Celebrating the introduction of this delicious sweet to Europe in 1550 and the perfect excuse to enjoy some of one of the world’s favourite sweet treat (as if we needed any extra encouragement). So grab your favourite chocolate treat on July 7th celebrate the anniversary of one of the most successful sweets of all time.
THE ORIGINS OF CHOCOLATE
Chocolate was created as a drink in what was known as Mesoamerica which now homes countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Northern Costa Rica. Chocolate in any form was unheard of until the 16th Century in Europe. Can you imagine a world without chocolate?
Once it was introduced to Europe, it remained a drink for hundreds of years and wasn’t until 1847 that solid edible chocolate officially hit the market. However, it was still bitter and not as smooth as the chocolate we know and love today. In 1875 milk chocolate joined the party. As the popularity of this new form of solid chocolate grew, many brands started to offer their unique take on the chocolate bar. Companies we still know and love today such as Lindt, Nestle and of course, Cadbury, began to create several different flavours and bars.
While chocolate originated in Central America, today the vast majority of cocoa originates from West Africa, particularly from the Ivory Coast. Cocoa is a must-have commodity not just for our tastebuds but on the stock market too! Did you know, that every year up to nine times more cocoa is traded on the stock market than physically exists, it's that valuable? Cocoa during the time of the Mayans was so valuable it was used as money! That makes our great range of cheap chocolate even more of a bargain!
WORLD CHOCOLATE DAY
Established in 2009, World Chocolate Day marks the day that chocolate was introduced into Europe. No one knows the true origin of World Chocolate Day, but do we mind? It’s a celebration of all things chocolate and really, that’s all I need to know. Everyone has their favourite chocolate bar from the retro classic like Fry Chocolate Cream to something more modern like Wispa Gold. Whichever bar is your favourite, let's all celebrate World Chocolate Day by consuming lots and lots of chocolate!
Ideas for Celebrating
There are lots of ways you can celebrate World Chocolate Day, especially if you want to make the most of it! We’ve got a few ideas of how you can really (dairy)milk it:
Share your favourite chocolate bar
Invite your office, friends or family to bring in their favourite chocolate treat for everyone to try. Who knows, maybe your new favourite sweet treat is just around the corner for you!
Try something new
Why not take the opportunity this year to try chocolate treat you have never tried before? Or maybe organise that you and a friend will pick a mystery bar to try for each other? Have you ever tried Frys Rasberry Cream or a Caramac Bar?
Revisit something old
If you don’t fancy stepping out of your comfort zone this World Chocolate Day, find a chocolate bar you haven’t had in forever and grab one of those instead! Need some inspiration? Why not try our Retro Sweets section to find something you’ve not tasted since childhood. My personal favourite is a Double Decker. One of those chocolate bars you rarely have, but when you do it's chocolate heaven.
Mystery Chocolate Tasting
At work or with friends, take some individual chocolate bars and chop them up onto a plate to create your own guessing game! Even better you can buy lots of famous bars in multipacks from us to ensure there’s plenty to try for everyone!
Travel the world
Why not sample a chocolate treat from somewhere else? So perhaps Lindt from Switzerland or Hershey’s from the USA, or even Godiva from Brussels if you want to celebrate in style! This could be another fun office celebration – everyone picks a country out of a hat and brings a chocolate confection from their chosen country in on the day!
Simply enjoy a bar of chocolate
Of course, this day is all about chocolate, so however you decide to celebrate, the most important thing is to enjoy some chocolate. Find a quiet corner and dive right in.
Our top chocolate treats
From chocolate-covered sweets to bars of delicious chocolate, our range of treats are sure to have you well prepared for World Chocolate Day! We’ve picked our top 10 chocolate treats if you need some inspiration for July 7th this year
Curly Wurly
The mighty Curly Wurly – a combination of genius engineering and delicious taste this should be an absolute must for any chocolate fan. A truly retro treat of gooey, chewy chocolate goodness.
Crunchie
Delicious honeycomb wrapped in traditional Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. Did you know that in 1999 to mark the millennium a special edition champagne flavoured edition? While ours might be missing some sparkle, they certainly aren’t missing the delicious flavour that’s for sure! Get that Friday feeling this World Chocolate Day.
Wispa
Bubbly and light, the Wispa is an underrated chocolate bar at the best of times, but we also stock the caramel version – Wispa GOLD! If you've never tried this unbelievable treat then what are you waiting for? Celebrate World Chocolate Day in style this year!
Cadbury Fudge
“A finger of fudge is just enough to give your kids a treat”
While we might disagree with the basic principle here as we can never get enough Cadbury’s Fudge, our multipack option will keep you stocked with fudge…well…at least for World Chocolate Day! As for after that, we make no promises!
Fry’s Chocolate
Alongside Cadbury’s, Fry’s were one of the three major original chocolate manufacturers of chocolate in the UK. While now owned by Cadbury’s, Fry’s were originally at the forefront of chocolate manufacturing, creating some of the first-ever chocolate bars which are still popular today! We have not just one but four varieties of the famous chocolate cream! With such an affiliation with the history of chocolate, this would be a great treat to choose to celebrate World Chocolate Day!
Caramac
With its 70s style wrapper and creamy toffee-like taste, this is a true favourite at AQuarterOf! If you’re a fan of the “Gold Bar” from McVities, this is the pure chocolate version – perfect for celebrating World Chocolate Day with something a bit different!
Double Decker
The perfect combination of chocolate, crunchy biscuity pieces and creamy soft nougat, the Double Decker is a beast of a chocolate bar that will leave any true chocolate lover satisfied. World Chocolate Day, bring it on.
Chocolate Iced Cups
Something a bit different, but chocolatey goodness nonetheless! This creation of chocolate fondant resembles something you’d find within a truffle but encased in foil like your favourite cupcake. The perfect size without being too much, if you want to try something new this World Chocolate Day, start here!
Chocolate Eclairs
Chewy toffee with a cheeky chocolate centre, what’s not to enjoy this World Chocolate Day? The best bit about the chocolate éclair, we think, is the slow reveal of the chocolate in the middle as you chew through the smooth, yummy toffee.
Chocolate Money
Remember when we said that cacao beans were used as money and are a huge commodity on the actual stock exchange? Well, why not pay tribute to this by passing out chocolate money this World Chocolate Day? It may not help you actually pay your bills, but it’s still worth saving for a rainy day!
Fry’s Turkish Delight
Our final choice is the strange yet delicious combination of Fry’s Turkish Delight! Delicious rose delight coated in smooth milk chocolate. A real exotic treat and something special to celebrate this most special of days!
Whatever you choose, grab your favourite chocolate treat on 7th July and celebrate World Chocolate Day. If you are in need of a quick chocolate fix then don't forget to check out our chocolate here at AQuarterOf.co.uk.
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