shaped gherkin, with furrowed sides (see Fig. 488), and reaches a length of bin. or 8in., and a breadth of Sin. or 4in. At first the pod is green, afterwards it turns to yellow, and on the sides exposed to the sun soon assumes a bright red. Each pod contains from 50 to 100 almond- shaped seeds; these are pinkish when fresh, but turn a beautiful deep (chocolate) brown when dried for commerce. The inside of the mature fruit is chiefly made up of these seeds, or “ nuts ” as they are called when dried, the outside covering being brittle and no thicker than stoutisli brown- paper. When the fruit is ripe it is gathered and piled in exposed heaps to undergo a species of fermentation, or partial decay of the outer skin; as soon as this is satisfactorily accomplished, and it does not take long, the fruit is broken open and the seeds extracted. These are at first surrounded by a sweet buttery pulp, which soon dries by exposure to the sun. When Cocoa was first used for making a beverage it would be difficult to ascertain ; to the Mexicans, who have long been accustomed to bruise up the seeds with water and flavour them with spice, we go for our earliest knowledge of it. Montezuma, the Mexican monarch, is reported to have indulged in a chocolate preparation made by working the brown liquid into a froth with the richest cream, flavoured delicately with vanilla; and of this he partook himself and regaled his guests from a golden bowl, serving it personally with a golden spoon, or ladle — a very laudable combination of a jovial tem- perance bowl d la Punch. It was during this monarch’s reign (1520) that Cocoa first found its way into Europe, where it has taken up its quarters ever since, and become a prime favourite. The vanilla-flavoured chocolate cream of Montezuma finds favour to this day. Indeed, the amount of Cocoa, in its various forms, now consumed in the world must be enormous. In Spain, Italy, France, and Central America it constitutes the principal unfer- mented beverage to about fifty millions of people, who are estimated to use annually above 100,000,0001b. of the Cocoa — continued. seeds. In this country in 1820 the consumption of Cocoa- seeds was recorded as 276,4211b.; in 1860 this increased to 4,583,1241b. ; and by 1880 still further, to close upon 10,000,0001b., the imports being nearly three times that quantity. In the manufacture of Cocoa and chocolate the seeds are first roasted in metal cylinders and afterwards bruised, the husks being removed by fanning. The broken seeds (or “ Cocoa-nibs,” as they are termed) are then ground on a warm slab, beneath heated rollers, until the whole forms a smooth paste. This, if left so, would be Cocoa pure and simple ; but there is usually added to it other ingredients, such as starch, with the view of cheapening the article. For forming this paste into chocolate it is enriched with a large percentage of sugar, with flavourings of vanilla, cinnamon, or other sweet spices. Unfor- tunately, Cocoa and chocolate are largely adulterated, the additions consisting of sugar, starch, and flour or farina, of different plants, in varying proportions, accord- ing to the intended quality. So far these additions are harmless, but when we find animal and mineral substances, as pointed out by Hassall, in some cases to add weight, in others colour, the practice cannot be too strongly I condemned. They can mostly be detected with the microscope.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

shaped gherkin, with furrowed sides (see Fig. 488), and reaches a length of 6in. or 8in., and a breadth of 3in. or 4in. At first the pod is green, afterwards it turns to yellow, and on the sides exposed to the sun soon assumes a bright red. Each pod contains from 50 to 100 almondshaped seeds; these are pinkish when fresh, but turn a beautiful deep (chocolate) brown when dried for commerce. The inside of the mature fruit is chiefly made up of these seeds, or “ nuts ” as they are called when dried, the outside covering being brittle and no thicker than stoutisli brownpaper. When the fruit is ripe it is gathered and piled in exposed heaps to undergo a species of fermentation, or partial decay of the outer skin; as soon as this is satisfactorily accomplished, and it does not take long, the fruit is broken open and the seeds extracted. These are at first surrounded by a sweet buttery pulp, which soon dries by exposure to the sun. When Cocoa was first used for making a beverage it would be difficult to ascertain ; to the Mexicans, who have long been accustomed to bruise up the seeds with water and flavour them with spice, we go for our earliest knowledge of it. Montezuma, the Mexican monarch, is reported to have indulged in a chocolate preparation made by working the brown liquid into a froth with the richest cream, flavoured delicately with vanilla; and of this he partook himself and regaled his guests from a golden bowl, serving it personally with a golden spoon, or ladle — a very laudable combination of a jovial temperance bowl d la Punch. It was during this monarch’s reign (1520) that Cocoa first found its way into Europe, where it has taken up its quarters ever since, and become a prime favourite. The vanilla-flavoured chocolate cream of Montezuma finds favour to this day. Indeed, the amount of Cocoa, in its various forms, now consumed in the world must be enormous. In Spain, Italy, France, and Central America it constitutes the principal unfermented beverage to about fifty millions of people, who are estimated to use annually above 100,000,0001b. of the Cocoa — continued. seeds. In this country in 1820 the consumption of Cocoaseeds was recorded as 276,4211b.; in 1860 this increased to 4,583,1241b. ; and by 1880 still further, to close upon 10,000,0001b., the imports being nearly three times that quantity. In the manufacture of Cocoa and chocolate the seeds are first roasted in metal cylinders and afterwards bruised, the husks being removed by fanning. The broken seeds (or “ Cocoa-nibs,” as they are termed) are then ground on a warm slab, beneath heated rollers, until the whole forms a smooth paste. This, if left so, would be Cocoa pure and simple ; but there is usually added to it other ingredients, such as starch, with the view of cheapening the article. For forming this paste into chocolate it is enriched with a large percentage of sugar, with flavourings of vanilla, cinnamon, or other sweet spices. Unfortunately, Cocoa and chocolate are largely adulterated, the additions consisting of sugar, starch, and flour or farina, of different plants, in varying proportions, according to the intended quality. So far these additions are harmless, but when we find animal and mineral substances, as pointed out by Hassall, in some cases to add weight, in others colour, the practice cannot be too strongly I condemned. They can mostly be detected with the microscope.

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