Sweet History: 1755 … Chocolate Takes off: I Love Chocolate Creations

Ironic, isn't it, that a man named Baker started America's baking-chocolate industry?

Better late than never, but in 1755, America finally discovers chocolate. Why so late? Perhaps because America was not yet the land of plenty.

But once they discovered it, America could not be stopped. Baker-Hannon was the unusual collaboration at the forefront of this charge. Dr James Baker was a doctor regularly prescribing chocolate to his patients, while John Hannon was an Irishman who knew how to make chocolate, sweet chocolate creations colonists were willing to pay for generously.

The demand for chocolate creations took off and by 1765, Baker-Hannon had opened a production house that ingeniously used water power to mechanize the process. The process and result was the stuff Baker's Chocolate was known for: using a sawmill, cacao beans flowed out of the stone wheel, the beans were pulverized to a thick chocolate paster which were then cooled and molded into cakes. This, at a time when cacao beans were hand-ground and milled and large-scale chocolate-making facilities were largely unheard of. Not surprising then that this marks a milestone in American chocolate industry.

These bitter chocolate creations were then chopped and boiled in water for a hearty brew of sweetened chocolate drink.

Originally called Hannon's Best Chocolate, it was renamed Baker Company when Hannon was thought be lost at sea in 1779. Some say he was ship-wrecked while on a cacao-buying trip in the West Indies; some say he went missing to get away from his wife. But whatever the reason, Baker became even more successful, watching as the cash from his chocolate creations simply poured in. Today, it is one of the oldest still operating grocery product trademark in the USA.

Starting from unsweetened chocolate bars for use in making cocoa or other chocolate-flavored chocolate creations and treats, Bakers Chocolate has evolved to chocolate creations of all sorts, all goodies: breakfast cocoa, German's Sweet Chocolate Bars, milk chocolate, chocolate tablets, chocolate-flavored toppings, dipping chocolate, microwavable chocolate treats.

Baker's Chocolates, La Belle Chocolatiere, to make chocolate creations are perfect for any baking occasion!

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