February 9 is celebrated as Chocolate Day every year. The Day holds importance ahead of the Valentine’s Day which falls on February 14
…But then Chocolate was not the sweet confection as we know it now. Far from it. For most of the tribes of these ancient Latin American civilisations, Chocolate was only used as a ritualistic drink in temple ceremonies
If it were possible to travel back in time 4000 years to Mexico, then known as Mesoamerica, we’d be right at the heart of Chocolate land. The Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate. They drank their chocolate during rituals and used it as medicine. Centuries later, the Mayans praised chocolate as the drink of the gods. By the 15th century, the Aztecs used cocoa beans as currency, to barter for other goods.
But then Chocolate was not the sweet confection as we know it now. Far from it. For most of the tribes of these ancient Latin American civilisations, Chocolate was only used as a ritualistic drink in temple ceremonies. They believed it was a food from the gods, good for health and as an aphrodisiac.
Spaniard Hernan Cortes and his Conquistadors came to this part of the world looking for the El Dorado, the fabled city of gold. They never found that gold, but they took back cocoa beans given them by the Aztec Emperor. Sweetened with Honey and Sugar it became a popular drink.
Ever since then chocolate has turned the world on its head. As one of the best happening things. But Spain could only keep it a secret for 100 years. It soon spread across the continent.
Today no celebration is complete if chocolate is not there, and now one is just around the corner – Valentine’s Day.
My Chocolate Story
But here’s a story of mine which I’m sure will add a little more flavour to the chocolate story. So here goes:
It was the summer of 1973 in Lucknow. My Dad was of the firm belief that summer holidays were not meant to idle away. But should be used profitably in some useful useful enterprise, not for the sake of earning a few rupees .But more for the sake of discipline and character building it would ingrain in youngsters.
So off I was sent to work in a cold storage and confectionery. The Store was run by Maj (Retd) Sahni. He was exactly my Father’s friend, but the recommendation of a mutual friend got me the job of a counter sales boy. The store was part of the army canteen, deep in the heart of the cantonment area.
I was told that the Major was a short-tempered fellow. But somehow the two of us seemed to get along all right for about a week or ten days. Until the day that Mrs Shivashankar stepped inside the store to buy some pastries.
As soon as she spotted me she burst out in her usual, exuberant style:
“Oh, David, what a wonderful surprise. And what may you be doing here, my dear”?.
“Aunty, I’m working here as a counter sales boy”, I replied. “It’s just one of those summer job things, my Dad is so particular about”.
Mrs Shivashankar was our neighbour from Lawrence Terrace, and a friend of my Mum.
And all of sudden she spied the two trays of chocolate pastries sitting at the far end of the counter. Then followed the inevitable question:
“Are these Fresh”?
At first I didn’t reply, pretending I hadn’t heard her. But then she repeated herself.
So I replied, trying to keep my voice as low as possible: “Why yes of course. One tray is three days old and the other one is three weeks old.
Naturally, the lady quickly turned around and fled, waving to me and saying: “I’ll come back another time”.
But there would never be a next time. I was unaware of the fact that the Major had been standing right behind me and had overheard everything I’d said.
Naturally he was furious and chucked me out. That’s what you get for telling the truth about chocolate pastries.
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