Is chocolate really an aphrodisiac?
Evidence certainly suggests this strongly! In fact, the law of the ancient Aztecs forbade women to drink chocolate because it was considered such a potent aphrodisiac – a label that has been tagged to chocolate ever since. But is it true? Scientists have exercised their minds over the link between chocolate and sex for some time now, and have concluded that eating chocolate releases Phenylethylamine and Seratonins into the body, creating a mild euphoric high. This is why we feel so deliciously self-indulgent when we are seduced by a fine chocolate! Chocolate’s legendary properties as a mood enhancer have made it the gift of choice between lovers for centuries, and many an ardent lover has claimed that chocolate has helped them achieve peak performance. Of course, the much-noted female penchant for chocolate means you do have to be careful in your choice of aphrodisiac: she might prefer to devote herself to the chocolate!

Where does chocolate come from?
Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean, which is harvested from the cacao bush in the Cocoa Belt – an area stretching 15-20 degrees north and south of the equator. The beans are harvest, sorted and dried before being ground down to make cocoa liquor. This liquor is then available for various processes, depending on the final product. In the manufacture of chocolate, the liquor is mixed with sugar and cocoa butter, then mixed, ground and conched until the liquid chocolate is silk smooth. This is the chocolate from which your gourmet fine chocolates are created.

Can cocoa beans be grown anywhere in the world?
No, the cacao bush needs a particular climate in order to thrive. The world’s primary cocoa-growing region is called the Cocoa Belt and it encompasses an area 15-20 degrees north and south of the equator. The cocoa beans grown here are the source of the vast bulk of the world’s chocolate – a massive 70% of the world’s cocoa is derived from West Africa. There are other pockets of cocoa-growing around the world, often on estates whose cocoa beans are prized for their quality and rarity. For example, there are plantations in Java, on the Caribbean islands and in the Far East.