Maine chocolate is all around you!! Fine Candy and Chocolate shops are seated in just about every Maine Town. Next time your passing through, make sure you visit a local Candy or Chocolate shop, you might even get a free sample!!

Maine Chocolate comes in the form of whoopies, lobsters, chocolate covered blueberries, truffles, turtles, needhams,  ice cream, and its even good for you,..Recent research shows that chocolate can provide natural health-promoting substances called flavonoids. New studies also show that chocolate and its key ingredient, cocoa, have some major health benefits. In its purest form, chocolate can lower blood pressure, help muscles recover from exercise, improve skin, and provide antioxidants.

History of Chocolate
Chocolate comes from the fermented, roasted, and ground beans of the cacao or cocoa tree. The word “Chocolate” comes form the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs. The Nawhalt word ‘xocolatl’ means bitter water. The pre-Columbian peoples of the Americans drank chocolate mixed with vanilla, chile pepper, and achiote. Europeans sweetened it by adding sugar and milk and removing the chile pepper. They later created a process to make solid chocolate creating the modern chocolate bar. Although cocoa is originally from the Americas, today Western Africa produces almost two-thirds of the world´s cocoa, with Côte d´Ivoire growing almost half of it. Today, it is one of the most popular and recognizable flavors in the world. There are many foods that contain chocolate such as chocolate bars, candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes, pies, chocolate mousse, and other desserts.

Christopher Columbus brought some cocoa beans to show Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, but it was Spanish friars who introduced it to Europe more broadly.

The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. In 1689, noted physician and collector Hans Sloane developed a milk chocolate drink in Jamaica which was initially used by apothecaries, but later sold to the Cadbury brothers.
For hundreds of years, the chocolate making process remained unchanged. When the Industrial Revolution arrived, many changes occurred that brought the hard, sweet candy to life. In the 1700s, mechanical mills were created that squeezed out cocoa butter, which in turn helped to create hard, durable chocolate. But, it was not until the arrival of the Industrial Revolution that these mills were put to bigger use. Not long after the revolution cooled down, companies began advertising this new invention to sell many of the chocolate treats we see today. When new machines were produced, people began experiencing and consuming chocolate worldwide.

Check out these Maine locations to find great Maine Chocolate!!

Wilburs of Maine Chocolate Confections, may be a a great start. Wilburs in Freeport, offers tours of its factory every Tuesday and Thursday, as well as producing almost every kind of Chocolate imaginable, they also have a great selection of candy!!

Wilburs of Maine Chocolate Confections - Freeport, Brunswick

Divine Chocolate - Cape Neddick

Len Libby Chocolates - Scarborough

Havens - Wesbrook, Portland, Scarborough

Maine Munchies - Bar Harbor

Mountain View Chocolate Shoppe - Farmington

Labadie’s Bakery - Lewiston

Monicas Chocolates - Lubec

Maine Mud - Weld

Kennebec Hand Dipped Chocolates - Augusta, Waterville

Bayside Chocolates - Lubec

Maine Sweets - Georgetown

Deans’ Sweets Hand Made Truffles - Portland

Coastline Confections - Cumberland

Yummies - Kittery

Candy Garden of Maine - Saco

Old Port Candy Company - Portland

Harbor Candy - Ogunquit

Orne’s Candy Store - Boothbay

The Goldenrod - York

Bath Sweet Shoppe - Bath

Coastal Confections - Bar Harbor

Ben and Bills - Bar Harbor

Robins Chocolate Sauce - Fort Fairfield

Hungry Yankee Moose - Auburn

Wicked Whoopies - Farmington, Freeport

Cranberry Island Kitchen - Portland

Black Dinah Chocolatiers - Isle Au Haut

Katies on the Cove - Robbinston

Maine Wine Truffles - Lyman

Sweet Marguerites - S. Portland

Izzys Cheesecakes - Portland

Dickinsons Candy- Old Orchard Beach

Dont Miss the Annual Chocolate Lover Fling Next April

Maine Potato Candy Recipe

This candy starts with mashed potatoes and coconut, then they are dipped in chocolate. They are extremely easy to make. Take note that the mashed potatoes must be plain with nothing added.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 4 cups flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup cold, plain potatoes, mashed (do not use leftover mashed potatoes made with milk or butter)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound dark candy coating
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation: