VOA常速英语2016--巧克力爱好者们了解其中的历史（在线收听）

巧克力爱好者们了解其中的历史

Chocolate is an important part of Valentine's Day celebrations in many countries. People often buy boxed chocolates and give them to a loved one. In some areas, Valentine's Day is celebrated with chocolate festivals.

在许多国家，巧克力是情人节庆祝活动中的一个重要组成部分。人们经常购买盒装巧克力送给他们所爱之人。而一些地区,情人节则是在巧克力节中度过。

At one such event near Washington, D.C., the visitors tasted all kinds of chocolates and learned about the history of these sweet treats.

在华盛顿特区附近就在举行这样的庆祝活动,这里的游客们品尝着各种各样的巧克力并了解这些甜食的历史。

"The tree grows these pods. You can feel what a pod feels like. It feels fake but..."

这些树结出这些豆荚。你可以感觉到豆荚。感觉有点假但是…

This chocolate festival took place recently in McLean, Virginia. Visitors started by learning about cocoa beans, the main substance used in chocolate.

弗吉尼亚州的麦克莱恩最近正在举行巧克力节的庆祝活动。游客们在这里从了解巧克力中使用的主要原料可可豆开始。

"Inside, there are about 20 to 40 cocoa beans. And you see the white color here is actually the pulp on the outside of the bean…”

“在里面，大概有20至40颗可可豆。而这里你看的白色实际上是豆子外边的黏浆。”

It's all part of the annual chocolate festival held in McLean, Virginia. Visitors here can sample all kinds of sweets but on this table they can get a taste of the past along with their candy. Visitors see how cocoa nibs are ground on a heated stone called matarte with spices and other ingredients to produce a chocolate block. They learn how chocolate was consumed primarily as a beverage up to and through the 1880s before the first candy bar was manufactured and distributed.

这是弗吉尼亚州麦克莱恩市一年一度举行巧克力节的一部分。游客们在这里可以试吃各种各样的糖果，而这张桌子上他们可以体验过去制作糖果的味道。游客们可以看到为了制作巧克力块，在一块名为matarte的热石上将可可粒，调料以及其他原料一起磨碎。他们了解到，在第一个巧克力棒生产及销售前，巧克力最初是作为饮料出现，直到19世纪80年代结束。

"It is just a little too hard for us to eat like a candy bar. So in Colonial chocolate making, they would have taken chocolate blocks in this form and grate it to make fine chocolate powder.”

“对我们来说，如果像糖块一样吃的话，感觉有点硬。因此殖民地的巧克力的制作中，他们选择将巧克力块磨成细巧克力粉。”

Then the powder was mixed with hot water in a chocolate pot like this one.

而后在这种巧克力壶中倒入热水，与巧克力粉混合。

"We found an authentic colonial recipe, partnering with the folks at Colonial Williamsburg. The recipe dates back to the 1750s. And it is a recipe that actually documented nine different seasonings and spices in the recipe.”

“我们与古镇威廉斯堡的当地人合作，找到了一份殖民时代的食谱。这份食谱可以追溯至18世纪50年代。而就是这份食谱中记载着9种截然不同的佐料和调料。”

The drink made from the recipe was a pleasant surprise.

而通过这份食谱制作出的这款巧克力饮品真是意外的惊喜。

"Oh, it's delicious. It is very good. It's very spicy and rich and not too sweet. It's been great for the kids. They enjoy trying different chocolates and then learning about, you know, how their favorite treats are made. Very educational!”

“非常美味。非常好。口感浓郁醇厚，而且没那么甜。这款饮品对孩子们来说非常棒。他们喜欢尝试各种各样的巧克力，然后了解自己最喜欢的巧克力的制作方法。非常有教育性！”

In a separate room, visitors also have opportunities to taste and purchase chocolate products from local vendors. However, Lynn Heinrichs, the president of the Rotary Club of McLean, the host of the festival, says it's not just about treats.

在一个单独的房间里，游客们也能从当地摊贩那里品尝及购买巧克力产品。然而本次巧克力节的主办方麦克莱恩扶轮社主席林恩·海尼里克斯表示这个节日不仅仅是享用美食。

"The proceeds from this event will help fund not just our local projects but some international projects as well. For example, we have built a dental clinic in Swaziland, Africa. We also have the medical brigade, which is in Honduras, partners of surgery in Guatemala. We have bought computers for low income schools in Greece...”

“此次活动的收入不仅会用于资助本地项目，也会支持一些国际项目。例如，我们已经在非洲斯威士兰建立了一家牙科诊所。我们还资助了洪都拉斯的一个医疗团队，他们是危地马拉外科手术团队的合作伙伴。而在希腊，我们为低收入的学校购置电脑。”

Heinrichs hopes the annual community event will help sweeten more lives than just those that taste the goods.

海尼里克斯希望这项每年一度的社区活动，不仅让品尝到巧克力的人获得甜甜的好滋味，也希望更多人收获幸福生活。