International Chocolate Day is finally upon us. July 7, the day when we are all called upon to indulge in that which we all have a love-hate relationship with: our sweet tooth. Chocolate connoisseur and Cancun expert Dorte Nielsen tempts us with tales of sweet, sweet love.
White chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. No matter how you like your chocolate, this July 7 is a holiday made just for you, chocolate lover. International Chocolate Day is upon us yet again, and what a reason to celebrate.
Whether a gift from the gods or simply Mother Nature, there is no doubt that cacao is one of the greatest culinary contributions to humanity since the invention of salt.
Origins of Chocolate
The product was originally found only in Mesoamerica and what is now Mexico. The cacao seeds from which chocolate is derived has brought smiles to the mouths and pounds to the waist of people throughout the world.
In Mexico, cocoa has been highly valued since pre-Hispanic times. Prepared by the indigenous peoples of Mexico in the times before Columbus using different spices and flavors such as vanilla, chili, cinnamon and honey, the cacao concoctions were not only a prestigious and exclusive drink of the elite but also as a kind of currency unit used in the trade of goods and services. With the arrival of the Spaniards to Mesoamerica, sugar was added to what until then was a bitter brew and voilà—a worldwide addiction was born!
Today the states of Tabasco, Chiapas, and Oaxaca are the main producers of cacao in Mexico. In many parts of Mexico’s cacao-producing regions, you can find many mini-plants with chocolate mills which grind the cacao seeds and sell a product very similar to the ancestral form of chocolate mixed with certain spices.
On your next trip to the Mexican Caribbean, make sure you indulge your sweet tooth with some authentic, mouth-watering chocolate.
And if you happen to visit the Dominican Republic instead, make sure you visit a cacao plantation on our exciting Bavaro Runners tour.
If you really want to indulge in this Mesoamerican sweetness, try a fabulous spa treatment at select AMResorts!
In the meantime…
Happy International Chocolate Day!
