National Chocolate day, Oct 28, with many guest bloggers

Let it be known that  today

is National Chocolate

Day

 

 

 

 

Need I say more? 

I think not!

 

 

 

 

 

 It's actually a boozy chocolate shake!
The Drunken Girl Scout is a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, Thin Mints cookies, whiskey, creme de menthe, Fernet Branca-Menta and chocolate sauce! Find the full recipe below. Cheers to National Chocolate Day!
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Note: Adapted from Julian Cox of Short Order. Thin Mints can be substituted with a similar type of chocolate-mint cookie.
2 scoops chocolate ice cream
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 ounce Irish whiskey, preferably Powers
1/2 ounce creme de menthe, preferably Tempus Fugit
1/2 ounce Fernet Branca-Menta
1 ounce crushed Thin Mints
Chocolate sauce, for garnish
Mint spring, for garnish
Single Thin Mints cookie, for garnish
In a blender, blend the chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, Irish whiskey, creme de menthe, Fernet Branca-Menta and crushed Thin Mints. Swirl chocolate sauce around the inside of a Mason jar and pour in the shake. Garnish with a mint sprig and the single Thin Mint

vv

History of National Chocolate Day

The history of chocolate goes back 2,500 years. Aztecs loved their newly discovered liquid chocolate to the extent that they believed Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, literally bestowed it upon them. Cacao seeds acted as a form of currency. And this was back in the “bitter” chocolate days — before they added sugar! Once chocolate turned sweet — in 16th-century Europe — the masses caught on and turned chocolate into a powerhouse treat.

Several present-day chocolate companies began operations in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Cadbury started in England by 1868. Milton S. Hershey, 25 years later, purchased chocolate processing equipment at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago He started the company by producing chocolate-coated caramels. Nestlé, dating back to the 1860s, has grown into one of the largest food conglomerates in the world.

Did you know that chocolate is a fermented food? That’s right, once the cacao pods are picked, cleaned of pithy white material from the fruit and dried, the cacao beans are fermented. The papery shell is removed and cacao nibs are revealed. Chocolatiers then grind them into cocoa mass, separate them into cocoa solids and cocoa butter, and combine them with milk and sugar, or in the case of white chocolate, just the chocolate butter with milk and sugar.
 
Today there’s a move toward dark chocolate since it contains far less sugar. Ghana, Ecuador, and the Ivory Coast,all near the equator, have ideal climates for cacao trees and produce some of the world’s best chocolate. It’s best to look for dark chocolate from those regions.

But there’s a dark side. Child labor has become a serious issue. When you purchase “fair trade chocolate,” you’re working to help make cocoa farming more sustainable. Keep this in mind and choose your chocolate wisely.

National Chocolate Day timeline

1828

New inventions. New chocolate creations.

Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten invented a hydraulic press that could separate the cocoa butter from the cacao, thereby producing a powder. This led to the first chocolate confections

1875

Chocolate Gets Milky

Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter joins forces with M. Henri Nestlé, then a baby-food manufacturer who had invented a milk-condensation process. Together they found a way to bring milk chocolate onto the market. They would go on to form the Nestlé company.

1907

Hershey Park Opens

Milton Hershey builds a park to create a more pleasant environment for workers and residents — striving to rise above typical factory towns of the time. The original main buildings, including a rustic bandstand and pavilion, serve as a stage for vaudeville and theatre productions.

1938

The Cookbook Recipe

Wakefield's cookbook includes the recipe for the ‘Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie.’

National Chocolate Day - Survey Results

Data gathered by a top Minneapolis Marketing Agency

By The Numbers

 

$10,000 — the price of Swarovski-studded chocolates.

$260 — the price of a 1.76-ounce To’ak chocolate bar.

400 — the number of cacao beans it takes to make one pound of chocolate.

8 — the number of years it took to perfect the recipe for milk chocolate. 

90 million — the number of chocolate Easter bunnies manufactured every year. 

36 million — the number of heart-shaped chocolate boxes sold every Valentine’s Day.

1847 — the year when British confectioners invented the first chocolate bar. 

20% — the percentage of all dark chocolate consumed in the U.S. 

1700s — the decade when chocolate milk was created in Jamaica. 

22 pounds — the amount of chocolate that would need to be eaten to kill a person.

National Chocolate Day FAQs

Is January 27 a Chocolate Cake Day?

National Chocolate Cake Day is celebrated on January 27 each year. 

Why do we celebrate National Chocolate Day?

National Chocolate Day celebrates one of life’s greatest indulgences — chocolate. 

Who invented chocolate?

The first modern chocolate was created by Joseph Fry in 1847 after he discovered that he can create a moldable chocolate paste. 

National Chocolate Day Activities

1. Try making your own truffles!

   It may seem hard, but it’s actually easier than you think! Follow this recipe for 4 easy and fun ways to experiment with making your own truffle from scratch. All you'll need is some cream, some chocolate chips and a tiny bit of time.

2. Tour a local chocolatier

   Get an up-close look at the process that chocolate goes through from bean to bar at a local chocolate factory or chocolatier. Most places have tours available to the public and are more than happy to share their knowledge, experience, and love of the chocolate profession and trade.

3. Share a bar with your friends

   Chocolate is amazing, friends are amazing, and human connection over chocolate is one of the most beautiful things! Most people like chocolate, and really, even if they don't, you know they'll appreciate the offer to spend a moment with them and chat.

5 Dreamy Creamy Facts About Chocolate

1. Chocolate is technically a vegetable

   Chocolate comes from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree.

2. White chocolate is not chocolate

   As it contains no cocoa solids, white chocolate isn’t chocolate.

3. The first chocolate beverage

   Hot chocolate was brewed in Aztec culture, and tasted really bitter.

4. Cacao beans as currency

   The Aztecs valued cacao beans so much that it was used as currency.

5. Unique melting point

Why We Love National Chocolate Day

1. Chocolate can lower stress

   One study showed that people who ate chocolate compounds had better cognitive performance and reported less mental fatigue than the control group. This may have something to do with how the chemicals in chocolate interact with our brain: releasing serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins and giving us a good dose of antioxidants.

2. It can help us lose weight

   Another study revealed that ingestion of dark chocolate prior to eating at an all-you-can-eat buffet triggered a 17% lower calorie intake for participants! It’s all about the sugar.

3. Chocolate might help your heart

   Per the American Heart Association: “Combining raw almonds, dark chocolate and cocoa significantly reduced the number of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, particles in the blood of overweight and obese people. LDL is often called “bad cholesterol” because of the role it plays in clogging arteries.

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		holidays-and-observances.com 2023 Chocolate Holidays Information from Holidays and Observances 8–11 minutes There are many Chocolate Holidays throughout the year to satisfy all the Chocolate Lovers! Chocolate does make the world go round, but is it healthy? Chocolate! What do you feel when you think of this beloved candy? If you are like most of us, you feel comfort! It's your go to friend, when life is tough! There are those in the diet industry that will advise you to get rid of all of the foods that you love. This is called deprivation, and it often leads to overeating. Life is short and there is no room for deprivation! Here are the Chocolate Holidays that we have found so far!  Eventually, we will have a devoted page for each day: January 2023 Chocolate Holidays Month: (Sorted Alphabetically) National Candy Month 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day - January 3 National English Toffee Day - January 8 Bittersweet Chocolate Day - January 10 Chocolate Cake Day - January 27 National Hot Chocolate Day - January 31 February 2023 Chocolate Holidays Month: (Sorted Alphabetically) Celebration of Chocolate Month 2023 Weeks: (Sorted Alphabetically) Make Mine Chocolate - February 15 - April 9, 2023 (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15th, and ends on Easter) 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) Candy-Making Day - February 1 Dark Chocolate Day - February 1 Decorating With Candy Day - February 1 Heavenly Hash Day - February 2 National Chocolate Fondue Day - February 5 World Nutella Day - February 5 Cream Cheese Brownie Day - February 10 Peppermint Patty Day - February 11 National Creme-Filled Chocolates Day - February 14 Tim Tam Day - February 16 National Chocolate Mint Day - February 19 National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day - February 25 National Chocolate Souffle Day - February 28 March 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Weeks: (Sorted Alphabetically) American Chocolate Week - March 19-25, 2023 (Third Full Week of March) Chocolate Chip Cookie Week - Second Week of March Make Mine Chocolate - February 15 - April 9, 2023 (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15th, and ends on Easter) 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Oreo Cookie Day - March 6 National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day - March 6 National Chocolate Caramel Day - March 19 National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day - March 24 Eat an Eskimo Pie Day - March 28 National Black Forest Cake Day - March 28 April 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Weeks: (Sorted Alphabetically) Make Mine Chocolate - February 15 - April 9, 2023 (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15th, and ends on Easter) 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Chocolate Mousse Day - April 3 National Chocolate Covered Cashews Truffle Day - April 21 National Devil Dog Cakes Day - April 27 May 2023 Chocolate Holidays Month: (Sorted Alphabetically) National Chocolate Custard Month 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Chocolate Parfait Day - May 1 National Truffles Day - May 2 National Chocolate Custard Day - May 3 Hostess Cupcake Day - May 11 National Nutty Fudge Day - May 12 National Chocolate Chip Day - May 15 I Love Reese's Day - May 18 National Devil's Food Cake Day - May 19 June 2023 Chocolate Holidays Month: (Sorted Alphabetically) National Candy Month 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day - June 2 National Chocolate Macaroon Day - June 3 National Chocolate Ice Cream Day - June 7 National German Chocolate Cake Day - June 11 National Fudge Day - June 16 National Eat an Oreo Day - June 19 National Chocolate Eclair Day - June 22 National Pralines Day - June 24 National Chocolate Pudding Day - June 26 National Almond Buttercrunch Day - June 29 July 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Chocolate Wafer Day - July 3 Chocolate Day - July 7 National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day - July 8 Peanut Butter and Chocolate Day - July 23 National Hot Fudge Sundae Day - July 25 National Milk Chocolate Day - July 28 August 2023 Chocolate Holidays Month: (Sorted Alphabetically) National Brownies at Brunch Month 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Ice Cream Sandwich Day - August 2 National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day - August 4 National S'mores Day - August 10 National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day - August 20 September 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Chocolate Milkshake Day - September 12 International Chocolate Day - September 13 National White Chocolate Day - September 22 National Chocolate Milk Day - September 27 October 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National M & M Day - October 13 National Chocolate Covered Insects Day - October 14 National Chocolate Cupcake Day - October 18 Office Chocolate Day - October 20 National Chocolate Day - October 28 November 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day - November 7 Chocolates Day - November 29 National Mousse Day - November 30 December 2023 Chocolate Holidays 2023 Days: (Sorted by Date) National Sacher Torte Day - December 5 National Chocolate Brownie Day - December 8 National Cocoa Day - December 12 National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day - December 16 National Chocolate Day - December 28 and December 29 Is Chocolate a Healthy Diet Habit? The information below is taken from Kerry's Healthy Diet Habits website: Some healthy diet habits that will help you to keep chocolate in your life and not cause you to gain weight are: Determine if it is a serious trigger food for you, and if it is you have two choices: You can box it out. To box it out, you intentionally decide that you will not eat this food because it does not work for you. I have met people who can’t eat candy. It leads to extreme binging and weight gain. People can tie an extreme period of weight gain to that first bite of it. That one bite caused 50 pounds of weight gain! If this is you, choose other foods that do not lead to binging. You are not depriving yourself; you are just caring for yourself in a wise way. Your second choice is to box it in. This means that although it's a trigger food, you can safely plan it into your life. You have a plan that allows you to eat it at planned times, rather than mindlessly eating a large amount of it. Maybe you purchase a small candy bar on the weekend, or split a dessert with a friend at set times. You might buy a single serving dessert from the market, but not the entire dessert. You know you might eat the entire thing, and you are practicing kindness to yourself in a mature way! Develop a taste for quality candy and really taste it. Some types are amazing and some, not so great. I am always amazed that there are people who swoon over Hershey’s Kisses. If you really savor and taste them, they taste on the rancid side. I hear all of the cries from the Hersey’s lovers! If you are going to eat calories, eat amazing ones, and savor them. Eat them slowly and enjoy every bite. Chocolates are caloric, so plan a small serving. Check the food label. Remember that your treats and snacks must fit into your daily menu planning guide. If you plan on eating a 200 calorie candy bar on a given day, plan it in. Totally doable! Stick with candy bars that are not caramel or nougat filled. They will be less caloric and contain less sugar and fat. Nuts and fruit are great flavor additions. Chocolate is a food that can end up causing serious cravings. Eat it with your meal or with a small handful of nuts. This will stop your blood sugar from spiking due to the sugar content, and keep cravings under control. If you crave it and think of nothing else, you may need to reevaluate and box it out! Tears for you! Choose dark varieties, because they are loaded with flavonoids that act as antioxidants. Great news, your candy fix contains more antioxidants than your fruit choice, possibly! Healthy dark varieties contain at least a 65% or higher cocoa content. White or milk varieties ARE NOT included in the healthy category! Learn to love Dark! Chocolate has been proven to increase happiness and therefore a great Lifestyle Solution. It actually increases your endorphins in your brain, which make you happy. Endorphins work to lessen pain and decrease stress. It also contains tryptophan which causes serotonin to be released. Serotonin is an anti-depressant! This daily fix might just be the key to happiness, stress and pain relief, and less depression! Definitely a healthy diet habit!  Chocolate Holidays Pinterest Board Please Follow our Holidays and Observances Chocolate Holidays - Holiday Board on Pinterest - below you will see our 30 most recent pins to this photo board! Holidays and ObservancesChocolate HolidaysFollow On Click on the SEE ON PINTEREST bar right above, (link will take you to our Pinterest Boards) to see all the rest of our photo's on this board, and to Follow the board. New photos will be constantly added! Solo Build It, or SBI, is the awesome E-Business software that we are using for this site! Like this Page? Like this Site?