Trail Mix, Mountain Mix, Peanut Lover's

Chocolate comes from the seed of the Cacao tree. It has been used for thousands of years by the Mayan Indians, Peruvian Incan's and the Mexican Aztecs. In its raw state it is intensely bitter, and must be fermented to develop its flavour. Post fermentation, beans are dried and roasted, the shell removed from the seed to reveal cacao nibs. These are then ground and liquefied. This results in the most pure form of chocolate, chocolate liquor. This is then either produced into cocoa butter or cocoa solids. Commercially made chocolate in our supermarkets now contains a blend of cocoa butter, cocoa solids, sugar, milk products such as cream and milk powders, colours, flavours. Dark chocolate particularly has been known to provide high levels of antioxidants. It also contains theobromine and phenethylamine which as alkaloids which may have physiological effects including increasing serotonin levels in the brain.