WQ - A Box of Chocolates

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I'm participating in the Wednesday Quotes link-up hosted by Marsha at Always Write. Well, to be accurate, this week there's no link-up, but I didn't want to skip the prompt because it was just too delicious. It's chocolate!

What's the first quote about chocolate that comes to mind? I didn't even have to look this one up, because it's Forrest Gump's iconic line from the movie:

"My momma always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" ~Winston Groom

That's why I've always appreciated the boxes of chocolates that come with a little map or key that gives you at least a general idea if you're getting caramel or hazelnut filling. 

Caramels are only a fad. Chocolate is a permanent thing. ~Milton S. Hershey

A number of years ago, we reviewed a biography of Milton Hershey from the YWAM Publishers series, and it was really interesting. Out of all the books available, my daughter chose Hershey, possibly because we lived not terribly far from the city of Hershey, PA, and visited there quite a bit. And how can you not be curious about a man that lent his name not only to a company, but an entire town! A name that is synonomous with chocolate. Milton was a very interesting character too, and we learned a lot. More background on some of the little tidbits of information we'd learned from all the times we'd been on the free Chocolate World tour at Hershey! In fact, since I'm collecting quotes, I'll quote my own review!

He struggled in school, and eventually his father got him an apprentice position in a printer's shop, but Milton didn't like the work and didn't do well with it. The print shop owner was impatient and unkind to Milton. Then his mother helped him find a job at an ice cream parlor, and Milton really enjoyed that. He could be creative and he learned how to make candy, and could experiment with different flavors and recipes.  When Milton struck out on his own, he had many business failures and often had to borrow money from his mother, aunt, and uncle to see him through. A breakthrough came when his caramels caught the attention of an Englishman, and Milton was finally on the way to success. There were still some setbacks, but overall he could expand his business and provide employment for others. When he attended a World's Fair, he was inspired to start making chocolate. Eventually he was able to buy his family's old farm in Pennsylvania where he built his new chocolate factory and continued to expand his business. Although he had become very successful, he still suffered some very difficult personal times, especially when his wife became ill. Together, they decided to establish an orphanage and a school where boys could be taught good values and work ethic. Milton felt strongly that he should use his fortune to help others and bring them happiness. . . . [we were inspired by] the fact that Milton Hershey never gave up. He learned from his mistakes and misfortunes and was determined to succeed and prove that he could do great things. And it wasn't just financial and personal success that he achieved, but he was committed to doing the right things and to  doing good for others as well.

One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy. ~Milton S. Hershey

And chocolate makes a lot of people happy!

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. ~Charles M. Schulz

Chocolate is the first luxury. It has so many things wrapped up in it: Deliciousness in the moment, childhood memories, and that grin-inducing feeling of getting a reward for being good. ~Mariska Hargitay

Never mind about 1066 William the Conqueror, 1087 William the Second. Such things are not going to affect one's life . . . but 1932 the Mars Bar and 1936 Maltesers and 1937 the Kit Kat - these dates are milestones in history and should be seared into the memory of every child in the country. ~Roald Dahl

A brief history of chocolate seems appropriate here. Cacao seed kernels are the source of chocolate or cocoa and cacao has been consumed in some forms since early Mesoamerican civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, and Aztecs. So centuries before the common era, these people groups were drinking chocolate beverages! 

Christopher Columbus took cocoa beans back to Spain, but it wasn't introduced to the Spanish court until later on. Then after the Spanish conquest, chocolate was imported to Europe and became popular in the court as a beverage, with sugar and honey added.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, chocolate companies like Nestle, Rowntree, and Cadbury got started. Cadbury was making boxed chocolates in England by 1868, for example, and did you know they created the modern chocolate Easter egg? They made the first one in 1875 after developing a cocoa butter that could be molded into smooth shapes. And of course, there was Milton Hershey, who purchased chocolate processing equipment at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893, and got his start making chocolate-coated caramels.

I've already quoted Roald Dahl, but I've got a couple more from him, because any discussion of chocolatey goodness brings to mind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

He turned and reached behind him for the chocolate bar, then he turned back again and handed it to Charlie. Charlie grabbed it and quickly tore off the wrapper and took an enormous bite. Then he took another . . . and another . . . and oh, the joy of being able to cram large pieces of something sweet and solid into one's mouth! The sheer blissful joy of being able to fill one's mouth with rich solid food! 
"You look like you wanted that one, sonny," the shopkeeper said pleasantly.

Charlie nodded, his mouth bulging with chocolate.

~Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

"For who could hate or bear a grudge, against a lovely bit of fudge?" ~Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Who indeed? Many of us find it harder to stop at just one piece of fudge or chocolate!

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces. ~Judith Viorst

Wednesday Quotes is hosted by Marsha at Always Write. Marsha is taking a break from hosting for a couple weeks, so although there's no link-up, this post is for #WQ #45: Chocolate

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