I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who finds it hard to believe the 2000s are 'history'. In fact I still think the 1990s were just a few weeks ago.
Apparently it was in the 'noughties' that everyone got excited about chocolate. In the old days Brits wanting a bit of chocolate would pick up a bar by Cadbury called Bournville that was only 35% chocolate. Turns out this chocolate bar is named for the village near Birmingham where the Cadbury family first set up business.
I'm hopeless at sweets, having grown up largely without them. If someone says something is like a Mars Bar / Bounty / Snickers, I'm really none the wiser. I have eaten any and all of these at some point, I'm sure, just not often enough to make a memory-dent in my brain. I think I can say with some certainty that I've never heard of a Bournville (I didn't even know how to spell it).
Sue had collected some higher percentage chocolate bars ranging from 70-90% cocoa solids. The dish she made for this era was a pan of chocolate brownies with prunes (from Green and Black 70%). It was nice enough, but I'm not that fussed about chocolate. so I cut my brownie in half. I brought the other half home for Bill.
Do you remember life before we even considered the percentage of cocoa in our chocolate?
7 comments:
I am getting to like dark chocolate more, I used to dislike Bourneville becauase it didn't taste that nice. Lindt is better.
I did a tour of the Bournville factory many many years ago when I lived in a student flat just up the road. At that time the chocolates for Milk Tray were largely handmade and there were rows and rows of women doing repetitive work. It was fascinating. A few days ago I watched a programme on TV which showed how they make the contents of the Quality Street tins that seemingly millions of people buy at Christmas - hardly a human in sight!
Jenny - I do think darker chocolate is an acquired taste. I'm always amused at the health claims people make about chocolate these days. I've no idea if they are based in fact or just a marketing ploy. In some ways I feel 'left out' of the chocolate club but then I think of all the calories I save myself with my indifference and decide I was 'spared' instead.
Vivien - Your comment made me think of the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel take a job on a chocolate production line. As a child I thought it was hilarious. Today it makes me think more about the plight of workers. You are lucky to get to tour a place making chocolate. Since marrying Bill I know more about whisky and beer makers that I ever dreamed or wished to know.
Shelley - I don’t believe that I have ever seen I Love Lucy. It seems that the entire several seasons passed me by, possibly because we didn’t get a TV until I was aged about 10 and despite there having been several UK reruns since of what appears to have been a popular American sitcom. However all episodes have been coloured and digitised onto DVD and can be obtained via Amazon. I’ll see if I can track down the chocolate line episode to see if your recollection of it’s hilarity rating has stood the test of time.
I have now seen a three minute clip on YouTube of the episode of I Love Lucy containing the chocolate line sequence - its hilarity has indeed stood the test of time. I have been inspired to buy the DVD The Very Best of I Love Lucy which contains the full episode.
Vivien - I'm speechless - not that you'd never seen ILL but that you've bought it. Bill and I were just now discussing the differences in American and British humour, apparently he can't forgive us our 'canned laughter'. I'd no idea your humour ran along those lines, so it seems there are sides of you I've yet to discover! Hope you enjoy your new video. I'll be interested to hear your take on it!
I haven't got the DVD yet but will let you know what I think of it in due course. Should you wish to re-live some of your past then I will be happy to lend it to you.
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