NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY
OCTOBER 28
The intense, bitter taste of cocoa
requires the bean to be fermented to develop the flavor. Once fermented, the
beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted. After roasting, the shell is removed to
produce cacao nibs. The cacao nibs are then ground into cocoa mass, which is
pure chocolate in rough form. The cocoa mass is usually liquefied then molded
with or without other ingredients. At this point in the process, it is called
chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor may then be processed into two
components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.5 Types of Chocolate Unsweetened
baking chocolate – cocoa solids and
cocoa butter in varying proportions.
Sweet chocolate – cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat and
sugar.Milk chocolate – sweet chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk.White
chocolate – cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.Ruby Chocolate -
a special variety of cocoa beans that turn pink and offers a sweet and
intensely fruity taste with a slight tartness.Chocolate earns its day of honor
by being America's favorite flavor, offering the perfect sensory experience.
Many people report craving chocolate in states of stress, anxiety, or low mood.
It's possible that eating chocolate serves as an effective coping mechanism
because of the immediate comfort. Or, maybe it just tastes good! The official
originator of National Chocolate Day on October 28th is the National
Confectioners Association (NCA), a U.S. trade organization. Celebrated globally
on July 7, commemorating the date chocolate was introduced to Europe in 1550.
A food that encourages passion, many
people would consider chocolate to be a gift to the world. Whether eaten in the
form of a chocolate bar, enjoyed as a chocolate beverage or used to bake a
variety of desserts, chocolate has a rich history and a bright future!
National Chocolate Day offers tons of
different opportunities to get involved with celebrating and enjoying the day!
Consider trying out some of these fun and delicious ideas:Have tons of fun
learning all about how chocolate is made and, hopefully, get to take home some
samples! Take a tour of a chocolate company like Hershey’s Chocolate World in
Hershey, Pennsylvania. Or enjoy the Lindt Home of Chocolate located in Zurich,
Switzerland.Or one great place to learn a lot about the chocolate industry
would be at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. With the
country’s first educational bean-to-bar chocolate lab, the institute offers
classes that teach all about the creative process of chocolate.One pound of
chocolate requires 400 cocoa beans and each tree produces approximately 2500
beans, so one tree can make about 6 pounds of chocolate.Cacao trees are very
delicate and farmers typically count on losing up to 30% of their crop each
year, so being a chocolate farmer is a volatile business!Although cocoa beans
seem to have originated in the New World, the most cocoa farms, around 70% of
those in the world, are located in West Africa, with Cote d’Ivoire as the
single largest producer of cocoa.
It takes approximately 4-5 years for a newly planted cacao tree to actually produce fruit, so it requires a great deal of patience from the chocolate farmers.Though many people only think of chocolate as something that should be enjoyed as a sweet dessert, there are plenty of delicious recipes out there that include chocolate as part of the flavors of a savory dish.Cocoa Rubbed Baby Back Ribs. Create a rub for ribs that includes warm spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, complemented with flavors of mustard and cocoa powder blended together.Chocolate Beef and Bean Chili. Chocolate has often been used as an ingredient in certain types of chili, and this one is super delicious as it is made with a chocolate stout beer, providing a unique flavor.Gascon-Style Beef Stew with Chocolate. This hearty, French-style stew offers the delicious flavors of chocolate, Armagnac, and Madiran wine – or Pinot Noir for a lighter version of the stew.
Prof. John Kurakar
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