ГБПОУ СО «ТПК»
FROM THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE
The cocoa bean and the secret of a drink made from it originally came to Europe from Mexico. It had been brought by Hernan Cortes, a Spanish soldier, the conqueror of that country, in the first half of the 16th century. The beans were used as articles of trade as well as the foundation of a beverage, which was much in favor with the native Aztecs. It was made from crushed cocoa beans and water. The Aztecs drank it cold, flavored with spices and seasoned with pepper. The Spaniards prepared their drink in a similar way, but mixed it with sugar instead of pepper. They kept the secret of this drink for about 100 years. Then, in the 17th century, knowledge of it spread to France and from there to other countries. It was probably introduced into England in about 1650. It became a popular drink among the rich and the chocolate houses developed into fashionable clubs all over London. At that time chocolate was most unpalatable by comparison with the modern product. No sugar was used in its preparation, and drink frequently included maize and spices. Sugar was introduced into chocolate in the later part of the 18th century. It was only in the 19th century that chocolate was sold specially for eating.
It is a valuable concentrated food, containing body-building and energy substances and is widely used in the ration of land, sea and air forces.
The cocoa tree is grown in the tropics. The chief producing areas are West Africa, the West Indies and South America. More than half of the world's cocoa comes from West Africa. The trees are very deli-cate. When young they need protection from direct sun and wind. Co-coa trees do not bear their full crop until they are about 12 - 15 years old.
Notes
1.Aztecs - ацтеки, древние племена, населявшие Южную Америку
2.spices- пряности
3.pepper - перец
4.unpalatable- невкусный
5.maize- кукуруза
6.do not bear their full crop- не плодоносят в полную силу
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences
1. The secret of a chocolate drink was brought to Europe from
a) India, b) Spain, c) Mexico.
2. The Spaniards prepared their drink in a similar way as Aztecs, but mixed it with
a) pepper, b) sugar, c) honey.
3. The secret of a drink made from cocoa beans was kept for about
a) 10 years, b) 100 years, c) 50 years.
4. In England the drink was probably introduced
a) in the 19th century, b) in about 1650, c) in the later part of the 18th century.
5. It was only in the 19th century that chocolate was sold specially
a) as a drink, b) as a spice, c) for eating.
6. More than half of the world cocoa comes from
a) West Africa, b) South America, c) The West Indies.
Exercise 2
Read the text and try to understand its basic content:
THE MANUFACTURE OF CHOCOLATE
The cocoa beans are obtained from the pods of the cocoa tree. The pods are split open by hand on the plantation, and the beans are extrаcted. The beans are left to ferment for several days and then dried in the sun. When dried they are packed into bags and transported to the countries of manufacture.
Four operations are necessary before the final product is ready. The beans are first roasted, a process which develops the peculiar chocolate flavour, and also loosens the husk, which has an unpleasant taste. After roasting, most manufacturers blend the beans by mixing together different varieties, each of which has its own individual aroma.
Then the beans are ground in a machine known as a "melangeur"; sugar is added, together with vanilla or other flavouring if de-sired. The mixture now becomes a paste.
The third operation is to refine this paste by a mаchine called a "refiner", which has three or more rollers which not only grind but tear the fibers which constitute about half the volume of the bean.
The final operation is to add more "cocoa butter", a vegetable fat already present to some degree in the mixture. The chocolate mixture is then worked in a conche - a machine cоnsisting of a series of granite troughs, in each of which a heavy roller is turning. For the best qualities of chocolate the mixture is worked in this machine for sevеral days and nights, a process which makes the chocolate so smooth that no separate particles are perceptible to the palate, and which helps to develop the full chocolate flavour. The chocolate is now ready to be moulded
Notes
1.pod- стручок, плод дерева какао
2.to split open- раскалывать
3.toroast- обжаривать
4.to loosen the husk - отделять оболочку
5.to blend- смешивать
6.melangeur - меланжер для приготовления шоколадной массы
7.refiner - машина для тонкого измельчения шоколадной массы
8.roller - вальцовый станок
9.conche- конш, шоколадоотделочная машина
10.trough [tro(:)f] - дежа, корыто
11.no separate particles are perceptible to the palate - отдельные кусочки(крупинки) не ощутимы во рту
Exercise 3
Fill the gaps using the words from the list below
1. Cocoa beans are obtained from ....
2. Before the final product is ready it is necessary to carry out ... operations.
3. The beans are first ....
4. Roasting is a process which ....
5. After roasting, most manufacturers ... by mixing together different varieties.
6. Then the beans are ... in a machine known as a melangeur.
7. ... is added in the ground beans.
8. The third operation is ... .
9. The final operation is to add more cocoa butter and to work the mixture in a conche to....
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