Drawn from the collection of Wilbur Chocolate, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, Sipped and Savored showcases the art of consuming chocolate in its many forms.
While chocolate is a common candy treat of the twenty-first century, European connoisseurs went to great lengths to enjoy the “food of the gods” beginning in the seventeenth century. Thick chocolate beverages were expertly mixed in ceramic pitchers and pots made just for the purpose. These elegant vessels were manufactured in the celebrated potteries of Europe and Asia into the twentieth century. Advancements in the processing of chocolate allowed for it to be molded into shapes in the nineteenth century. Elaborate metal molds were manufactured to allow chocolatiers to craft ornate chocolate sculptures, both large and small, in any number of fanciful shapes. Moving into the twentieth century, chocolate was promoted as a nourishing part of a child’s diet, and cocoa products became staples in every kitchen.