FFW Valentine's Day Newletter 2008

Flair For Writing Valentines Day Newsletter 2008
Subject: Chocolate

Editor Megan Rose Princess Megan Rose 10 Years
Assistant Editor: Angel Angel

Hello Everyone! How are you enjoying the winter? It is cold in Indiana and we have had a lot of snow and rain. We have had flooding but my house and our land has stayed dry. Angel just loves the snow and cold. Just kidding! We have decided to write about chocolate for the newsletter for Valentines Day. Did anyone see the movie Chocolat? A woman and her daughter set up a candy shop in France. The chocolate that she baked was to die for. Johnny Depp played her gypsy boyfriend and you know how I feel about him! He is as good as chocolate! Let's stay focused. We found interesting facts about chocolate and since it will soon be Valentines Day, Angel and I are writing about chocolate. So, grab a cup of hot chocolate and join us for this newsletter.

Chocolate was discovered over fifteen hundred years ago in the Central American rain forests. High rain falls and high year round temperatures is the perfect climate for the Cacao Tree from which chocolate comes from.

Cacao is a Mayan word that means "God Food" or "Food of the Gods". The early explorers called Cacao "Cocoa". Seeds of the Cacao plant were mixed with maize and chilli peppers and letting the mixture fement. It had a bitter but sweet taste and was a chocolate drink. This drink was reserved for religious ceremonies and the wealthy.

The Aztecs called this drink Xocolattii but Spanish conquistadors called the drink Chocolat. The English changed the name to Chocolate. The Aztecs worshipped their chocolate drink.

Cortez bought Chocolate to Europe. Sugar and vanilla were added to the chocolate mix as time went on. The first chocolate factories opened in Spain. The mix was ground into a powder.

Cocoa beverages became popular in Italy, France, Germany and it arrived in England in 1520.

The first Chocolate House opened in London England in 1657. It was like a Coffee House but they served chocolate drinks instead of coffee.

The English colonists bought chocolate to the New World-America. North America and Canada are the biggest consumers. WE ALL LOVE CHOCOLATE! I would be lost without M&M's and chocolate goodies. As a Diabetic, I can't enjoy them too often.

The English baked chocolate cakes and bread. Joseph Fry is credited with producing the world's first chocolate bar. You thought it was Willy Wonka? {Sorry, we had to throw that in!} The Cadbury family stayed with the chocolate business and they are still in the chocolate business this day. Nestle's roots to chocolate can be traced to this time era as well.

Quakers held a virtual monopoly of chocolate in the English speaking world. As time went on, nuts were added to chocolate along with coconut, cherries and marshmallows.

A Dutch Chemist, Johannes Van Houten, invented a method of extracting the bitter tasting fat from roasted ground beans. He paved the way for solid chocolate.

There you have it. Chocolate. It is a favorite among everyone. When someone picks up your chocolate, you will be glad to share but you will probably say: "Put down the chocolate and no one will get hurt!"



Angel and I wish you a Happy Valentines Day and we hope you have enjoyed learning about how chocolate came into our lives. Chocolate. Don't you wish you had some right now? If you would like, e-mail Angel or myself and any future topics you would like for us to write about. Until next time. Love: Megan and Angel

All beautiful sigs by Angel!


** #803664 Not An Image **
** #805037 Not An Image **

** #925515 Not An Image **

** #1200029 Not An Image **
** #1375421 Not An Image **