Swiss Chocolate Trivia

• Switzerland uses more milk to fabricate chocolate than to produce yogurt.
• The Swiss consume 12 kg of chocolate per head and year.
• In 2004, 47.1% of Swiss chocolate was sold in Switzerland and 52.9% was exported to more than 130 countries.
• Switzerland imports only 1% of the world's cocoa beans harvest.
• Swiss doctors recommend up to 50 g of milk chocolate or 25 g of dark chocolate per day, because chocolate contains a lot of polyphenols. Polyphenols have been shown to be strong antioxidants, which prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Two major inventions in the 19th century set the cornerstones of the Switzerland's chocolate industry:
• In 1875, milk chocolate was invented by Daniel Peter, a butcher's son. He succeeded in combining chocolate with milk, an obvious but difficult move.
• In 1879, Rodolphe Lindt developed "conching", a process which created the world’s first "melting chocolate". Conching involves heating and rolling chocolate, a refining step designed to break up large particles to produce a smooth creamy cocoa mass that will melt on the tongue.
• In 1980 a story of chocolate espionage hit the world press when an apprentice of the Swiss company of Suchard-Tobler unsuccessfully attempted to sell secret chocolate recipes to Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and other countries.
• In 1982, I worked for one week in a chocolate factory. Because I still liked chocolate after this week, I've decided to pursue for another "career".