From the moment chocolate was discovered, it was considered valuable, divine, and decadent.
The first chocolate candies were invented in the 1860s by Richard Cadbury, who was also the first to market them in a heart-shaped box for Valentine's Day that same decade.
Chocoholics will soon get their fix of the delectable treat as Feb. 14 draws near. With chocolate among the most sought out of the Valentine’s Day gifts, it is something that has been around for more than 2,000 years.
To embrace the popularity of chocolate and all of its glory, Backus Community Center hosts the eighth annual “A Chocolate Affair” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 11 with several local chocolatiers featuring a unique concoction of the treat.
Chocolate lovers will have the opportunity to purchase gift boxes of chocolate specialties and candies of their choosing. Boxes come in three sizes at a cost of $5, $7, and $10.
Chocolate Affair goers will also have the opportunity to register to win several chocolate prizes. Attendees may purchase tickets for a chance to take home these specialty desserts.
Organizers explained that new to the lineup this year is a luncheon to be served for the duration of the event in the Backus Dining Room. The cost is $10 per person and tickets are available at the door.
For more information, call Backus at 285-7225.
Chocolate history
Gourmet.com reports that the infatuation with chocolate first began 2,000 years ago when it was discovered in Latin America. The Maya and Aztec elites infused cocoa beans with water to form frothy chocolate drinks for special occasions and as sacrifices to the gods. The Aztec ruler Montezuma believed that chocolate was an aphrodisiac and routinely drank it before entering his harem, thus increasing chocolate’s popularity and its association with love and romance. As it turns out, he was ahead of his time. Modern-day scientists have linked the chemical phenylethylamine in chocolate to feelings of excitement, attraction and even pleasure.
The rest of Aztec society used cocoa beans as money and were unable to afford to drink it. Christopher Columbus saw how the Aztecs revered cocoa when he entered the picture in the sixteenth century and immediately took the luxury product back to Queen Isabella of Spain. Chocoholics sprouted up all over Europe, sharing the legend of their new obsession’s alleged mythical powers.
By the 1800s, the Cadbury Brothers set up shop in England and began packaging candies to sell to a mainstream audience. In 1861, in a genius marketing move, Richard Cadbury created the first ever heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day, spurring the commercialization of the holiday.
