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

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Ross_Alumni
Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
in Coffee lounge
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 :) 
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Comments

  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    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_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    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 :D 
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    edited October 2020
    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 
    :D How do you like your hot chocolate when you are at a cafe? With squirty cream and a flake!
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    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
    Cress Online Community Member Posts: 1,005 Trailblazing
    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_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    edited October 2020
    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 :D  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
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 17,074 Championing
    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_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Aww thanks @chiarieds! Make sure I get the most please :D 

    If you had to estimate, how long would you say it's been since you had a chocolate?
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,993 Championing
    edited October 2020
    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
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 17,074 Championing
    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_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    edited October 2020
    Very sensible of you @66Mustang, I wish I could do that :D 

    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
    Dragonslayer Online Community Member Posts: 2,164 Pioneering
    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_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    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_Alumni
    Chloe_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 10,506 Championing
    Bournville is my favourite!  <3
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Oh yes Bournville is nice, haven't had any in years though @Chloe_Scope!
  • Chloe_Alumni
    Chloe_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 10,506 Championing
    You need some in your life @Ross_Scope! 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,468 Championing
    edited October 2020
    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_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    "A chocolate shared is a chocolate halved"

    I've learned a new saying, thank you @Tori_Scope :D 
  • Dragonslayer
    Dragonslayer Online Community Member Posts: 2,164 Pioneering
    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
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,468 Championing
    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! 

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