So you just came back from a grueling sixty minutes of intense kickboxing and some P90X and you’re all pumped up. You really felt like you could be the next Mr. Fit or the upcoming Miss Jillian Michaels of your sleepy neighborhood. As you were about to shove a spoonful of healthy yogurt in your mouth, a dark brownish figure was ogling at you like a sinister creature from your Facebook account hiding from the screen of your ever reliable Smart Phone which also happened to be your handy daily calorie count tracker.
The brown figure evidently looked more delectable than your tasteless yogurt so you took a closer look. Well, what did you know? Your best friend posted a picture of the most delicious-looking and decadent homemade and newly baked chocolate cake that you had ever laid neither your eyes nor your hands on.
You thought hard and long as you tried to understand why your pal would sabotage your plan to be healthy by posting a temptress in disguise while you’re enjoying your rabbit’s diet. Was it jealousy, cruelty, attempting an Ashton Kutcher punk stunt or a … and then suddenly it hit you.
Today was the day.
So you ran to the garage and fetched your car as quick as Roadrunner being chased by Godzilla. Whistling and smiling, you raced your sweaty self to your best friend’s pad as fast as the cops would allow you to so you could have one heavenly slice of that mouth watering chocolate goodness that you’d been craving for.
To the billions of chocoholics scattered all over the world, the day had finally come. Get your pom poms and well, … your forks and appetites ready.
January 27 was National Chocolate Cake Day!
Before the Red Velvet Chocolate cakes and cupcakes became a craze, the 80’s bakeshops were filled with molten chocolate cakes, chocolate mud cakes, chocolate mousse, flourless chocolate cakes and chocolate sandwiches with crème fillings.
And since calorie counting was not a trend yet, the chocolate creations back then were richer and definitely more decadent. Hence, the term Death by Chocolate which actually originated from desert gurus in the late 70’s and enhanced by pastry chefs in the early 80's.
Drake’s was a popular brand during the 80’s and the early 90’s famous for its consumer favorites Ring Dings chocolate frosted chocolate cakes shaped like hockey pucks and Yodels, Swiss Rolls with chocolate frosted fillings.
Betty Crocker’s Stir ‘n Frost chocolate cakes were also a hit among the busy and on-the-go Generation Xers who were mostly kids then who wanted instant microwaveable creations with their cool grandma’s blessings.
Today, many bakeshops specialize in special cakes made for Generation X. They have chocolate Rubik’s cube cakes, Pac Mans, Walk Mans and other themes that would bring out a nostalgic tear or two from the 80’s and 90’s aficionados.
In Houston, the Chocolate Factory has a variety of chocolate cakes amongst a host of chocolate bars in different sizes, flavors and designs, humongous chocolate cookies and chocolate truffles. Their Chocolate Red Velvet Cake and the Chocolate Truffle are to die for.
Before you sink your teeth into the most sinful chocolate cake of your choice, though, you have the folks who discovered the wonders of cacao and cocoa as enhanced by chocolate masters the Cadbury brothers and Johannes Van Houten to thank for.
According to studies, chocolate especially of the dark variety if consumed moderately improves health slightly reducing cholesterol and the risk of heart attacks. It is also known to be an aphrodisiac. In fact, studies showed moderate chocolate eaters live longer than those who don’t eat junk food at all and those who eat too much.
But don’t get too excited now. Chocolates still are ridden with sugar, fat and calories that may impair your general health if consumed too much. The keyword is moderation.
However, the National Chocolate Cake Day (and the day after) is an exception.
So to the chocolate lovers out there, indulge. Get your forks ready, get set and …. mmmunch!
Source :
http://myboringoldlife.blogspot.com/2011/03/wonder-of-chocolate.html
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