National Cocoa Day Fun Facts and Recipes to Share with Friends

Dec 13, 2022

Well, we don’t know about you, but one of our favourite things to enjoy when there’s even a little nip in the air is indulging in a cup of luscious hot chocolate! There’s just something about this rich and velvety hot drink that warms a person straight to the soul. Whether you make yours with steamed milk or boiled water or a few shots of espresso, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this sweet wintry drink. But how much do you know about this seasonal beverage?

Celebrating National Cocoa Day with These Cool Facts:

Cocoa was one of the first crops cultivated in South America for the Mayans and the Aztecs.
The word “cocoa” comes from the South American “cacao” which is derived from the Nahuatl word “Cacahuatl.”
In Mayan culture, the cocoa/cacao tree was a sacred plant and cocoa fixture in both engagement and marriage ceremonies as well as a form of currency between communities.
In Latin, the word cocoa means “Food of the Gods.”
When the Spanish discovered cacao/cocoa and began to import the beans back home, they initially cornered the market. But as chocolate began to grow in popularity, this versatile treat made its way to France and other areas.
Did you know that today we consume upwards of three million tons of cocoa beans? Wild!