Daniel F. Iuculano
Financial Planner
Accredited Asset Management Specialist SM
Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor SM
Contact: Dan Iuculano
Phone: (904) 302-8911
Email: danieli@dfi-wealth-mgmt.com
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Gourmet Chocolates for Specials Occasions - a collection of chocolates from family-owned companies with a passion for gourmet confections. Chocolate.com features handmade, artisan, and gourmet chocolate gifts from world-class chocolate vendors.
Coupon codes have been extended.
- MYCHOC10 - valid sitewide - extended to 12/31/2012
- GIFT15 - valid on limited products - extended to 12/31/2012
History of Chocolate - The tasty secret of the cacao tree was discovered 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. The pods of this tree contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet encompasses many cultures and continents. The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink. We tend to think of chocolate as a sweet candy created during modern times. But actually, chocolate dates back to the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica who drank chocolate as a bitter beverage.
Until the 1500s, no one in Europe knew anything at all about the delicious drink that would later become a huge hit worldwide. Spain’s search for a route to riches led its explorers to the Americas and introduced them to chocolate’s delicious flavor. Christopher Columbus brought some cocoa beans to show Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, but it was Spanish friars who introduced it to Europe more broadly. Eventually, the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs made it possible to import chocolate back home, where it quickly became a court favorite. And within 100 years, the love of chocolate spread throughout the rest of Europe.
The word "chocolate" entered the English language from Spanish. Chocolate comes from the fermented, roasted, and ground beans of the cacao or cocoa tree. Chocolate has many uses and comes in many forms. It is used in candies, beverages, ice cream and baked goods. It appears in liquid, powered, and solid forms. Here are some other facts about chocolate that any chocoholic should know.
Chocolate Fact #1
Chocolate Fact #2
Monkeys first discovered
that the Cacao tree was edible. They would remove the pulp from the
pods, but spit out the beans. Ancient civilizations used only the pulp,
following the lead of the monkeys. It is not known exactly when the
beans started being used to produce chocolate.
Chocolate Fact #3
Americans eat an average
of 10-12 pounds of chocolate per person per year.
Chocolate Fact #4
Milk chocolate is the most
popular form of chocolate in
