How did the Swiss become some good at making chocolate?

Question

Is it from Swiss cows? Sugar and cocoa aren't even native to Switzerland.

Or, is there actually better chocolate, that I haven't tasted, from Columbia or somewheres?

Ta.

Answer 1

Um, practice?

Answer 2

Well, the Swiss speciality is the milk chocolate - of course with milk of Swiss cows.

Sugar is grown in Switzerland as well (not sugar cain), but cocoa needs a different climate.

Other famous chololate-producing countries have their own specialities, like Belgium or even Italy.

Answer 3

Christopher Columbus discovered the chocolate in the new world at the end of the15th century. Indeed, the Aztecs drank chocolate well before everybody. It was a bitter drink based on roasted kernels seeds of cocoa blended with spices.
That drink was really appreciated by the Aztecs but it was so sacred that only the rich people could afford it. It had nothing to compare with the nowadays well-known chocolate, so much so that the conquistadores found it undrinkable.
But, as the Aztecs used also the cocoa seeds as money, they first looked at cocoa like a means to buy their gold.


The Swiss began making chocolate in the mid 1800's. Switzerland, at the time, had cows but did not have abundant commodities of chocolate and sugar. In 1876, M. Daniel Peter attempted to add milk to chocolate to produce a smoother chocolate. However, adding water to chocolate made the chocolate shrink, separate and generally disintegrate. Milk has water in it, and it took Peter 8 years of experimenting before taking his product to Henry Nestle, a maker of evaporated milk. Nestle had perfected the manufacture of condensed milk, and he and Peter hit upon the idea of mixing sweetened condensed milk with chocolate.

The invention of the cocoa press in 1828 by C. J. Van Houten, a Dutch chocolate master, helped reduce the price of chocolate and bring it to the masses. By squeezing out cocoa butter from the beans, Van Houten's "dutching" was an alkalizing process which removed the acidity and bitterness, which is why alkali processed cocoa is also called Dutch chocolate.

Chocolate was available only as cocoa or as a liquid until 1879. It was Rodolphe Lindt who thought to add cocoa butter back to the chocolate. Adding the additional cocoa butter helped the chocolate set up into a bar that "snaps" when broken as well as melting on the tongue.

It was World War I that really brought attention to the chocolate candies.

The U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps had commissioned various American chocolate manufacturers to provide 20 - 40 pound blocks of chocolate to be shipped to bases in the field. The blocks were chopped up into smaller pieces and distributed to doughboys in Europe. Eventually the task of making smaller pieces was turned back to the manufacturers.

By the end of the War when the doughboys arrived home, the American chocolate business was assured. Why? Because the returning doughboys had grown fond of chocolate candy and now as civilians wanted more of the same


The history of chocolate:

http://www.mrkland.com/fun/xocoatl/history.htm

Answer 4

if you haven't tried it yet try Lidnt chocolate, its really good! I'm Swiss also, and I really have no idea. I agree Belgium chocolate is good, but so is Swiss, German and like every European chocolate. Be warned though! If you try European chocolate, Hershey's will never be the same :-) lol

Answer 5

Most of the Swiss know how to make the best chocolate since it is more tastier.

Answer 6

The Swiss dont make the best choclate its Belgium Choclates.

Answer 7

my hertiage is swiss but im wasnt born there i think the milk and the type of eggs may be the secret ,, were good with watches and clocks to ... go figure

Answer 8

You tell me,it would be my dream to be locked in the Lindt chocolate making plant overnight!

Answer 9

i think its the quality of the cocoa and the amount they put in there.... the chocolates here are pretty crappy cuz its minimal amount of cocoa and the quality sucks!

Answer 10

Your perfect Answer is "EXPERIENCE"
Otherwise try Belgium Chocolate