Chocolate trivia: from history to how to make it

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Speaking of chocolate, children love it, and various kinds come out during Valentine's Day.

Do you have the image that it is something like that?

Chocolate is popular with children all over the world! But did you know that giving chocolate on Valentine's Day is unique to Japan? I'm sure many of you are surprised...

Valentine

When you think of Valentine's Day, you think of chocolate!

But did you know that Japan is the only country that gives chocolate on Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day, a day for lovers, is a Christian event with a long history dating back 1800 years.

There is a cute story behind the fact that in the 14th century, Valentine's Day was celebrated in England on February 14th because it was believed that this was the day birds would be united with their partners.

In France and many other countries, people give letters, Valentine's cards, flowers, cakes, and other gifts to their loved ones on Valentine's Day. Valentine's cards often feature images of hearts, Cupids, and other characters.

In Japan, it is said that the trend of Valentine's chocolate was sparked by Morozoff Confectionery in Kobe, which ran an advertisement in a newspaper aimed at foreigners in 1936 with the slogan "Give your Valentine some chocolate."

A: Actually, Kobe is the place where Valentine's Day is sent out in Japan. You know about White Day, right?

B : Of course. March 14th is the day to give back Valentine's gifts, right?

A: But this is an event that is only held in Japan and Korea.

B : Wow, that's surprising!

A : It's an event that various confectionery manufacturers created as a spin-off of Valentine's Day in the 70s and 80s .

B: It's actually quite recent.

A: Yes, by the way, do you know about Black Day?

B: Black? I've never heard of it.

A: It's a Korean event, and on April 14th , people who weren't lucky in love on Valentine's Day or White Day wear black clothes and eat coffee and black food.

B: It's kind of sad...

A: Recently we have Orange Day.

B : Orange this time...

A: Japanese citrus farmers proposed that on April 14th, people send citrus fruits to their loved ones to show their affection.

B : I'd never heard of it.

A: That's understandable. In fact, it seems like it hasn't really taken hold yet...

The history of chocolate

When you think of chocolate, you probably think of solid chocolate tablets or small bonbons, right ?

The first thing that could be called "chocolate" was not a solid at all, but a thick drink.

In ancient Mexico, cacao was a very expensive ingredient, worshipped as "food of the gods" since before the Common Era. At that time, there was a drink called "chocolate." It was a simple drink made from ground cacao beans, and people enjoyed it by adding corn flour or various spices.

In 1519 , General Ferdinand Comtés from Spain visited Mexico and tried chocolate. He was amazed by the taste of chocolate for the first time!

In 1528 , chocolate was brought to Spain along with the spoils of war.

300 years later. ．．．．

In 1828 , the Dutchman Van Houten extracted the cocoa butter from the cacao plant and invented cocoa powder. This transformed the bitter, astringent, and heavy taste of chocolate into the sweet and delicious drink we know today: cocoa.

In 1847 , the Englishman Joseph Fry developed a new chocolate by grinding cocoa beans, adding sugar, and then adding cocoa butter, which marked the birth of the chocolate bar.

The milk chocolate created by the Swiss Daniel Peter in 1876 was sweet and smooth, and it captivated people.

Through various innovations, the chocolate we know today was born.

Aki : I had no idea chocolate was so complex.

Olivier : By the way, do you know when chocolate was introduced to Japan?

Aki : The 18th century or something?

Olivier : That's right! It was introduced to Nagasaki, which opened its doors to the outside world around the 18th century, under the name "Shokuratowo."

Aki : Um, do you write chocolate in kanji?

Olivier : That's a good question. Yes, it seems that it was advertised in newspapers around 1877 as "Ikoreito (Chocolate)."

Aki : I see.

Chocolate making

Cocoa mass and cocoa butter are essential for the creation of chocolate!

Now let's take a look at how chocolate is made...

First of all, the raw material for chocolate is cocoa beans, which can be extracted from cocoa pods.

A cacao pod is a fruit that grows on a cacao tree. Inside this fruit are cocoa beans, surrounded by a lot of pulp. After fermenting and drying the cocoa beans, they are roasted once and the skin on the surface is removed. The beans with the skin removed are called cocoa nibs.

Next, the cacao nibs are roasted to create the chocolate aroma we know so well. When the cacao nibs are ground, a fat called cacao butter (also called cocoa butter) is released. Once the cacao butter is removed and the mixture is cooled, it becomes cacao mass. When this cacao mass becomes liquid, it is called cocoa liquor. Nowadays, dark chocolate is also sometimes called cacao mass.

Then, mix the cocoa butter and cocoa mass, add sugar and milk, and top with nuts and dried fruit to make chocolate!

Couscous and tempered chocolate transforms into a glossy, smooth, and delicious chocolate. By the way, white chocolate and blond chocolate are made from cocoa butter. This is how various chocolates are born...

Olivier : Did you know you can eat the flesh of the cocoa pod?

Aki: It certainly looks edible.

Olivier: It's also used to make juices, jellies, and chocolate ganache.

Aki: I see. Is it delicious?

Olivier: This flesh is called cacao pulp, and it tastes like a sweet and sour tropical fruit.

Aki: Wow, I'd like to try it.

Olivier: By the way, cocoa nibs and cocoa mass are also used in cooking.

Aki: Oh, does it go well with food?

Olivier: Of course. Cacao is a bitter spice.

Aki : I see.

Olivier: Isn't cacao interesting?

Why not try to find your own favorite chocolate?