The Spanish brought chocolate to Europe and the food became a story of struggle, laws, horticultural development, and smuggling. A second type of cacao tree was discovered in Ecuador and the Amazon basin, which was more easily cultivated and is now, along with a hybrid from the original type, grown in West Africa and Asia. Meanwhile, Venezuela developed cacao plantations. As native populations disappeared, decimated by war and European diseases, African slaves were brought in to work plantations, some containing a quarter of a million trees. The Spanish crown, alarmed that trade developing between South America and Mexico set a precedent and threatened its control of European goods, banned the trade. The Dutch captured Curaçao, in 1634 and sent large cargoes of smuggled chocolate into Amsterdam; contraband and fraud flourished as Amsterdam became the hub of the cacao market by the mid-1600s.

The drinking of chocolate spread throughout Europe in special chocolate houses, which rivaled cafés. By the 1800s other drinks had become more popular, especially tea in England, which led to increased consumption of tea from their Asian colonies. Coffee also became more popular as a stimulant. Chocolate by then was heavily sugared and consumed mostly by children and invalids. Just in time to prevent chocolate from falling into disuse was the development of chocolate into a confection. This, too, began in Amsterdam when Coenraad van Houten extracted the cacao “butter,” allowing the creation of chocolate bars. Cadbury meanwhile marketed chocolate with flowers and it became a token of romance with the implication of aphrodisiac powers. Then Lindt, in 1879, created a process that produced smoother bars. Hershey, following Ford’s example, saw a way to mechanize production and built a workers’ town in Pennsylvania surrounded by enormous dairy farms that supplied 60,000 gallons of milk every day. Hershey owned vast sugarcane plantations in Cuba complete with railroads and port terminals, all of which were nationalized by Fidel Castro.

By then chocolate was crucial to the celebrations of Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. The production of chocolate has grown from 100,000 tons in the 1900s to 2,500,000 tons in the 1990s.

Chocolate has come full circle. I notice chocolate grown from specific world locations extolling specific flavors. Next to that on store shelves are carefully processed locally manufactured truffles and candy. The eating of chocolate containing more than 65% cacao, like other dark fruits and red wine, keeps your blood pressure down, your blood flowing by lowering cholesterol, and your heart healthy. It has the additional blessing of creating a mild euphoria. So the food of the gods, first accessible from only one species of tree confined to a single area, is now a pleasure and popular benefit for the entire world.

12

Taylor

Molasses-Ginger Crisps

1 cup softened butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

Beat butter & sugar together 2 minutes.

Add 1 egg + 1 yolk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

Use whisk to blend 2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger, 1 teaspoon baking powder and add to mixture.

Add 1/3 cup dark molasses.