fun chocolate facts

All Hail Mighty Cheesecake

Cheesecake, oh I just swallowed my saliva right there. You are the ultimate culprit behind the smiles painted on our faces--especially on mine, most of the time. I swear by this cake, and I crave it even when I have it in my mouth.

Cheesecake is perfect with coffee in the morning, with an orange juice for lunch, and hot milk before going to bed. But if you cannot get enough of it like yours truly, you can still sneak in a few bites during snack time.

Cheesecake also has that magical taste that comforts longing hearts and tired bodies. Seriously, I may sound animated and overboard, but I dare you to try one for yourself and I would sashay away saying I told you so.
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Chocolates Are The Bomb

Upon seeing the title, I bet you immediately assumed that I was just describing how head over heels devoted I am to chocolates and that I went all metaphorical.  You would think that I formulated this catchy title in order to lure you into reading.

Well, now that you started the second paragraph I can say that the reading goal is met. But really now, chocolates are totally the bomb. Ask the Nazis and they will tell you why.

I cannot believe I'm saying this about the people who painted our world's history with tragedy, but the Nazis were pretty creative. I would like to think that the term "death by chocolate" was coined from their efforts.  If you don't like gruesome tales, then maybe now is the time to stop reading and click on the ad at the top of the page.
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Chocolate Myth vs Fact

In all the years of my existence, there is not one person I know who does not like chocolate. I mean if you dislike this sweet treat then you must be seriously disturbed, right?  Kidding aside, the thought of hating chocolate does not simply register in my mind. But if you really do, then I demand a detailed explanation.

Yes it is true that chocolate contains caffeine, but not in dangerous amounts. You can still enjoy chocolate with only little touches of caffeine like the ones in milk chocolate.

They also say that chocolate is associated with acne. You can put the blame in the natural changes in the body as one ages, or charge chocolate for causing your breakouts. But truth be told, there has been no evidence-based proof that chocolate is linked to acne.
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Chocolates, Drugs Of The Past

Do not let the "drug" word fool you because there is actually more to that than meets the eye. In our current society, we often use drug to refer to illegal chemicals that will cause you a lot of jail time. However, the kind of drug we are about to discuss entails not only benefits to the body but also sweetness to the taste buds from then until now.

Dating back to the days when Mayans, Aztecs, and Early Europeans roamed the earth, chocolates were already within their midst. As opposed to the many variety of chocolates we have nowadays, the most popular for these earlier civilizations was chocolate in the form of a drink.

For the Aztecs, the cacao beans were brewed and drank in the belief that it was an elixir of life. It strengthened their warriors, cured the sick and awakened those who were weak and asleep.
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Chocolaty Bread

The Netherlands is probably one of the biggest fans of bread in Europe. A lot of tourists who get to swing by are enamoured with the assortment of their breads. Generally, their breakfast and lunch mainly consist of bread. That being said, you won't be surprised by the variety of bread and sandwich toppings you can find there. "Luxury" isn't the right term for it, you might want to lean toward "necessity".

Typically, breakfast consists of 2-4 slices of bread, and it depends on whether you'd like an open or closed-face sandwich. Margarine or butter is spread onto the bread in order for the toppings to stick. One sandwich will have a cover that is on the more savory side, and the other one will be on the sweeter side. Dutch children typically eat the savory sandwich first, followed by the sweet one which they usually crave.
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The Reggie! Bar

I bet there's at least one reader of this blog that enjoys an Oh, Henry! or Baby Ruth candy bar as a guilty pleasure. It has been said in baseball circles that such treats were named after home run hitters Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth.  (Whether baseball has it right is another story.)

Then there's the story of the Reggie! bar...

Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson was born May 18, 1946. He was dubbed "Mr. October" due to his clutch hitting in the postseason. Jackson is an ex- American Major League Baseball right fielder, and he played for four different teams from the year 1967 to 1987. Currently, he's serving as a special advisor to the New York Yankees.
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Fano Carnival – Wild Chocolate Dreams

As a famous ancient Roman saying goes, 'Semel in anno licet insanire', which means 'madness is permissible once a year', has been really applicable for the Fano Carnival. This is arguably considered the most famous of all carnivals in Italy.

This is the time of the year when people go berserk and are taken by the frenzy of festival, which makes them abandon their daily routine and join the festivities. The Fano Carnival seems to rob people of their inhibitions, and people indulge in it with reckless abandon.
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Deep-Fried Candy Bars

We often crave  something sweet and something that will appeal to our very keen and varying tastes.  Today I am talking about something that may seem unfamiliar or uncommon to you, and it might be just the thing you are looking for.  I am talking about deep-fried candy bars.  Yes, you read right, deep fried candy bars!

The usual batter some chefs or home cooks use for frying dishes like fried chicken, fish, meat, or sausages can also be used for frying these sweet treats. The candy bars must be thoroughly chilled before they undergo the process of being battered. This is done to ensure that the chocolate doesn't melt into a hot, fatty, sticky mess.
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The Legend of Hernando Cortes

You're probably here due to your craving of chocolate and not a craving of famous explorers.  But sometimes you have to go down a new path to get where you're going.

Have you ever considered what a certain Hernando Cortes contributed? As an explorer, he is considered to be one of the most influential people of his time.

Hernando Cortes was born to Martin Cortes de Monroy and Catalina Pizarro Altamirano in Spain in the year of 1485. His father was a dominant figure in the military. In fact, he was an infantry captain.  Moreover, he is closely related to Francisco Pizarro, the Great Peruvian conqueror.
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Dutch-Process vs Natural Cocoa Powder

There are a lot of variations of cocoa powder. Two of the most prominent types around the world are the Dutch-processed cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans that have been treated with a potassium solution.  That neutralizes the acidity of the cocoa beans.

On the other hand, natural cocoa powder is derived from the cocoa beans that have been simply roasted and then reduced and pulverized into a fine powder.
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