On our second day in Argentina we took a walk to the Havanna Chocolate Museum and Factory in Bariloche.
I had no idea that this is what a Cacao tree looks like. This model is the first thing you see when you start the tour.
They gave us a history of how the cacao pods are pressed, separated and eventually become the chocolate we know and love today.
A map of where Cacao is grown in the world.
Cocoa is pressed and separated into two products. The cocoa butter, which is white and the cocoa liquor, the cocoa from which we get Chocolate.
Cocoa Beans
Quotes about how wonderful Cocoa and Chocolate are by Cortez and Montezuma. The Aztecs were the first ones to drink the cocoa drink (cocoa and water) hot.
Tools of the trade (from a thousand years ago.)
More modern equipment.
When the monks arrived, they became experts in Chocolate.
In the 18th Century, the new Chocolate drink inspired chocolate houses and salons for the wealthy throughout Europe.
I loved this time line of the evolution of modern chocolate.
Here is a little hint of the beginnings of Valentines day obsession with chocolate. It was started when Richard Cadbury gave bonbons to a friend on February 14th.
It was in the 1940's when one family from Europe settled in Bariloche and started making chocolates.
We toured the chocolate factory where they had many chocolate sculptures on display.
Each display told how many Kilograms of chocolate was used to make each animal. Sandy, I took this photo just for you!
After the tour we had a delicious cup of cocoa and bought some chocolates to take back to our friends and co-workers.
I can say, I highly recommend a chocolate tour in any language.
1 comment:
Chocolate sculptures!? Say what!? That looks like a very informative tour. And you, of course, brought back chocolate for your kids right?
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