Reminiscent of childhood memories, luxury, sweetness and sensuality, chocolate is more than just a food -- it is therapy. -Christelle le Ru
Of all of the hundreds of lesser-known national holidays that exist out there, our favorite to celebrate is definitely National Milk Chocolate Day! From smooth, silky candy bars to delicious, warming hot chocolate by the firepit in the backyard, milk chocolate deserves to be celebrated everyday...but especially on July 28th. Chocolate is an easy treat that brings everyone together, from young kids to adults, and it can be incorporated in almost any meal, snack, or dessert. Even if you like to indulge every once in awhile but especially if you’re chocoholic, this is the day to get creative in the kitchen.
A Few Little Known Chocolate Facts
Think you know everything there is to know about chocolate? Think again! Here are some facts we bet you didn’t know…
- The first drinking chocolate was consumed around 1,500 BC by the Aztecs.
- Milk chocolate and dark chocolate differ in one way - milk chocolate is made with, well, milk. Milk solids, to be precise. Both milk and dark are made with cocoa solids and chocolate liquor, and often vanilla, cocoa butter, and lecithin are added, but it’s the milk solids in milk chocolate that give it the sweet creaminess that sets it apart.
- The first chocolate factory in the US was opened in 1765, though the first milk chocolate was invented in 1887.
- Milk chocolate, even in small quantities, can release endorphins, the hormones responsible for feeling pleasure.
Favorite Ways to Celebrate
Chocolate Chip Waffles: Start off your own National Milk Chocolate Day celebration by whipping up a batch of delicious, warm, sweet chocolate chip waffles! You can use any milk chocolate chips you like, and if you don’t have a waffle maker, chocolate chip pancakes are just as delicious and easy to make with only a pan. Top your yummy creations with a homemade or store-bought chocolate sauce and wash down with a glass of milk chocolate milk!
Chicken Mole: If you’ve never had chicken mole (or you don’t know what it is), you’re in for a real treat. Mole, the signature sauce of Mexico, is a slightly spicy, smoky, chocolate sauce that enhances delicious chicken dishes more than you could possibly imagine. And of course, it’s the perfect way to celebrate National Milk Chocolate day without having to wait for dessert! While traditional chicken mole takes an entire day to create, you can find simpler recipes that will taste almost as good without having to go out to a Mexican restaurant. Let the chocolate celebration continue!
Ice Cream Sundae Party: What could be a better dessert on National Milk Chocolate Day than an ice cream sundae bar? Perfect for hanging out by the swimming pool, set out bowls and spoons, along with chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce and/or hot fudge, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, and anything else you can think of. Why not try something unorthodox, like crumbled chocolate chip cookies? It’s sure to be a big hit!
Chocolatini: For the adults celebrating National Milk Chocolate day, you might want to skip the sundae party in favor of a more grown-up dessert with this recipe for a chocolatini featuring Baileys Irish Cream. Before pouring, drizzle chocolate syrup around the edges of the glass, and garnish with chocolate shavings or a stick of a Kit Kat for a fancy, grown-up, celebratory chocolate dessert!
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