Chocolate Festival 2013

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Chocolate
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Hernán Cortés, who knew chocolate a beverage made from cocoa, and learned about its invigorating power, appreciated the Aztec Xocoatl as a military ally, considering, as he wrote to Emperor Charles V of Spain,

that a cup of that native beverage was sufficient to maintain the strength of a soldier during a whole day of marching. Because of that, the Spaniards sent to their country the Mexican cocoa since the beginning of the 16th century when they arrived in Mexico, considering it a precious gift. Cortés sent it to Emperor Charles V in 1528 in great quantities, and they began to use it as a medicinal beverage, fortifying, but only by the nobles of the court, since it was scarce and expensive.

Considering it too invigorating of life strengths, the catholic clergy opposed it with particular resistance, but the noble people became so fond of drinking that beverage that they added sugar and some other flavor, as that of cinnamon, and that is why the use of chocolate became popular very quick. The cocoa of Spain passed to France, as a gift to the king, and from there to the Austrian court, where Empress Mary Theresa made chocolate a fashion.

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However, during a great deal of time the world could not easily buy the Mexican cocoa, because Spain prohibited its export, until in 1728 king Philip V sold to a foreign company the right to trade with the product, being then when cocoa spread quickly through all the European countries.

Cocoa and chocolate are a plant and a beverage of Maya origin, although their native names, Cacahuatl and Xocoatl are of the Náhuatl language.

On account of their contact with the Mayas, the Aztecs or Mexicans adopted cocoa as food and currency. The Maya word used to name the grain was Cacau, derived from the older term Chacahuaa; in the current Maya it is called Chucua. In Tupí, an indigenous dialect from Brazil, it is called Cacau.

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As for acclimatization of the cocoa plant, it was achieved out of Mexico first in the Philippines, later in the Antilles, then in South America and in the Indonesian Islands (Sumatra, Java, Bali, etc.,) and subsequently passed to the African countries. However, even in the year 1900 most of the cocoa that arrived in Europe came from

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Mexico, Central and South America, but before the First World War, the country that supplied the world in greater scale was Brazil.

Currently, the countries that produce more cocoa in the world are Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Mexico.

Don’t Miss the Chocolate Festival


Sunday, Jan 13, 2013 – Chocolate Festival, 11-4pm:

 

Indulge Yourself! Lots of free samples from area chocolatiers and sweet shops, meet Willy Wonka, learn about the history of chocolate from the education staff of the Quad City Botanical Center, enjoy a cooking demo, kids chocolate activity area and much more! Purchase your tickets on line starting December 10th, a limited number of tickets will available at the door! All ticket sales support non-profit the Quad City Botanical Center!

 

Cost: Presale Tickets: Adults $15.00, Youth 3-15 $3.00, Children 2 years and under free Purchase your online tickets below!
At the Door: Adults $18.00, Youth 3-15 years old $5.00, Children 2 years old and under FREE!

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