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I Feel the Earth Move… By Cal Orey


WORLD WATCH EARTH CHANGES


Chocolate World October 2010 “The superiority of chocolate, both for health


and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in American which it has in Spain.” --Thomas Jefferson


Did You Know?... The cocoa tree – theobroma cocoa – thrives in warm and humid regions near the equator. The major cocoa-producing countries are Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia. (Source: www.foodreference.com


I remember my bags were packed and ready to go to France, Italy, and Spain—countries touted for choco- late—in the spring of 1962 when I was 10 years old. I was excited to experience real hot cocoa and rich chocolate cakes like Marie Antoinette is depicted mak- ing in a vintage poster. I heard my mother talk about trying Sicilian mole and chocolate mousse in an ancient restaurant in Madrid. I tried to imagine smelling and tasting Italian chocolates in a Roman chocolate shop. I’d love to share a sweet chocolate lover’s trip of yesteryear with you, but I cannot do that. Why?


The truth is, I didn’t go to Europe. However, my mom, a hardworking legal secretary, was treated to a trip abroad by her boss, an attorney, who rewarded her with a round-trip ticket to chocolate paradise. And I stayed home in San Jose, California.


That was decades ago, and today I can still find myself pondering about visiting quaint European bistros and cafes that create to-die-for chocolates and coffee. Countless people, like me, are fascinated and captivated by the power of chocolate—known as Mother Nature’s “food of the gods” in Europe and other countries around the world, past and present.


A Genesis of Chocolate


The deep roots of using chocolate for medicinal pur- poses, which vary from physical stamina to mental well- being, go back centuries. While the cacao tree may have been introduced by the Mayans, it was actually culti- vated in South America by the Olmec Indians in 1,500 B.C., then by the Totees and later by the Aztecs.


Today, chocolatiers and researchers in Europe, America, and around the world continue to find more and more powerful uses for this forbidden fruit known as choco- late. History shows that people since the Mayans and Aztecs have taken advantage not only of the internal benefits of chocolate, but of its external perks as well. And we are (again) finding out that the popular forbid- den fruit’s healing powers are timeless and universal.


Widespread Chocolate Appeal


While Africa produces 70 percent of the world’s cocoa crop, followed by Latin America and Southeast Asia, other regions around the world are not ignoring chocolate.


America continues to lead the globe in cocoa bean 22


importing and chocolate production. But Switzerland maintains front-runner position in its chocolate con- sumption. Like the worlds of olive oil, vinegar, and wine, the world of chocolate is both competitive and delicate.


Cocoa bean harvesters count on our Earth to do her best, I learned. There are two main harvests per year, but some cacao can be harvested all year long. Also, pests, disease and weather destroy some of the world’s cacao each year—but organic methods (cocoa beans that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides) help to com- bat these challenges.


Chocolate Is “The Craze” Everywhere


The chocolate fountain at the Bellagio Hotel is a choco- late lover’s sightseeing delight, but chocolate is the “craze” around the world. According to consumer com- panies, it’s the dark healthy stuff that is making news for the future chocolate makers and chocolatiers. Here, take a look at some sobering facts:


• Research company Packaged Facts claimed in a 2007 report that the U.S. market for chocolate was primed for growth from $16 billion to $18 billion in 2011.


• Mintel, a leading global supplier of consumer prod- ucts, believes the sweet tooth does not seem to be linked to the economic downturn. Mintel projects Americans will continue indulging in innovative dark and premium chocolates.


• Dark chocolate holds a reputation as being a healthier choice than other chocolate with Britian’s chocoholics.


• Dark chocolate has grown in popularity, especially among women, as a result of its slightly healthier image, thanks to its antioxidants content.


• The international market for chocolate has skyrock- eted in Asia, where chocolate is a modestly priced and available Western luxury that attracts middle-class folks..


Americans Love Chocolate


According to a consumer survey conducted by Barry Callebaut, some tidbits of information regarding “American’s Love Affair with Chocolate” were discov- ered. Here, are some of the findings:


• Nearly 6 of 10 Americans are loyal to a particular brand of chocolate, but many are trying new brands.


• What’s more, nearly 4 of 10 Americans eat chocolate at least a few times per week.


• Fifty-four percent of Americans said they eat choco- late because they like it, while 4 percent eat chocolate for health reasons.


cniud tp o ae 2 otne o f pg 3 Oracle 20/20 October 2010


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