Chocolate

Chocolate is a preparation of the seeds of Theobroma Cacao (see COCOA), made by grinding the seeds to a very fine paste. The mill, heated by gas, is constructed of heavy metal rollers turning in a circular course upon a flat metal plate. A curved knife or scoop is attached to the rollers in such-wise that it shall return the paste continually to be crushed and recrushed by the rollers until it becomes almost impalpable. The object of this is to render the nut, otherwise difficult of solution, readily diffusible in water or milk when used as a beverage. The paste when unmixed is called Cocoa; but when sugar and flour or other farinaceous material with flavouring matters such as vanilla, cinnamon, &c. are added, it bears the name of Chocolate. The two names are much confounded commercially. Chocolate is moulded into cakes or sold in powder or flakes formed by simply cooling the paste as it comes from the mill. The seeds or nuts contain a large proportion (30 to 50 per cent.) of oily matter (cocoa butter). This may be partially removed or all retained in the chocolate. In the latter case much of it is mechanically adherent to the sugar or farinaceous matter. Chocolate is a favourite beverage in Spain, Italy, and other southern countries, especially for breakfast; the cake or powder is heated and diffused in water or milk with much stirring. The Italian rarely uses butter, but cuts his bread into sippets and dips them in his chocolate, the oily matter of which performs the same nutritive functions as the butter we spread on our bread. It is sometimes mixed with coffee in Italy, and there known as mischiatà. It is also made into a paste with cream and sugar and frozen as chocolate ice. Vanilla is the favourite flavouring. The name appears to be Mexican, Chocolatl (choco, 'cocoa,' and latl, 'water'). It was introduced from America to Europe by the Spaniards. It is highly nutritious, containing a large proportion of nitrogenous flesh-forming material. On this account it is used as portable food by many mountaineers. An excessively rich food is obtained by preparing it with milk and then whisking in a raw egg. The waiters at certain Italian coffee-houses call this la gloria, and the ordinary infusion 'Aurora.' In the solid form, mixed with much sugar, cream, and various confections, chocolate is largely used as a sweetmeat, and is introduced in pastry.