Meerkat Prompts: Chocolate

Virtually everyone I know enjoys chocolate. It is supremely satisfying, in virtually all its forms. From the simple, understated elegance of a bar of milk chocolate, to the rich, succulent temptation of dark chocolate, and even the sweetness of white chocolate, it’s proven to be a versatile and extremely delicious form of decadence. It has been a part of human consumption for thousands of years, albeit its modern form as a bar is a relatively new invention.

The History

The cacao bean is where we get chocolate, and this bean (found on the cacao tree) is native to the Amazon, in South America. The tree was domesticated some 5,000 years ago, and was introduced to what is now Central America soon after. The beans were often used in drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and were considered to be a form of currency, as well as a form of medicine. When the Spanish encountered chocolate in 1519, they exported it back to Spain, and drinking chocolate became a popular pastime of the elite across Europe.

In the 19th Century, the formation of chocolate into solid bars took hold, and chocolate moved from a product for the wealthy, to a luxury for the masses. The mass production of chocolate bars began in earnest, with companies like Fry’s and Cadbury coming to the fore. The Swiss also began to mass produce chocolate, and before long, an entire industry had grown.

The Versatility of Chocolate

Whilst chocolate is usually associated with some form of bar, drinking chocolate has remained a firm part of how we consume the stuff. In both solid and liquid form chocolate has been paired with a wide variety of other things, including orange, mint, caramel, and a whole lot more. In some cases the combinations might seem a tad unusual, and this meerkat is certainly wary of a few of them, but each to their own. For example, chili and chocolate comes up quite a lot. It’s not for me, but if you like it, go for it!

For me, I tend to drift toward Cadbury for my chocolate fix, though I am not opposed to a fair few items from the Mars and Nestle stables. I love me a Snickers bar, and I am quite fond of Mars Bars, M&Ms (especially the peanut variety), and a great many more. Crunchies, Boosts, in fact most forms of chocolate tend to get my attention! There are a few I don’t especially warm to (such as the coconut-filled Bounties), but overall, you will this meerkat is very happy to indulge his sweet tooth! Right now, I am imagining chocolate brownies, hot, sticky chocolate fudge brownies, with hot chocolate sauce and a thick scoop of vanilla ice cream… I may need a moment.

What about you, dear meerkats? What’s your chocolate fantasy?

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