What is National Chocolate Mint Day?
National Chocolate Mint Day is celebrated annually around the world on February 19th, and is recognized by the US National Confectioners Association. This holiday has been set aside for all the chocolate mint lovers to enjoy their favorite treats all day long.
The Aztecs and Mayans are lauded for their chocolate makings. Although chocolate was brought back to Europeans, they weren't keen on the dark, bitter bean, so they used more for medicinal purposes.
To make it more palatable, Europeans mixed mint, cinnamon, and other spices as it was mainly consumed as a hot beverage. They added sugar over time, and the combination of chocolate and mint became popular.
Fast forward to the mid-1900s, when inventions and improvements in processes made it possible for confectioners to begin mass-producing chocolates. Small candy stores also served a local audience back in the 1980s. Advertisements for mint chocolates, or chocolate mints, didn't appear in newspapers until the turn of the century.
In New York, Huyler's was one of the first mass-producers of chocolate mints. Their chain of stores are all over the country.
