Whether you eat it with coffee, strawberries, or just chocolate, there’s no doubt that chocolate is one of the most delicious sweet treats.
And every year on July 7th, the whole world comes together to celebrate this heavenly joy.
But what is World Chocolate Day and what’s the best way to celebrate it?
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is World Chocolate Day?
World Chocolate Day is an annual event that celebrates the introduction of chocolate to Europe in 1550. Prior to 1550, chocolate was only available in certain countries in South and Central America, such as Mexico. European invaders who explored the continent wanted to bring this special treat back to their own continent.
It’s unclear exactly who brought chocolate to Europe, but one theory is that Spanish explorer Hernan Cortés was gifted a chocolate-based drink called “xocolatl” (pronounced “sho-ko-la-tl”) by Aztec Emperor Montezuma in 1519. Cortés decided to bring the drink back to Spain, marking the beginning of the product’s export to the Spanish court.
The drink’s popularity spread throughout Spain and then across Europe, but it was too bitter for European palates, so people began adding milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon to sweeten it.
A Dutch chemist invented solid chocolate in 1828. But it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that chocolate as we know it was created. In 1847, British chocolate company JS Fry & Sons created the first chocolate bar from cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and sugar.
Rival Cadbury soon began producing chocolates and Easter egg boxes. In the 1870s, Swiss chocolatier Henri Nestlé teamed up with a neighbour to produce the first milk chocolate bar and founded his own company. In the late 1870s, fellow Swiss Rudolf Lindt perfected the recipe and began mass production.
Then, in 1900, Milton Hershey in the United States began mass production across the ocean.
The global popularity of chocolate was born.
What’s the best way to celebrate World Chocolate Day?
The best way to celebrate World Chocolate Day is by eating loads of chocolate.
Families will have the opportunity to make chocolate chip cookies and brownie bites with their little ones.
You can also foster team bonding in the workplace by hosting a chocolate-focused potluck, where each staff member brings their favourite chocolate treat to share over tea or coffee.
But don’t get us wrong: World Chocolate Day can also be enjoyed alone: enjoy some delicious desserts and watch chocolate-themed movies like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chocolat or Forrest Gump.
Or you can visit Cadbury World and learn about the history of chocolate in Britain whilst tasting some delicious chocolate.
If you’re looking for a gift for someone special on a special occasion, or if you’re looking to bake some chocolate treats, Standard recommends the best baking gift sets.
Or, if you want to celebrate World Chocolate Day with a hot chocolate, Standard has rounded up some fantastic insulated flasks to keep your drink hot and delicious.