite proud of their chocolates and Belgian truffles. With over 2,000 chocolate shops in Belgium offering handmade chocolates, and a number of chocolate museums, anyone travelling to Belgium is sure to want to add some chocolate stops and tours to their itinerary!
English chocolate
The English have always loved gourmet chocolate! It was during the 17th century that the first chocolate house was opened in London. Hans Sloane, a physician, concocted a milk chocolate drink, which soon became popular to those who could afford it. Chocolate was a luxury item and one that only the rich could afford to buy. However today, chocolate is a staple product and many English chocolates are now widely recognized by consumers all over the world, including Cadbury, Green & Black’s, Divine Chocolate, and J.S. Fry & Sons, Ltd.
I’ll be adding some other international chocolates to the list on my next blog post - so stay tuned for more gourmet chocolates from around the world!
When you drop by the grocery store, you might find that most of your favorite fruits and vegetables have similar items placed in another shelf but with the word “organic” on their tags. Even your favorite snacks and desserts have organic ingredients which include organic chocolates. But what is the meaning of organic in the first place? Some may think that organic means producing food synthetically but it’s quite the opposite. Organic food is the result of the most natural way of growing produce minus the chemical enhancements. The same thing is true for organic chocolates which are produced from the seeds of cacao. The seeds are from plants that were not treated with any pesticide, germicide, or any chemical fertilizers.
Organic chocolates may only be gaining in popularity nowadays, but it has been around for more than 1500 years. The Aztecs in Mexico were one of the first who farmed cacao and enjoyed drinking concoctions made from its seeds. They valued the taste of organic chocolate as well as its health benefits. Modern agriculture have turned 360˚ and realized that synthetic and chemical treatments have negative effects to health and the environment. As early as the 1970s, experts came to the conclusion that insecticides and fertilizers may enhance growth of agricultural products but can be harmful resulting to different diseases and even cancer.
With all of these findings, chocolatiers around the world are now producing organic chocolates. These chocolate products are made with cacao ingredients that were planted in an environmental-friendly way. The cacao trees from where the seeds for organic chocolates are made from were not treated with any harmful chemicals to enhance its growth. Thus, you can be assured that when you eat organic chocolates, you will not be ingesting substances that will risk your health. On top of this, you will not be deprived of the wonderful taste that you expect from any of your favorite chocolate bars.
Aside from enjoying the delicious taste of organic chocolates, you will also love the health benefits you can get from them. These include lowering your cholesterol, stifling cough fits, adding magnesium to your diet, and raising antioxidants in your blood, among many others. Moreover, if you think that organic chocolates can be boring after a while then you are wrong. Chocolatiers worldwide have created variants that will tickle your fancy and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Most organic chocolatiers also produce standard gourmet chocolate varieties and chocolate products used for cooking and drinking. With the tastes and health concerns of consumers on their minds, organic chocolate producers have answered the need for chocolates to be healthy without diminishing their wonderful taste. This is the reason why many health and environment-conscious people prefer to buy organic chocolates.
