Chocolates

Chocolates

The Vegetarian Society UK Choc Tactics

from The Vegetarian Winter 1994/95

Sensuous and seductive, choose chocolate as a gift this Christmas and endear yourself to someone eternally. Denise Rooke goes round the blocks and selects suitable veggie suitors

Small, dark and irresistibly handsome, few people would deny the fatal attraction of chocolate. Our love affair with this smooth, dark foreigner dates back centuries.

The word chocolate, loosely translated, means warm beverage, a name given by the Mayan Indians of Central America, who along with the Aztecs of Mexico cultivated cacao beans to make a drink long before Columbus reached the New World. In the 16th century Mexico was conquered by the Spanish, and among the native delicacies to be taken home and sampled were cacao beans. By the 17th century Italy had acquired a taste for the drink, and a hundred years later cocoa had become a fashionable beverage in London.

Chocoholics quaffed the stuff for a further 100 years before it was transformed from liquid to the more versatile solid block form. Mass production of chocolate blocks began in the 19th century at the newly established companies of John Cadbury and Henry Isaac Rowntree. Today chocolate is produced in innumerable varieties (all of which, you will be delighted to know, should be consumed as soon as possible after purchase because keeping properties are not among chocolate’s many virtues). More than 500,000 tons of chocolate are devoured annually in the UK alone.

Chocolate was once believed to be an aphrodisiac and as such was frowned upon by the Church. Owing to its chemical properties, chocolate can be addictive, inducing a state of happiness or euphoria similar to the feeling of being in love. It is also thought to be a mild anti-depressant; American scientists discovered that people suffering from low-grade depression could be deficient in serotonin, a calming brain chemical which is boosted when sugar or starch is eaten.

Chocolate is made from cocoa nibs derived from cocoa beans. Varieties include bitter or plain chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate and cooking chocolate. The classification depends on the amount of cocoa solids and added ingredients used. Lactose, whey powders/solids and animal fats may all be used in the manufacture of chocolate bars, and those which contain a filling may also contain a variety of additives, colourings and animal by-products such as gelatine.

Nutritional Content

Although chocolate cannot be considered a primary source of nutrients and it does contain that bad guy caffeine, it is a good source of phosphorus, vitamin E, calcium, iron and is a moderate source of protein and magnesium. Fat content is very high and produces about 50 per cent of the energy in chocolate, making it an ideal emergency supplement for those who participate in mountaineering, marathon running, cycling or other such physical tasks.

The Vegetarian Society has been assured that all the products listed below are suitable for vegetarians, containing no eggs or animal derived ingredients (except dairy). However the companies do reserve the right to change the ingredients after publication of the lists. If in doubt, read the label carefully and check directly with the manufacturer.

Vegetarian and Vegan Chocolate/Confectionery

Cadburys; PO Box 12 Bournville, Birmingham B30 2LU, Tel: 0121 458 2000

Cadburys Vegetarian

Bournville Bournville Fruit & Nut

Buttons Creamy-White Buttons

Dairy Milk Dairy Milk Miniatures

Dairy Milk Wildlife Flake

99 Flake Orange Cream

Spira Time Out Twirl

Wispa Wispa Shoe People

Golden Crisp Old Jamaica Tiffin

Mint Crisp Nut Crisp

Raisin and Biscuit

Biaritz –

Almond Biarritz Cappuccino Truffle

Cherry Napoleon Hazel Dream

Montelimar Nut Pyrenne

Rio Night Tropicano

Contrast –

Almond Charm Apricot and Almond Nougat

Coconut Coffee Flavour

Crime Hazel Crispy Cluster

Hazel in Praline Mint Leaves

Inspirations –

Almond Snowflake Cappuccino Kiss

Forbidden Fruits Ivory Brazil

Orange Fresh

Milk Tray –

Almond Charm Coffee Flavour Creme

Noisette Surprise

Roses –

Almond Charm Coffee Flavour Creme

Coconut Milk Chocolate Miniatures

Plain Chocolate Miniatures Noisette Whirl

Cadbury’s (Vegan)

Fry’s Orange Cream; Fry’s Peppermint Cream.

Thornton’s, Thornton Park, Somercotes, Derby DE55 4XJ, Tel: 01773 540550

Thornton’s Vegan

170g Plain Mint Crisps Plain Chocolate Gingers

Plain Chocolate Brazils 225g Cherries in Liqueur

Plain walnut Marzipan Plain Rum Truffle

Plain Marzipan Bar 150g Dark Chocolate Egg

170g Acid Lemon Drops (HB) 150g After Dinner Mints (HB)

170g Citric Slices (HB) 170g Mixed Fruit Drops (HB)

170g Mixed Fruit Rocks (HB) 100g Striped Mint Drops

200g Xmas Rock Selection Man in the Moon Rock

Barley Sugars (HB)

Hard Boiled Lollipops –

Orange Christmas Design

Strawberry Halloween

All Fruit Jellies Plain Turkish Delight

Plain Coconut Macaroons Plain Lemon Fondant Eggs

Plain Whisky Creme Egg Plain Peppermint Fondant Bar

Lolly Heart (HB) Grapefruit Slice (HB)

Lemon/Lime Rock (HB) Lemon Rock (HB)

Blackcurrant Rock (HB) Strawberry Rock (HB)

Orange Rock (HB) Orange Drops (HB)

Lemon Drops (HB) Lime Drops (HB)

Blackcurrant Drops (HB) Strawberry Drops (HB)

Grapefruit Drops (HB) Thistle Lolly (HB)

Barley Sugar Mints (HB) Lemon Lolly (HB)

Orange Lolly (HB) Christmas Rocks (HB)

Sunshine Lolly (HB) Passion Fruit Drops

Pineapple Fruit Drops (HB) Acid Lemon Slices (HB)

Tangerine Fruit Slice (HB)

Thorntons Vegetarian

All the above, plus:

Apricot Ice Cream Bar Cherry Ice Cream Bar.

Terry’s Suchard, Bishopthorpe Road, York YO1 1YE, Tel: 01904 653090

Terry’s Suchard Vegetarian

Chocolate Peppermint Creams Chocolate Coffee Creams

Chocolate Ginger High Fruits

Crystallised Peppermint Creams Sugared Almonds

Hazelnut in Caramel Moments Truffle Moments

Coconut Moments Pyramint Bar

Topper Bar Milk Chocolate Orange

Plain Chocolate Orange Truffle Moments Mint Egg

Coconut Moments Mint Egg Hazelnut in Caramel Moments

Mini Egg Milk Chocolate Orange Bar

Plain Chocolate Orange Bar Dark Bar

Milk Logger Bar Fruit and Nut Logger Bar

Peppermint Filled Bar Marzipan Bar

Cosmo Plain Chocolate Waifa

Milk Chocolate Waifa Brazil Bar

Roaster Bar Nuttals Mintos

Callard and Bowser Sweets:

Butterscotch Tablets Creamline Toffees

Assorted Toffees Treacle Toffees

Brazilnut toffees Plain Chocolate Toffee Rolls

Milk Chocolate Toffee Rolls Mint Toffees

Licorice Toffees Almond Toffees

Smith Kendon Travel Sweets Citrus Assortment

Mixed Fruit Asst Mints

Wildberry Blackcurrant

Terry’s Suchard Vegan

1767 Bitter Bar

Nestle/Rowntree, Nestle UK Limited, Nestle Rowntree Division, York YO1 1XY Tel: 01904 653071

Nestle/Rowntree Vegetarian

After Eight Mints After Eight Gift Pack

After Eight Tin After Eight Impressions

Milky Bar Milky Bar Buttons

Milky Bar Buttons Giant Tube

Matchmakers –

Coffee Lemon

Mint Orange

Matchmakers Choice Matchmakers Party Pack

Toffo –

Assorted Plain

Mint White Winter Fun Pack

Black Magic Chocolate Brazil

Nestle/Rowntree Vegan

Fruit Gums Fox’s Glacier Mints

Fox’s Glacier Fruits Jelly Tots

Jelly Tots Giant Tube Polo Fruits

Bendicks Mayfair Limited, Moorside Road, Winnall, Winchester, Hampshire S023 7SA

Tel: 01962 8448000

Bittermints Mayfair Mints

Mint Crisp Praline Hearts

Mint Hearts Sporting and Military Smooth Milk

Sporting and Military Mildly Bitter Chocolate Ginger

Marzipan Plain Chocolate Langue de Chat Plain Chocolate

Rum Truffle Plain Chocolate Nut Cluster Plain Chocolate

Ginger Plain Chocolate Dairy Truffle Milk Chocolate

Praline Whirl Milk Chocolate Coffee Truffle Milk Chocolate

Langue de Chat Milk Chocolate Vanilla Truffle White Chocolate

Citrus Truffle White Chocolate

Maxwell and Kennedy, One The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London W1X 4BT

Tel: 0171 491 0939The Princess Assortment

English Rose and Violets Assortment Mint Crisp Batons

Mint Crisp and Mocha Batons Dusted Almonds

Enrobed Orange PeelEnrobed Stem Ginger Sugared Almonds

Crystallised Ginger Marron Glaci

The Celebration Boite Blanche Langue de Chats – Les Enfants

The Bone – Les Enfants Novelties (Plain, Milk or White)

Hearts; Milk and Plain Selection Chocolate Tablet

White Porcelaine Chocolatiere Chocolate a Fondre

Belgian Trading Company, 43 Pimlico Road. Belgravia, London SW1W 8NE

Tel: 0171 259 9424.

All Cafi Tasse Chocolates.

The Vegetarian is published by The Vegetarian Society and is sent free of charge to all members.