51.3 F
Davis

Davis, California

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

UC Davis students reflect on the joy hot chocolate has brought to their lives

The history of hot chocolate, how students drink it and recommendations on consuming the beloved beverage more ethically

 

By AMBER WARNKE — features@theaggie.org

 

Hot chocolate has long comforted humankind, originating as far back as the ancient Olmec, Mayan and Aztec cultures of what is now Mexico and Central America. This early predecessor to hot chocolate, however, was vastly different from what we know and love today, with these cultures drinking their chocolate in an unsweetened and unheated form. It was consumed as far back as 3,500 years ago and was considered a form of medicine, as well as often being drunk during special occasions. 

In the 1500s, the drink was introduced to Spain during Spanish colonization. There, sugar and cinnamon were added to the drink, but it did not become widespread for over a hundred years due to the drink being restricted to the nobility. In 1828, Dutch scientist Coenraad Van Houten revolutionized the process of creating hot chocolate with the invention of the cocoa press. This removed most of the cocoa butter from the processed cacao, refining the drink and led to the modern form of hot chocolate we drink today. 

People all around the world love hot chocolate and find solace in the drink’s sweet and cozy taste. Hot chocolate is loved throughout Davis, both on and off the UC Davis campus. 

Grace Kasabula, a second-year plant sciences major, shared her love for hot chocolate, as well as her preferred method of consuming it. 

“It makes me feel warm and happy inside,” Kasabula said. “I like to make it with the dark Swiss Miss packets […] I make it with milk, not water. If you’re having hot chocolate, it better be with milk. I [also] like to spike hot chocolate [with] adult beverages.” 

Kasabula especially benefited from hot chocolate when she worked as a ski coach at Ski Bradford in Haverhill, Massachusetts

“I would come home from work all day in the snow, and I would just have some hot chocolate by the fire,” Kasabula said. “It was just a nice way to end my day.” 

Kasabula believes that chocolate is one of the best ways to deal with a difficult day, and recommends UC Davis students to drink hot chocolate when dealing with academic stress. 

“Froth that up [and] call it a night,” Kasabula said.

Kaitlyn Deem, a fourth-year cognitive science major, also said drinking hot chocolate is a way to manage college stress. She said that finding out what concentration of chocolate she likes best in the drink led her to realize that the beverage can be enjoyed in many forms. 

“It’s way more customizable than I thought,” Deem said.

Salina Kamburova, a fourth-year managerial economics major who works at a coffee shop, Pachamama, in Downtown Davis, is skilled at customizing hot chocolate. There, Kamburova serves a variety of drinks, including coffee, matcha, teas and hot chocolate. She enjoys making artistic drawings on top of the hot chocolate with milk foam in the shape of flowers, bears, hearts and snails.

Being a professional hot chocolate maker, Kamburova offered specific recommendations to students hoping to make high-quality hot chocolate at home. 

“Make sure whatever chocolate base you’re using is really well mixed before you add the milk,” Kamburova said. “I [also] like adding lavender simple syrup and peppermint.” 

However, her greatest joy in serving hot chocolate is how it enables her to connect with children who come into her work because they order hot chocolate frequently. 

“It’s fun to make the little bears on [the hot chocolate] for them and see their reaction,” Kamburova said.

While the drink has positive connotations with its drinkers, the ethics of the chocolate industry are another aspect to consider when buying cocoa products. Child and slave labor are major issues on cocoa plantations, according to the Food Empowerment Project. Most cocoa farmers earn less than one dollar a day, and about 2.1 million children in the Ivory Coast and Ghana are used for child labor on cocoa farms. Experts in these issues recommend not purchasing hot chocolate or other goods from companies including Nestlé, Cadbury, Lindt, Ghirardelli, See’s Candies or Hershey’s. Instead, they recommend shopping from more ethical brands like Tony’s Chocolonely, Divine and Vego.

So, top off your hot chocolate with whipped cream — or, as some students recommend, some lavender syrup — and have a cup of cheer. Regardless of your hot cocoa-based preferences, looking into where hot cocoa is sourced can assist those interested in buying both ethically and responsibly.

 

Written by: Amber Warnke — features@theaggie.org

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here