Food of the gods, is what chocolate is called or Theobroma. It was first introduced to the Western World by the Spanish conquistadores some 400 years ago. The Spaniards, penetrating deep into Central and South America, invaded and plundered the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, and took along with them to the West not only gold, jewels, slaves, spices but this bitter drink the Aztecs called xocolatl. But for quite some time until the 19th century, this godly food was only known as a drink. The Swiss invented the bar, and ever since then, chocolate holds sway the whole world by its delicious and addictive taste. It is the world's the most popular confection today.

Cocoa beans goes through the process of fermenting, drying, roasting, grounding and liquefying into a paste called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor is the basic ingredient for all the types of chocolate you will find today. When chocolate liquor is pressed of its precious cocoa butter, a vegetable fat, and its remains pounded, the result is cocoa powder. Compound or block chocolate, used mostly for baking, cooking, and in handmade chocolates, is made up of chocolate liquor and extra cocoa butter. Cocoa liquor when mixed by degree to other ingredients such as milk, sugar, cocoa butter, and flavorings such as vanilla create the different types of chocolate enjoyed all over the world. The following are types of chocolates.

White chocolate. This is not really a chocolate per se. It is a combination of cocoa butter (at least 12%) or other vegetable fat, milk, sugar, emulsifier, and flavorings.

Dark or bittersweet chocolate. High amount of chocolate liquor with sugar, cocoa butter, and with very little (can contain up to 12% milk) to no milk solids make up this type of chocolate. In America the amount of chocolate liquor in dark chocolate is 15%, lower than the 35% cocoa solid content in Europe.

Semisweet chocolate. This is your typical cooking chocolate. It has low sugar (about half) content.

Milk chocolate. It is chocolate with condensed milk or milk solids added. It has around 12% milk and 10-20% cocoa solids, including cocoa butter. Classic milk chocolates are Hersheys, Cadbury, etc.

Unsweetened chocolate. This is a bitter chocolate that is typically used for baking. It is nearly 100% chocolate liquor and the rest cocoa butter. It is not palatable and is only used for recipes that specifically require this type. Luker, NeroNero examplify the type.

Couverture. This is usually used as coating, dipping, molding, and garnishing a chocolate confection. It is made of high quality dark chocolate with extra cocoa butter and vanilla. The extra butter gives it a high gloss, creamy flavor, and that crisp snapping sound when broken. Popular brands include Lindt, Cacao Barry, Guittard and others.

High quality or gourmet chocolates made by manufacturers like Valhorna, Schaffen Berger, Domori, and the rest have large amounts of cocoa liquor and butter in them than your usual commercial chocolate bar. It contains pure vanilla, milk, and sugar and none of those vegetable oil, skim milk, whey, and others.

In fact, chocolate connoisseurs and lovers dismiss such well-known chocolate brands as Hershey, Cadbury, and the rest as merely "candy." You can tell real chocolate from its gloss or sheen when molded, its earthy, aromatic smell, and the way it "snaps" when you bite into it or break it.