Chocolate traditions around the world: I want to take a moment to discuss chocolate as we prepare for the holidays. Many people believe that chocolate is exclusively associated with the West, as in small chocolate bars that are served with wine and covered in gold foil. That isn’t nearly accurate! Although the Olmecs first grew cocoa in what is now southern Mexico about 1,500 BC, people have been using it all over the world for thousands of years. Long before Europeans were aware of them, the Mayans were making hot chocolate beverages!
Chocolate is a treat that is popular throughout the world and has ingrained itself in many different civilizations. The celebrations of Diwali and Raksha Bandhan in India, the well-known chocolate festivals in Switzerland, the Day of the Dead in Mexico, and the distinctive Valentine’s Day and White Day customs in Japan all serve as examples of how important chocolate is in various cultures.
Zeba Kohli, a chocolatier, author, and businessman, highlights the rich history of chocolate in four different countries as well as its customs and festivals in this article.
Japan has a rich cultural history of utilizing chocolate. Although the earliest mention of chocolate was not discovered until the 17th century, the Japanese have been utilizing it since the 16th century. Even now, chocolate is still often utilized, particularly during celebrations.
On special occasions, chocolate is used as an ingredient in desserts like cakes and cookies in Japan. They also use it to prepare a variety of delicacies, such as hot cocoa mix and mocha ice cream, which are served during winter celebrations like Christmas or fall festivals!
Chocolate is also used on many other cultures’ customary holidays!
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India: Delightful Dances of Holidays and Chocolate
India, a country known for its colorful celebrations, honors its fondness for chocolate on several occasions. On Diwali, the festival of lights, and sweets are exchanged, and chocolates are now a part of the customary “mithai” offerings. During Diwali, families and friends receive gift boxes of chocolate, a symbol of happiness and wealth. In addition, presents are exchanged during the Raksha Bandhan celebration, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. Modern gifts now include chocolates, which represent the delicacy of sibling love. Furthermore, Valentine’s Day has grown in popularity in India, where chocolates are now a preferred gift for showing love and devotion.
Switzerland: A World of Chocolate
Known as the “Chocolate Capital of the World,” Switzerland has a long history of producing fine chocolates. The Swiss have been crafting chocolate for generations, and their annual chocolate festivals are evidence of their passion for this treat. Chocolate lovers from all over the world flock to Zurich’s Salon du Chocolat, where they may partake in master chocolatiers’ seminars and indulge in an extensive selection of artisanal chocolates. In addition, the Swiss observe Chocolatiers’ Day, a national celebration recognizing the works of master chocolatiers. Both locals and visitors will enjoy this festival, which highlights the wide variety of Swiss chocolate-making methods and flavors.
Mexico: The birthplace of chocolate
Mexico is considered to be the birthplace of chocolate as we know it today, and chocolate has strong cultural roots in Mesoamerica. The ancient Mayans and Aztecs revered the cocoa-bean-derived beverage as a divine elixir. Nowadays, chocolate is still a necessary component of many celebrations in Mexico. In remembrance of their departed loved ones, families prepare and serve “chocolate caliente,” a hot chocolate beverage flavored with chile and cinnamon, for the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) ceremonies. In Mexico, chocolate plays a significant role in Christmas customs, and “chocolate conchas” are a popular holiday confection.
Europe
In Europe, Christmas is the holiday that is most extensively observed. It is observed with gift-giving, feasting, and a day off from work.
In Europe, Valentine’s Day is also extensively observed. Single folks must find activities to occupy their time on Valentine’s Day that do not include being alone, while married couples commemorate their love for one another by exchanging cards and gifts.
Easter is a Christian event where a lot of people give and receive eggs from one another. Pascha and Resurrection Sunday are other names for it, after Easter Sunday, which occurs annually between March 22 and April 25.
Hanukkah commemorates the Second Temple’s rededication in Jerusalem following its destruction by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Seleucid ruler who, from 175 BC to 164 BC, aimed to drive out Judaism from Israel (1 Maccabees 1:10-64). Every year on December 16 or 17, depending on whether you follow the Julian or Gregorian calendar, Jews all over the world light candles inside their homes for eight days straight, starting on December 20 and ending on January 1 (Hanukkah Eve), also known as the Festival of Lights because we don’t care for names that sound too formal like “Christmas Eve.”
Africa in the West
A specific place exists for chocolate in West African culture. It is used as money, to commemorate significant occasions, and in religious rites. Both the Yucatec Maya of Mexico and Guatemala and the Yoruba people of Nigeria utilize it as medicine.
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Chocolate is provided at celebrations like Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha (the end of Ramadan) and is used at rites of passage like marriages and funerals in some parts of West Africa. Depending on how it’s made, various countries have distinct kinds of chocolate. For example, grinding cocoa powder can be added to hot water (like coffee) to make hot chocolate drinks, or crushed cocoa beans can be combined with milk or water to make milk chocolates.
North America’s West
It’s a major issue that chocolate is used in traditional winter celebrations in Western North America. Tobacco companies have even produced seasonal candies because it’s such a big deal. These range from chewy marshmallows to crispy caramels to fudgy brownies—all bursting with sugar!
Not only that, but chocolate is also a staple in a plethora of other desserts and beverages, like hot chocolate (which can be made with either milk or water) and ice cream sundaes. And what kinds of cakes are produced using chocolate, in case you were wondering? They vary from simple treats like brownies and s’mores cake to more intricate works of art with several frosting layers!
Chocolate as Cultural Significance
It goes without saying that chocolate plays a significant role in many civilizations. Even while it might not be the only item that people connect with celebrations and holidays, it can nonetheless represent a wide range of concepts. Chocolate has been associated with festivities for generations, to the point where it’s difficult to think of eating chocolate without remembering a special occasion. Here are a few instances:
In summary
We hope you have enjoyed reading about the significance of chocolate in many global cultures. There are still a ton of countries to discover—we have only begun to scrape the surface! If you have any queries or comments regarding how you like to consume this delicious treat, don’t hesitate to get in touch.Japan
