Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Chocolate Connection: Hans Sloane and Jamaica

Recently, the Lloyd Library and Museum opened a new set of exhibits centered on the theme of chocolate. Now, the rare and unique books part of that exhibit is online. The Chocolate Connection: Hans Sloane and Jamaica tells the story of Hans Sloane,a British naturalist and physician, who went to Jamaica in the late 1600s and was there introduced to drinking chocolate. While he didn't much care for the beverage he was served, he modified it, added milk and a few other ingredients, and thus was born hot chocolate, a beverage that he and others sold as a medicinal agent for calming upset stomachs and the like.
You'll get to see some cool images of chocolate and related materials drawn from the Lloyd's fascinating collection, and you get to learn about the history of this food so many are obsessed with. A fun time for all. And, when you're done, there's a reading list of some of the books held by the Lloyd on Sloane, chocolate, and Jamaica, as well as a list of links to reputable sources for additional information on all three.
If you can make it into the Library, the exhibit is on until the end of January 2011.