Sweet History: 1700-1750 … Mi Piace Il Cioccolato

And then it was Italy's chocolatiers to turn the world on its head.

PERNIGOTTI TORRONCINI BAG

A chocolate hazelnut paste became a popular nut-enhanced chocolate variation. They called this Gianduja, named after the tiny island where Columbus unknowingly first saw cacao beans. But the chocolate revolution did not end in Italy, but kept spreading throughout Europe. In 1711, it migrates to Vienna along with Charles VI when he transferred his royalty court from Madrid. And in 1720 Italian chocolatiers are welcomed in France and Switzerland.

Unfortunately, not everything goes smoothly. Like when chocolate first made its appearance in Germany in 1704, Frederick III of Prussia imposed tax – perhaps to keep this 'delicacy' within reach of the rich only?

 

But like everything good, you can't keep it down. Everyone wanted chocolate, everyone who tasted loved it and wanted more. The original Spanish-owned plantations began to produce vast amounts of cacao. But new plantations by the British and Dutch sprung up. The French started their own, taking cacao out of Central America and bringing it to their territories – Sri Lanka, Venezuela, West Indies, Africa. It was a Frenchman too – Dubuisson – who, in 1732, invented a table mill mechanizing the cacao-grinding process.

With so much cacao available, with production made so much easier and faster, there was no reason that chocolate could remain only for the wealthy. Chocolate became more affordable and available. And that's when chocolate really took off!

Experiments were done to find out where chocolate could go. Exotic and common flavors were mixed with chocolate. Cakes and other confectionery started to contain chocolate. And best of all, all these were now available in coffee & tea shops, pastry shops and food shops.

No longer was chocolate confined to being solely a drink, but something to be eaten. And am I glad that this is so. Much as I love chocolate, I prefer the solid pieces over liquid. Like these bite-sized Italian favorites … Torroncini are practical individual portions of the classic nougat paste, rich in almonds or hazelnuts, honey and egg white and then enclosed in two thin wafers.

What do you like?

Love everything chocolate? Check out Flowers & Gift Basket Ideas … edible gifts, edible bouquets and not-so-edible flowers, and more ....