Lovechock Organic Raw Chocolate

The jungles of Central America are still full of mysteries. In areas where now trees are standing so dense together that only little sunlight comes through the leaf canopy, previously, mighty high cultures settled. Even many centuries later, the Mayan cities with their temple pyramids are completely overgrown. The so far discovered cities are often excavated only partially. And no one knows how many more cities the jungle has swallowed over time. When the archaeologists began to liberate the first Mayan ruins from the grip of lianas in the 19th century, they marvelled at the numerous stone reliefs. The Mayas had their history and mythology artfully carved into stone. A motif that appeared repeatedly, was the feathered serpent. Its image was also found in the ruins of the Aztecs, Toltecs and other Mesoamerican cultures. In the language of the Aztecs this serpent was called Quetzalcoatl, which means as much as ”glowing tail feather snake“. Of all the ancient Mexican deities Quetzalcoatl is by far the most flamboyant figure. Some people worshipped it as a creator god. To the Aztecs it was known as the god of wind and sky. According to the legend, Quetzalcoatl offered them the first cocoa beans as a gift in ancient times. Due to their heavenly origin, the beans were considered extremely valuable. Among merchants, they were accepted as a usual currency. The kings and priests of the Aztecs mixed a very special drink with it. The invigorating drink was flavored with honey, vanilla and cayenne pepper and was called ”xocolatl“.

In Aztec mythology Quetzalcoatl appeared in two forms, namely as a feathered serpent as well as a white man with a beard. According to ancient traditions, he had left for a long journey a long time ago. The legend said, however, that prior to his departure he had announced to return one day with his entourage over the great sea, to rule over his old empire again. During the reign of Montezuma II. (1502-1520) a strange comet appeared in the night sky. The royal astrologers saw it as the harbinger of great events. They were right. In the year of the comet, floating houses were spotted in the sea. When they docked, iron men who rode on huge deer without antlers came out of the houses. They were led by a white man with a beard. Quetzalcoatl had returned - at least that was the message that spread like wildfire across the country.

In reality, the bearded stranger was a Spanish conquistador named Hernán Cortés. With his 500 men strong expeditionary force he was in search of the legendary gold treasures of the New World. After a short time the Aztecs already noticed that the newcomers did not have good intentions. But because Montezuma was not sure whether or not it was Quetzalcoatl, he hesitated. Instead of waiting, he could have used his tremendous stock of cocoa beans to pay old allies. Together they could have mobilized over 400,000 warriors which would have been more than enough to frighten away the gold-hungry invaders. Because of his indecisiveness the Spaniards, however, could gain a foothold. After a few years they had basically erased the empire of the Aztecs completely, while they also snatched the cocoa supplies.

Besides shiploads of gold, the Spaniards also brought ”xocolatl“ back to Europe. Because they could not pronounce it correctly, they called the drink ”chocolate“. From the late 16th century on it was drunk at the royal courts of Europe, but it was much more sweetened. The original recipe was a little too strong for most Europeans. Over the centuries, the drinking chocolate developed to the traditional chocolate bar - probably the most popular treat in the world. For a long time the chocolatiers tried to make their creations sweeter and creamier. The cocoa content of the chocolate was reduced. In exchange, more and more milk and sugar were added. For some years, however, a significant counter-trend has developed: back to the original flavor of the cocoa bean. Not only does it have an excitingly rich aroma and a stimulating effect, but thanks to its remarkable nutrient density cocoa beans are also among the so-called superfoods.

In chocolate production, cocoa is normally roasted and ground at high temperatures. However, the heat can cause many nutrients to change or be lost. For this reason, the temperature of Lovechock chocolates remains below 49 degrees Celsius during the entire processing time. This allows the original flavour of the cocoa bean to be transformed into a very special chocolate experience in a wide variety of flavours. Lovechock Pure Cocoa Nibs raw chocolate delights with large cocoa nibs and a strong cocoa flavour. The Lovechock Cherry and Chilli raw chocolate proves that the combination of cocoa and chilli doesn't just work in drinking chocolates. Lovechock Ginger Orange 69% is a vegan dark chocolate sweetened with dates, which owes its incomparable flavour to the tangy freshness of sun-ripened oranges and the pleasant spiciness of ginger. The Soul Caramel Sea Salt 75% bar is a fruity, tangy flavour experience based on cocoa butter. Dried dates and mulberries lend a fruity caramel note, while sea salt and cocoa provide a variety of flavours. Cocoa butter also forms the basis of the Alles Liebe Hibiscus Cocoa Nibs bar, which is refined with cocoa flakes and vanilla powder and gets its pink colour from hibiscus. Enjoy the invigorating chocolate flavours of the Maya and Aztecs with Lovechock, in between meals or during a coffee break.