Valentine's Day Chocolate

       The origin of Valentine’s Day is linked back to two early Roman saints, both named Valentine, but utterly unconnected to romantic love. The first mention of St. Valentine’s Day as a romantic holiday appeared in the writings of Chaucer, specifically in the 1382 poem, Parlement of Foules. Chaucer describes the nature of love when “every bird cometh to choose his mate…on seynt Voantynes day.” Centuries later, people celebrated with songs, poetry, and roses, but Valentine’s Day chocolate and candy weren’t yet intertwined, as sugar was still a precious commodity in Europe.

Around 1837, when Queen Victoria reigned, Valentine’s Day turned into a commercial bonanza where Victorians would shower their significant others with Cupid-themed gifts and cards. Later in the 1800s, some well-known chocolatiers came up with a process of extracting pure cacao butter from whole cacao beans to create a more desirable form of “drinking chocolate.” This process resulted in an excess of cacao butter, which was used to produce more varieties of what was then called “eating chocolate.”

In a stroke of marketing genius, these chocolates were packaged in heart-shaped boxes decorated with Cupids and rosebuds. From that point on, giving chocolate for Valentine’s Day became the go-to gift idea for lovebirds everywhere.

Reasons

1. Chocolate is an aphrodisiac food

Chocolate is considered aphrodisiac food since the time of Aztecs. Chocolate is said to contain the substance that inflames desire and make the beloved one more open to romance. In olden days, this resulted in the tradition in European royalty to give their lovers chocolates mixed with amber to stimulate their love. According to science, there might be some truth in old legends. As per the recent studies, women who eat chocolate are said to show more desire for romance as compared to women who don’t eat chocolates. This might be because chocolates release brain soothing chemicals which increase energy and desire levels. Chocolate is proven to produce natural high which elevates mood and often equated to feeling in love.

2. Chocolate is a ‘food for Gods’

Chocolate comes from a cocoa tree which is also known as ‘Theobroma cacao’ which is a Greek way of saying ‘food for the Gods’. While we might agree on this term just on the basis of taste, in ancient Maya civilization for which the cacao God was sacred, the term had more of a spiritual and literal meaning. The Aztecs used to exchange cacao beans as currency and as food and drink for the privileged among them. So if chocolate is the food fit for the Gods then it might be good enough for your significant other- or even you.

3. Chocolate has an emotional effect on People

It’s fact that the chocolates have a huge physiological and emotional effect on people. Giving chocolate is not just a sign of love but also given as ways to express delight, initiate desire, expresses your apologies and rekindle a friendship, or even given just to simply uplift the mood as it’s a powerful mood enhancer.

4. Chocolate, especially the dark one, is good for health

The darker the chocolate is, the better it is for the health of yours. Dark chocolate contains chemicals that lower the risk of cancer and heart diseases. Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and flavonoids which fight against the free radicals in the body. Not just that but it also is known to lower the blood pressure and improve the blood flow. Besides health perspective, it is even great for skin as dark chocolate contains bioactive compounds that increase the skin density and hydration. And there is a considerable evidence to say that the dark chocolate improves brain functions as cocoa contains stimulant substance like caffeine and theobromine in a small amount. In all, dark chocolate is an all-rounder which is not only a great way to express love but also good for the heart (literally!) and provides glow and youth to your face along with boosting your mental capabilities. However, to take full advantage of health benefits of dark chocolate on the day of love, it’s important to choose organic dark chocolate with high cocoa content like the premium ones from Santa Barbara Chocolate shop.

Some types

1. Dark

Trader Joe's 85% cacao dark chocolate bar tastes like chocolate should but without the overly sweet flavor. This bar is rich and will satisfy cravings for bold, yet rich chocolate.

The chocolate in this bar comes from Colombia's Tumaco region, which is known for subtle fruity flavors that shine in darker varieties and give it a more exquisite taste. The best part? This bar only costs $1.45 and won't break the bank. Go ahead and buy two, or even three.

2. Fruity

Ghirardelli created a couple different flavors of these intense dark chocolate bars; mango sunset, cherry tango, and raspberry radiance. The slightly sweet fruity pieces perfectly pair with the intense, dark flavor. These bars literally taste like chocolate covered fruit.

3. Nutty

Nut lovers just found their chocolate heaven. This Russel Stover chocolate covered nuts box holds six different nutty flavors –– pecans, English walnuts, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, and almonds. Let your Valentine try a different flavor each day and see which one tastes the best.

4. Creamy

If you grew up receiving Easter Baskets full of candies, you probably ate a Cadbury cream egg at some point. Cadbury perfects the creamy flavor in any chocolate variety across all their products.

The big taste bar contains creamy white, milk, and dark chocolate flavors for a triple chocolate sensation. It's crafted from dairy milk, which boosts its smooth texture and allows it to melt in your mouth. The best part? The bar's large size makes it great for sharing –– or keeping to yourself for a couple months.

5. Bittersweet

There's nothing like good chocolate that tastes bold, yet doesn't send anyone into a sugar coma. For the ultimate experience, purchase Whitman's dark chocolate sampler box that includes a spectrum of semi-sweet flavors, including almond nougats, coconut creams, toffee chips, chocolate covered peanuts, caramels, molasses chews, maple fudge, cherry cordials, chocolate covered almonds, nut clusters, truffles, and whips.

6. White

A box of entirely white chocolates? Yes, it exists. Godiva creates gourmet chocolates and specializes in truffles. Nibble on a white chocolate assortment, which looks as great as it tastes and features cute shapes like hearts or stars.

7. Foreign

European chocolate always tastes better than American chocolate because our country fills candies with preservatives and artificial ingredients. Europe, on the other hand, sticks to the natural root, preserves the cacao bean flavor, and also contains more cocoa butter, which gives the candy a richer taste. Chocolate Class states that more adults consume chocolate in Europe, while more children consume it in America. In addition, the United States mass produces chocolate and generally does not carefully craft it like companies in other foreign countries.

Chocolate connoisseurs agree that Switzerland and Belgium produce some of the most exquisite, European chocolate. The good news is that consumers can find some of this rich chocolate in United States stores like Costco from Lindt, a company that creates premium truffles. The brand sells common flavors like dark, hazelnut, and caramel, but they also sell less common flavors like coconut. These chocolates cost a bit more, but they're worth the price.

8. Mint

Andes mints are a classic. My family always kept some in the house for baking, eating, and as stocking stuffers for Christmas. Restaurants often give these specific mints to customers after they finish their meal. People use them in s'mores, cookies, or just eat them plain.

There's nothing special about these small little mints except that they bear a strong creme de menthe flavor, which fuses finely with the dark chocolate coating. They're small enough to indulge in without feeling guilty about calories.

9. Crunchy

While many chocolate lovers prefer smooth textures, others crave that crunch. Shop at Costco or Walmart for barkThins, dark chocolate slivers made naturally crunchy with from nuts.

Try any of these varieties; dark chocolate with sea salt, pretzel with sea salt, coconut with almonds, mint, peanut with sea salt, dark chocolate pumpkin seed with sea salt, dark chocolate gingerbread, dark chocolate blueberry with quinoa crunch, dark chocolate peppermint pretzel with sea salt. For the ultimate crunch, snack on the coconut or blueberry flavors.

10. Salty

Here's your chocolate, salted caramel lovers. Dove created the ideal sea salt caramel dark chocolate squares that are silky smooth with caramel ribbons and salt crystals. They're individually wrapped and bite-sized, which makes them easy to carry on-the-go for that Valentine's day movie with your sweetheart at the theaters.