Chocolate and Mother’s Day, a perfect match.

1 – Let’s get back to the history of chocolate, how did we find out about it?

Columbus brought the beans back to King Ferdinand of Spain in 1492, they didn’t know how to process them. Explorer Hernando Cortez had spent some time among the Aztecs in 1519, and had been able to observe the processing technique, so he took this knowledge and some more beans back to Spain.

2 – I’ve heard that it was kept as a secret potion?

Members of the Spanish court fell in love with it after they discovered that by adding sweetener it became a wonderful drink. It was so favored that it was kept a secret amongst the nobility for almost a century. With the marriage of Louis XIII of France to a Spanish princess in 1615, the scrumptious secret was let out and dispersed throughout Europe almost as fast as an Internet virus.

3 – How is the cocoa bean turned edible and delicious?

To make chocolate, the football-shaped pod is opened and the cacao seeds found inside are fermented in the sweet pulp from the pod for days. When the pulp rots and falls away, the beans are dried and roasted, removing the shells. They are then ground into a liquid consistency known as chocolate liquor.

4 – What is the difference between dark, milk and white chocolate?

If this base is hardened, it becomes unsweetened baking chocolate. To make it palatable, sugar and extra cocoa butter are added, and then it becomes what we know as semi-sweet chocolate. For milk chocolate, the world’s favorite flavor, milk is of course added along with sugar, extra cocoa butter and vanilla.

White chocolate has only the cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar, and no chocolate liquor

5 – Okay, now we’re salivating, with Mother’s Day coming up, and this being a hard year, where can we buy deals on chocolate

Splendid Club Chocolate, 4810 Jean Talon ouest, Suite 100 at Victoria. Phone: 514-737-1105. Hours: Mon-Fri 10-3 6
For lovely inexpensive chocolate gifts (even for yourself!), sneak over to this building’s outlet on the main floor for factory direct chocolate (even Kosher) bargains on caramels, lollipops, pretty baskets from $12-$100, boxed ballotin, assorted boxes and chocolate hollow and solid novelties (Santas, bunnies, teddies). Corporate gifts are available by appt.   splendidchocolates.com

Galerie au Chocolat,  8985 Henri Bourassa ouest, VSL at Thimens. Phone: 514-331-8460. Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4, Fri 9-3.  This has been a secret spot for years, as they were a wholesaler and sold retail only to those in the know. The Belgian chocolate comes in milk chocolate or dark and is made in interesting varieties: rice krispie bark, raisin clusters, almond rochers, covered pretzels, caramel hazelnut wafers, blueberry or cherry clusters and espresso wafers. You can buy them bagged or beautifully boxed. The best deal is the white box of “seconds” usually found on the counter – same taste, priced less ($15 for 700 grams). You can even get free home delivery for orders over $75 ($10 if it’s less). Other location: 8305 boul. Langelier (514-933-8460).

Lindt Chocolate Outlet Store, 58 boul, Brunswick, Mega Centre des Sources at boul. des Sources. Phone:  514-695-3392. Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30-7, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5. This chocolate company started in Zurich in 1845 and then acquired the famous Rudolf Lindt’s company in 1899. First check out the back of the shop which is 25%-75%, off and the chocolate still tastes wonderful at these prices. The shop offers you all the Lindt classics, including 9 kinds of Lindor truffles (intense orange is there), and for the “health conscious”: dark chocolate in 70%, 85%, and 90% as well as flavors: red chili, pistachio and cherry. There’s also Ghirardelli chocolate, Ricola Swiss herb cough drops and gift baskets. There’s usually free tastes at the counter.