It's Chocolate Week! How do you like your chocolate?

Ross_Scope

Happy Friday everybody, hope you're having a lovely day.

If you're anything like me, you probably love chocolate and can't help but pick some up every time you do the weekly shop.

Luckily for us all, this week is chocolate week, which gives us a great excuse to chat about how much we love the stuff. 

Fast facts on chocolate

I recently listened to an episode of the You're Dead to Me podcast, which is a BBC Sounds show that focuses on a certain subject each episode and takes a fun deep dive into it's history. The subjects can be people, historical events or in this instance chocolate! 

That show taught me some super interesting chocolate facts, some of which I wanted to share today.

• The Aztecs loved and valued the cacao bean so highly that they used it as currency during the height of their civilisation.
• The origin of the cacao plant, the beans of which are used to make chocolate, dates back to 3300 BC.
• In it's very early form, chocolate was consumed as a bitter drink, which was often flavoured with chili or honey. It wasn't thought of as a food.
• The only time that coco has been successfully grown in England was in York in  1932 by Rowntree's. They only managed to grow one pod, which they took the beans from and made one small chocolate bar, which was given to the now Queen Elizabeth II, who was then Princess Elizabeth.
• The scientific name for the tree that chocolate comes from, Theobroma cacao, translates as food of the gods.
  
• In the 18th century, the Italians used to put chocolate in lasagne.
• Solid chocolate bars, as we know them today, weren't a thing until 1847 and were first made by Fry's. The first milk chocolate bar was made in 1875.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Your chocolate preferences

1. If you could only eat one chocolatey snack for the rest of time, what would it be? 
2. Which do you prefer, dark, milk, or white chocolate?
3. Do you share your chocolate with others or keep it for yourself? 
4. How do you like your hot chocolate when you are at a cafe? I like it with cream and marshmallows.

Happy Chocolate Week! Let's show our appreciation for it  

leeCal

If I could only have one chocolate bar I’d have a fry’s chocolate cream. 
If not then I also like fruit and nut very much.
i try not to share my chocolate, I’d rather buy another bar and give it to someone as well.
i prefer dark chocolate as in the fry’s bar but I also like milk chocolate and Belgian chocolate.

i rarely drink hot chocolate but if I do I don’t have it with marshmallows.
i just realised, I have no chocolate in the house! 😨

Ross_Scope

Better get some chocolate in the house then @leeCal  

I don't particularly like sharing my chocolate either, I prefer to eat it while nobody is around so that I can use the excuse that there wasn't anyone to share it with  

woodbine

How do I like mine? In the biggest bar possible 

Cher_Scope

If you could only eat one chocolatey snack for the rest of time, what would it be? This is a tough one.  I'm torn but I'll go with a twirl! 
Which do you prefer, dark, milk, or white chocolate? Milk
Do you share your chocolate with others or keep it for yourself?  Always myself, no-one shares Cher's chocolate 
 How do you like your hot chocolate when you are at a cafe? With squirty cream and a flake!

janer1967

Hi 

oMy go to chocolate treat would have to be maltesers

I only like milk chocolate and yes I dont share but will buy extra so I dont have to, we have a strict rule and if I buy chocolate it is put in separate cupboard one for me and one for my son

I would have hot choc with cream a flake and marshmallows

Cress

My favourite chocolate is a galaxy ripple...I love the sound it makes when I bite into one straight out of the fridge.
Close second would be maltesers.
I would happily share my chocs but only because I always make sure I have loads in...
I love a hot chocolate with marshmallows squirty cream and a dusting of chocolate powder on top...

Ross_Scope

Definitely the best way to have it @woodbine, I agree with you there.

Would you not even share one little square @Cher_Scope? 

I like that rule @janer1967, we have something similar. My partner has her own cupboard where her snacks go, I'm not allowed anywhere near it   There's always so much chocolate in there.

I love Ripples as well @cress and the sound is also a big factor for me, that first bite is always so glorious.

chiarieds

I rarely eat chocolates, so I'll give my 'share' to you all.

I did have a weakness for Lindt lindor.....but can't remember when I last had a chocolate!

Ross_Scope

Aww thanks @chiarieds! Make sure I get the most please  

If you had to estimate, how long would you say it's been since you had a chocolate?

66Mustang

I also rarely eat chocolate but had some about a month ago.

I used to eat too much chocolate. I don’t seem to be able to just eat a reasonable amount when I do eat it, so I decided the only thing to do was to cut it out completely which seems to have worked!

chiarieds

I really can't remember @Ross_Scope - but certainly not this year. It's not that I don't like chocolate, but I do prefer savoury things. I haven't had sweets, cake or biscuits for years either. My son is like me too, other than being partial to good quality shortbread occasionally; my daughter loves chocolate.

Ross_Scope

Very sensible of you @66Mustang, I wish I could do that  

And ah I see @chiarieds, to be fair I prefer savoury food as well, if you ultimately gave me the choice.

I feel like we should have a poll on that ! Yeah, let's, why not, here it is.

Dragonslayer

The darker the better. Don't like milk chocolate. There's nothing like the flavour of a good dark chocolate bar.
It's also better to have dark chocolate in a drink. 

Ross_Scope

I do like a bit of dark chocolate @Dragonslayer but for me it has to be in moderation because it gets sickly quite quickly. My favourite is milk and then dark and white are joint second  

What's your favourite make of dark chocolate?

Chloe_Scope

Bournville is my favourite! 

Ross_Scope

Oh yes Bournville is nice, haven't had any in years though @Chloe_Scope!

Chloe_Scope

You need some in your life @Ross_Scope! 

Tori_Scope

1. If you could only eat one chocolatey snack for the rest of time, what would it be? Too hard! But possibly just a plain dark chocolate bar. I never get tired of dark chocolate
2. Which do you prefer, dark, milk, or white chocolate? Dark!
3. Do you share your chocolate with others or keep it for yourself? A chocolate shared is a chocolate halved, as the saying nearly goes, so it's a no from me!
4. How do you like your hot chocolate when you are at a cafe? I like it with cream and marshmallows. Cream and marshmallows for me too  

Ross_Scope

"A chocolate shared is a chocolate halved"

I've learned a new saying, thank you @Tori_Scope  

Dragonslayer

Bournville is probably one of the best I like. @Ross scope 

What about this  new flavour. Ruby chocolate. Or is just that the colour? 

Tori_Scope

Hi @Dragonslayer. According to the Wikipedia page on ruby chocolate it's made from ruby cocoa beans, and that's its natural colour. There does seem to be debate around whether it's all just a marketing ruse though! 

Dragonslayer

Hi @Tori_Scope. That's interesting. I have yet to come across it. I'm have only seen it advertised on TV as a coating for Ice cream.

66Mustang

I’ve had ruby chocolate. It tastes a bit fruity, like of forest berries. Apparently it’s the “fourth type of chocolate” after milk, white and dark.

Tori_Scope

I really want to try some now... 

Dragonslayer

You and me both @Tori_Scope

Ross_Scope

Is that kind of chocolate sold in most shops @66Mustang?

66Mustang

I haven’t seen it in any shops to be honest - I guess it’s still a novelty as it’s quite a new thing - what I tried came out of a Christmas hamper last year. I think Nestle did make a ruby Kit Kat though.

Hopefully we will see bars of it soon as it is nice, a bit tart if that makes sense.

Ross_Scope

Hhmm, sounds very interesting, I hope to try it one day @66Mustang!

AndyGT

1. If you could only eat one chocolatey snack for the rest of time, what would it be? This took a lot of thought but  would have to go for something where the chocolate is wrapped around nuts and dried fruit.
2. Which do you prefer, dark, milk, or white chocolate? Milk
3. Do you share your chocolate with others or keep it for yourself? Actually,  the enjoyment of chocolate shared is an enjoyment doubled.
4. How do you like your hot chocolate when you are at a cafe? I agree with cream and marshmallows, but would go all the way with chocolate flakes as well. Mmmmmmmm nice🍫

Tori_Scope

I like fruit and nut chocolate too @AndyGT! And good point about the enjoyment doubling when you share something  

Ross_Scope

That's very kind of you @AndyGT, not many people enjoy sharing chocolate  

66Mustang

I must say I shared a bottle of champagne recently and it was just as nice having half as much, but sharing it with someone else, as if I’d had the whole bottle myself. So I can totally understand sharing chocolate if it has the same affect!

Ross_Scope

@66Mustang

I think I'm just greedy  

66Mustang

Hehehe

janer1967

I have bought one of those Ferrero rocher type of desserts from aldi will let you all know what it is like 

Tori_Scope

Ooh please do @janer1967! 

Marie88

I have such a sweet tooth, especially for chocolate! My faves are chocolate orange, Reeses peanut butter cups and dairy milk. I also love drinking hot chocolate, even more so in the colder months.. It has to be the full works too with cream, marshmallows and a flake... oh and choc sprinkles 😋

Ross_Scope

I have part of a chocolate orange left to eat @Marie88, thanks for reminding me  

AndyGT

I love a Picnic, Dairy Milk Fruit and Nut and Whole Nut are my favourites.  Something 'left field,' that I love is one called 'Pay Day'..... It's an American bar and I think it is made by Hersheys.  It is more caramel than Chocolate and instead of the the caramel covering the peanuts  it is the peanuts covering a really thick caramel and the salt from the peanuts make it a salted caramel.   Mmmm it is lovely.  As for drinking chocolate I love straightforward Cadbury's hot chocolate   If you have any, mix it into a paste with a little evaporated milk to begin with..... It makes it really smooth and just oh so nice..... 

Ross_Scope

Definitely sounds like you're super keen on the nutty chocolate @AndyGT  

And thanks for the tip about the hot chocolate, I'll try that.

66Mustang

I have a tip about making the best hot chocolate as well!

Heat some milk until it’s almost boiling (but not boiling, as this will spoil it) and then pop in 50g of regular eating chocolate. Let it melt into the milk and stir it together.

Very unhealthy and I haven’t had it for several years but delicious 

Ross_Scope

Chocolate milk! Love it @66Mustang