Good evening, welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: January 10th, 2022. Today is Bittersweet Chocolate Day which is funny as I was just wishing I had a snack, and a piece of Candy would sure taste good. Although, if I could get Charlie off his Game System, I would ask Charlie to make Fudge for his Homeschool Cooking Class. Would you like a piece of Fudge and if so with or without Nuts?
Bittersweet Chocolate Day
Chocolate lovers can rejoice because today is National Bittersweet Chocolate Day which gives you the excuse to indulge in Chocolate. Also don’t forger National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day is celebrated on November 7th. I don’t know about you, but I will be counting the days down until November 7ty arrives and I can celebrate National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day.
Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma Cacao Tree. Cacao, which has been cultivated for at least three millennia, is grown in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. The earliest known documentation of the use of Cacao Seeds is around 1100 BC. The Cacao Tree Seed has an intensely bitter taste and must be fermented to develop the flavor.
Once the Seeds have been fermented, the Beans are then dried, cleaned, and roasted. After roasting, the shell is removed to produce Cacao Nibs. The Cacao Nibs are then ground into a Cocoa Mass which is pure Chocolate in rough form. Usually, the Cocoa Mass is liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients. This is called Chocolate Liiquor and may then be processed into two components: Cocoa Solids and Cocoa Butter.
Bittersweet Chocolate is Chocolate Liquor to which Sugar, Cocoa Butter, and Vanilla have been added. Bittersweet Chocolate does have less sugar and more Liquor than Semisweet Chocolate. However, the two of them may be interchangeable when baking.
Studies have revealed that there are certain health benefits from eating Bittersweet Chocolate in moderation, such as lowering blood pressure and helping protect the heart.
HOW TO OBSERVE #BittersweetChocolateDay
Bittersweet Chocolate offers many ways to celebrate, and you can add a little to your baking or sprinkle a little in your Coffee. If you like Chocolate Chip Cookies? Bittersweet Chocolate is the Chocolate for you.
Use #BittersweetChocolateDay to post on social media.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
