National Chocolate Day

Five Food Finds about Chocolate

• Chocolate comes from the Aztec word “xocolatl” which means “bitter water”.

• Switzerland is one of the top countries for chocolate consumption. The Swiss consume about 22 lbs of chocolate, per person, per year.

• Cocoa beans were used as currency by the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Perhaps this is where they saying “Money grows on trees” came from.

• Allowing chocolate to melt in your mouth produces the same or even stronger reactions as passionately kissing.

• Most cocoa comes from West Africa.

Today’s Food History

1846 (Georges-) Auguste Escoffier was born. Escoffier was called “the emperor of chefs” and “emperor of the world’s kitchens” by Emperor William II of Germany. He modernized and codified the elaborate haute cuisine created by Marie-Antoine Carême, and developed the ‘brigade de cuisine,’ system of kitchen organization. Escoffier was chef at the Carlton Hotel in London, the Grande National…