Jewish Chocolate

In the book 'The Jewish Chocolate Recipes of the World', written by Michael Leventhal, it is said that the role of the Jew in chocolate is very great. According to him, the merchants or the Conversos — Jews who falsely changed religion to appear Christian in the time of the Inquisition — were completely involved in the trade of importing and selling cocoa beans. Surely they learned to make chocolate with these beans and, when expelled, carried this knowledge into the diaspora.

Three years ago the author of this book went to Bayonne, a city in the south of France right on the border with Spain, knowing that Bayonne was and is the centre of chocolate making in that country, and studied in the two chocolate museums in the city. There he learned that in the 17th century a Jewish community lived in Bayonne that devoted itself to the cocoa-bean industry.

When the Jewish bakers began to make chocolate cakes, which people liked very much, in 1720 a law was passed forbidding the Jews of Bayonne to make chocolate. From the same studies the author learned that the art of chocolate spread to Europe and North America thanks to Jewish merchants. In 1650 a Jew named Jacob opened in England the coffee-house where, for the first time, coffee and hot chocolate were served. Another Jew in Belgium began to make chocolate as we know it. The oldest recipe for a cake made with chocolate and almonds, passed from mother to daughter, came to be written down in Ladino and then in French by a Jewish family of Bayonne.

The proceeds from the sale of this book go to help the funds of the organization 'Chai Cancer Care', which helps members of the Jewish community of England.

How good that charity and the unique flavour of chocolate complete each other at such a high level.

Source: taken from the article by Rachel Ringler