The history of chocolate began with the tasty secret of the cacao tree, discovered 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of South America. The pods of this tree contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet encompasses many cultures and continents.
The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.
Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home to Spain, where new recipes were created. Eventually the drink’s popularity spread throughout Europe. Christopher Columbus is credited with bringing chocolate to North America. 
M&Ms, those little candy-coated milk drops, opened 
Intermix is a luxury retailer with collections from Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson and JBrand, just to name a few. The event, to be held at the exclusive Dragon Ridge Country Club, demonstrates the importance of chocolate in exclusive events.
Some fun facts about chocolate we all need to know. Did you know that chocolate has a reputation as a love potion? It is said that the Aztec Emperor Montezuma consumed 50 jars of chocolate brew every day for his nightly visit to his harem. Chocolate and love create similar sensations in the brain’s chemical reaction. Chocolate is good for us and helps reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks. And it is discovered that people buy chocolate for the ones they love, so if you receive a box of chocolates, consider yourself blessed.
Celebrity Chef Connection posts a new broadcast every Wednesday by 5 p.m. at www.celebritychefconnection.com. On the home page, click on the link [view current show] on the right-hand side and that will take you to the Current Show page where you can select how you want to view the show. The program is also archived. If you have any questions or comments contact Debbie Hall at hallwayprod@yahoo.com or 702-279-8116.
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The above article is the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of Vegas Community Online, its editors/publishers, and/or other Vegas Community Online columnists. VCO respects the right of each author to express their opinion. If you have an opposing viewpoint or would like to send feedback on any article, please send email to feedback@vegascommunityonline.com; state the title of the article and your comments. VCO reserves the right to add any submissions to its feedback page.
