Chocolate:  
The Bitter & The Sweet
 
January 9 - March 28

  

 

 

Ancient Aztec Indian legend held chocolate as heavenly, a belief many modern people would not dispute!  This winter, Olbrich Botanical Gardens explores the history, myths, and marvels of chocolate in the tropical Bolz Conservatory.  Discover chocolate’s divine decadence, as well as the perils of its popularity.  Chocolate:  The Bitter and the Sweet is open January 9 through March 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.  Admission is free to Olbrich Botanical Society members.  Admission to the general public is $1.  Children ages 5 and under are free.  Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon are free.

While touring the Bolz Conservatory, follow chocolate’s divisive history from early discovery and distribution to the current crisis surrounding cocoa production.  This self-guided exhibit  takes visitors through the cacao plant’s cultivation and the processing of the beans.   Cacao, which is the plant that produces cocoa beans, grows in tropical rainforests in Central and South America and Africa.  Once harvested, cocoa beans are roasted at varying temperatures to achieve the desired taste.

Not all of chocolate’s history is as sweet as its flavor.  Although chocolate is thought of as a mood lifter, antioxidant, and even aphrodisiac, it is the source of many human rights violations on cocoa plantations, and its popularity has led to the destruction of thousands of acres of rainforest.  Learn about the problems that have grown from chocolate’s popularity, how the international system of fair trade is promoting social and economic justice for cocoa farms and their laborers, and how sustainable farming can protect the rainforests.

Other Chocolate Treats: