Chocolate!

From rainforest treasure to a decadent treat, a gift from the gods.  Chocolate, long ago, was a symbol of wealth, and luxury.  An economic livelihood, bonbons, hot fudge, candy bars.  For thousands of years humans have been fascinated with the delicious phenomenon that we call "chocolate".  The "Chocolate Tree" originated in South America's Amazon basin with its roots in the tropical rainforest.  The cocoa tree has been part of human culture for 2000 years.    The official name of the cocoa tree is Theobroma cacao. ("Theobroma" is Latin for "food of the gods.")  The Aztec and Mayans of Central America cultivated cocoa trees long before the arrival of European explorers. These Mesoamerican Indians were the first to create a drink from crushed cocoa beans mixed with water and flavorings such as chili peppers, vanilla, and other spices. It was a special beverage reserved for Mayan rulers and special ceremonies.  Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, was said to drink up to 50 goblets of chocolate per day.  Chocolate is more than just a food. Its rarity and richness have secured it a special status in history.

For hundreds of years and in many different cultures, the act of eating chocolate has taken o­n symbolic significance. Chocolate has been linked to power, religion, and romance-especially when chocolate was considered an expensive and rare luxury.
For centuries, legends from many cultures have claimed that consuming chocolate instilled strength, health, faith, and passion in those who drank it. These legends attributed magical properties to chocolate and endowed it with powerful symbolic value.

Chocolate is still revered as an icon of love and devotion today, and eating chocolate remains a part of many enduring holiday traditions. Famous names in chocolate begin to spring up around the beginning of the 1800s--Van Houten, Cadbury, Cailler, Nestle. Milton Hershey, the most famous name in American chocolate, opened a candy store in 1876 in Philadelphia, which ended in failure after six years. A factory in New York also failed. Moving to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Hershey created a recipe for milk caramels that became popular, allowing him to stay in business. Busy making caramels, he also started tinkering with chocolate, trying to create a recipe for a chocolate candy bar. He eventually sold the caramel business, and opened a chocolate factory in 1903 in the little town soon to be known as Hershey.