There’s an Egg-citing weekend ahead!
Just now the shops are full of chocolate Easter eggs and most of us are looking forward to cracking one open on Easter day. But have you ever wondered about the origins of this tradition?
Easter was originally a pagan festival to celebrate the new life of spring, and long before Christianity, eggs were painted in bright colours at this time of year as a symbol of rebirth and fertility.
The first chocolate eggs were made in the early nineteenth century, but it took some time for manufacturers to develop a type of chocolate which could be moulded without falling to pieces. The famous firm of Cadbury brothers led the way in this and by 1893 there were 19 different lines on their Easter list. After Dairy Milk was launched in 1905 and became very popular, sales of Easter eggs increased enormously in the UK.
Until recently most chocolate Easter eggs were made from milk chocolate and were hollow shells with maybe a few chocolates inside. Nowadays there is a huge range on sale, from eggs made with Fairtrade chocolate and marzipan to matchless speciality products, such as those from Crickhowell-based Black Mountain Gold Chocolate, where local boy and Master Chocolatier Jules James makes amazing eggs filled with luxury assorted truffles.
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/abergavenny/business-guide/chocolate-makers
The eggs are created with dark, milk and white chocolate and each one is individually designed and exquisitely unique. So hurry on over to Crickhowell to get an Easter present for that special person. Hurry - only two and half shopping days left....