Enjoy the “Sweet” and the “Salvaged” on Valentine’s Weekend at The Lewes Historical Society’s Historic Chocolate Demonstration and Antiques Sale: February 11th

Lewes, Delaware – Come by Midway School #178 for a sweet treat at The Lewes Historical Society Campus at 110 Shipcarpenter Street in Lewes between 10:00am-4:00pm on February 11th. Enjoy free historic chocolate-making demonstrations and samples given by a team of Lewes Historical Society volunteer living history interpreters in period garb.

Experience American Heritage® Chocolate Demonstration and Tasting. Treat your taste buds to drinkable chocolate (better known to us today as hot chocolate) in a similar fashion to the Founding Fathers and Mothers.  Become enamored with this taste of the past and have the opportunity to purchase American Heritage® Chocolate yourself!

Learn how chocolate arrived in America during the Colonial Period.  According to “A Cup of Hot Chocolate, S’good for What Ails Ya”, by Mary Miley Theobald, CW Journal, 2012, “The largest area of trade, production, and sales would have been focused around port cities; Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.”  The most likely source of chocolate arriving in Lewes would come into port on route to/from Philadelphia. The Delaware Bay and River acted as a major trade route in the 18th century and continues to be a hub of activity to this day.  Records show that from 1768 to 1773: 1,300 lbs. of chocolate were imported and passed through Lewes.

Hear about a local Lewes connection to Colonial Era Chocolate.  In 1798 The English sloop DeBraak boarded and captured a Spanish ship, which contained “a cargo of cocoa beans.” The DeBraak later sank in a squall off of Lewes’s coast, the crew perhaps never having had a chance to enjoy their acquired chocolate.

In addition at the Midway School #178, featured for sale will be a small selection of antique glass wear, dishware, jewelry and more…for that special someone!

The proceeds from all sales will benefit The Lewes Historical Society.

For more information on The Lewes Historical Society’s Valentines Weekend Historic Chocolate Demonstration, please call 302-645-7670 or visit www.HistoricLewes.org.

Photo Attached: Lewes Historical Society volunteer living history interpreters in 18th-Century period garb, offer a taste of the past. Left to Right: Paul Collins, Ina Apolito, B.J. Young, Marcos Salaverria. Come see for yourself on February 11th, with free historic chocolate-making demonstrations. Photo Credit Deny Howeth.