• Happy Valentine’s Day!
• Two Ways To Register For Spring Programs
• Gift Certificates Available
• Chocolate Exhibit in Washington Park
• Choco-Word of the Month
• Choco-Quote of the Month

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Hope you all have a fantastic day celebrating the loves in your life! May your day also include chocolate.

TWO WAYS TO REGISTER FOR SPRING PROGRAMS

Chocolate Tasting & More indoor chocolate tastings and neighborhood walks are offered seasonally from March through November. There are now two routes (excuse the pun) for our walks and after school program registration. You can call West Linn Parks and Recreation Department at 503-557-4700 or register online at their site. You can also purchase them here on our website- be sure to select the desired route. The spring dates are March 20 (Lake Oswego), April 17 (Downtown Portland), and May 22 (The Pearl). Hope to see you on the chocolate trail!

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE

This year, why just give chocolates when you can give a fun and memorable chocolate experience? These certificates are good for any scheduled walking tour and are valid a year from the date of purchase. Go here to give a unique gift for any occasion for the adult chocolate lovers in your life.

Want to find something to go with your certificates? Check out our Partners in Chocolate for different ideas. The possibilities are endless. Think and buy local this Valentine holiday.

CHOCOLATE EXHIBIT IN WASHINGTON PARK

Some of you may remember the mouth-watering chocolate exhibit, Chocolate: Tree to Truffle at the World Forestry Center in 2004. It was sad to see it go. Fortunately it has been updated, renamed and is back in Washington Park from January 30-March 25, 2010! You can almost smell the chocolate wafting from the building! Explore the cacao tree in the tropical rainforest and discover chocolate’s intriguing history. Click here for more information.

CHOCO-WORD OF THE MONTH

Presentation is a very important part of the chocolate experience. The box housing protecting delectable confections is called a ballotin. The term ballotin originally referred to an officer in charge of a ballot box. The contents may have changed over the years, but they both serve to protect something very valuable! Some sources say that Richard Cadbury, son of the founder of Cadbury Limited introduced the first chocolate box in 1868. He later created other boxes, including the ever-popular Valentine’s Day heart shaped box. Others say Belgian chocolatier Jean Neuhaus, was the first to patent one in 1915. Another source says it was the Ganong Brothers of New Brunswick, Canada. Either way, over 36 million boxes are sold each year in the US alone.

CHOCO-QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Seven Days Without Chocolate Makes One Weak!” ~Anonymous

SAD TIME FOR UK

Four months ago Kraft launched a hostile bid for chocolate maker Cadbury but were told: "Fat chance." That all changed on January 19th, when the last British-owned chocolate company agreed to be taken over by the US food giant, creating the largest chocolate company in the world.

CHOCOLATE’S SCIENTIFIC SIDE

Several months ago researchers at the University of Chicago discovered that chocolate can dull pain in laboratory rats. Their findings were published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Don’t get too excited about these findings, for drinking water had the same effect. They also found out that this painkilling effect occurs while the animals were eating food or liquid, even in the absence of appetite. As a result they feel this phenomenon can be attributed to the overeating and obesity problem in the US. You can get more information on this study here. So what’s the possible message here? Eat chocolate in moderation and replace eating chocolate occasionally with a drink of water.

HIGH COCOA PRICES MAY MEAN SMALLER MORSELS

Cocoa prices have almost doubled in the past two years. Some predict that the soaring cocoa prices, at a 30-year high, could drive chocolate companies to use less coca content, downsize bars, or use cheaper alternative ingredients. It’ll be interesting to see what lies ahead. In the meantime, always be sure to carefully read the ingredients.