Ever wondered what started people making a habit of giving chocolate or a chocolate gift for most of every occasion, 365 days of the year? Whether it’s for a birthday, Valentine’s, Christmas or to simply say, Thank You” or “I’m Thinking of You,” many take care of choosing-the-perfect-gift-woes by giving a simple bar or a box full of chocolates. There is nothing sweeter than showing how you really feel for one special person especially by presenting him or her with a ballotin of Belgium pralines or a basketful of assorted chocolate squares, drops and bonbons with or without a bouquet of flowers.
Over the years, chocolates became an instant hit as a gift for many occasions, when wooing a mate or when you just want somebody to feel better. For as long as anyone can remember, giving chocolates as a gift means that you consider the person who will receive it as very special - just like royalty and you would like him or her to have warm feelings towards you.
However, if you want to stick to historical facts, it was Queen Victoria who started giving away chocolates as a gift during the 1900s. She sent tins of chocolates to soldiers in the Boer War as a Christmas/New Year’s gift. This pattern was adopted by many Europeans and other nations based on their own beliefs and celebrations to provide meaning in the giving chocolate as a gift. In recent years, chocolates and a delicious chocolate gift have become very popular and considered to be one of the most consumed food products in the United States and some parts of the world.
Over the last decade or so, gourmet chocolate lovers and chocoholics have more reasons to celebrate and to eat more chocolates with less of the guilt. All the recent studies show that cocoa actually contains a substantial amount of antioxidants that is even higher than black tea or red wine! All of those antioxidants help fight free radicals that cause various illnesses, from heart disease to cancer. These chocolate studies also show that cocoa lowers blood pressure and can offset chocolate’s high sugar level.
Dark chocolate, for instance is healthier than milk or white chocolate because of its higher cocoa concentration. There are also more alternative choices for healthier organic chocolates made from natural ingredients. Some gourmet chocolate selections are targeted for vegan chocolate lovers and contain soy instead of milk. Diabetic chocolate, targeted for those who have diabetes, are also available in the market.
If you eat a lot of chocolate and are worried about how it will affect your health, organic sugar-free chocolates are a good alternative. In today’s market, following the organic foods band-wagon, there are organic chocolate manufacturers that use high quality organic ingredients that meet or exceed organic standards for qualification. For a chocolate to be certified as organic, it should not contain any genetically modified ingredient. In producing milk chocolates, only milk that is free of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), an artificial hormone given to cows for increasing their milk production, can be used.
Organic chocolates are made from organic cocoa, which are cultivated in small pots and are grown under a canopy shade to preserve the natural way it grows in its native tropical environment. Many of the cocoa that are grown in big plantations are sprayed with pesticides to prevent the development of diseases and to ensure its proliferation. According to the Pesticide Awareness Network (www.panna.org), cocoa plantations are second only to cotton plantations in the use of pesticides. Growing cocoa organically ensures that there are no pesticides involved. Most organic cocoa manufacturers are also fair trade certified, which ensures that the labor that went into growing and cultivating the cocoa was fairly compensated. Under the fair trade agreement, sugar and cocoa farmers receive a fair share for their produce and thus helping to elevate their quality of life. Not only are organic chocolates politically correct and environmentally safe, they are also intriguingly delicious. Because organic chocolates are somewhat of a specialty, there are many varieties and flavors that are unique to organic chocolates and are worth the adventure for the true lovers of chocolate.
For those who are lactose-intolerant or are allergic to milk, or for those who are simply interested in Vegan chocolate products, soy-milk chocolate is a revelation. Some soy chocolate products claim that they have the “rich milk chocolate taste without the milk.” Most of these chocolates are GMO-free, non-dairy, lactose free, rich in soy isoflavones, and 100% vegan and healthy!
Nowadays, everyone can enjoy the delicious taste of gourmet chocolates! Whatever your decision and whichever ones suit you best - enjoy and savor each delicious bite!
Recent years has lead to Valentine’s Day becoming the perfect time to tell your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, friend, child or other loved one how much you love them and how blessed your life is having them in your life. Valentine’s Day is not just about saying lovely things but even giving some great gifts that can be cherished forever.
While there are number of expensive options such as perfumes, clothes, electronic items, and watches, nothing beats the good old tradition of giving Valentines chocolates on this special day. In fact, chocolates and Valentine’s Day share a special bonding, all thanks to Richard Cadbury, the famous British chocolatier, who in the 1860s came up with the first heart-shaped box of chocolate candy just in time for Valentine’s Day. About four decades later, Whitman, the American chocolate maker took a step further by providing a map inside the lid describing the filling in each piece contained in the box of Valentine chocolates.
Dark, white or milk chocolate whether it takes the form of nuggets, truffles or pralines, has always been synonymous with Valentine’s Day. Give your wife or girlfriend a huge heart-shaped shiny red box containing chocolates of her favorite flavor and see how delighted she would be. Give her a chance to indulge her chocolate cravings with gourmet chocolate gifts. Gourmet chocolate may include Belgian chocolates, chocolate covered nuts and fruits, and even chocolate covered cherries.
Valentine chocolate gifts are seeing a huge growth in sales figures as demand for these endearing goodies continue. However, you must be wondering how chocolates out of all the things in the world became the penultimate Valentine’s Day gift. Well, the connection between these bitter cocoa beans and love dates back to ancient history when chocolate was consumed by people to increase their sexual prowess.
So this Valentine’s Day, you can understand better where sweets, treats and chocolates originated as you indulge in each and every scrumptious bite! Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all from each of us here at the Ultimate Chocolate Shoppe!
