Chocolate News
Love of black coffee, dark chocolate could be genetic
UPI.COM If you like your coffee black, it could be that your grandpa or your great-aunt did, too. A preference for black coffee and also for dark chocolate seems to lie in a person’s genes, scientists report. It’s not the taste that these individuals actually love, but it’s because their genes enable them to metabolize caffeine faster and they associate the bitter flavor with mental alertness. Dark chocolate also contains a small amount of caffeine but predominantly theobromine, a caffeine-related compound, which is also a psychostimulant. Benefits attributed to dark chocolate and two to three cups of black coffee per day include a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancer. The findings were published this month in Scientific Reports.How the Swiss perfected chocolate making
Making chocolate may look simple. After all, you only need a few ingredients: cacao beans, sugar, and milk. Yet mixing them correctly to achieve a smooth, velvety texture took centuries to achieve. And it’s all thanks to Swiss chocolate makers. They were the first ones to add milk to chocolate. But, most importantly, they invented the conching machine, the most important machine in making chocolate.
Dog saved by surgery after eating six packets of chocolate coins
A dog has undergone life-saving surgery after scoffing six packets of potentially deadly Christmas chocolate coins. Hugo, a six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, helped himself to the chocolate treats – poisonous to dogs – when owner Amie popped to the shops. She returned to her home in Plymouth, Devon, to find the coins gone and wrappers strewn across the floor, before rushing Hugo to a nearby PDSA pet hospital. “At first Hugo seemed fine, but I felt sick with worry when he began vomiting blood. He then had a seizure, which was terrifying, so I called PDSA immediately.”
Happy National Chocolate Day! December 28, 2021
What is the Difference Between Hot Cocoa and Hot Chocolate
Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are not one and the same. While they’re both delicious and tailor-made for this time of year, the recipes and resulting drinks differ quite a bit. Yes, they’re driven by the bittersweet goodness that comes from cacao. The real distinction here is a from-scratch version versus a quick-and-easy batch of the sweet beverage. Click, HERE, for more and check out the RECEIPE SECTION, on this website, for recipes for both (and many more scrumptious recipes!)