For anyone who loves the combination of chocolate and mint, National Chocolate Mint Day is a holiday that’s sure to bring joy to many people. This holiday is celebrated every year on February 19th, and it’s the perfect excuse for candy lovers to indulge in the chocolate/mint flavor combination all day long. When it comes to this blend of flavors, people have many options available to them—from mint chocolate cakes to peppermint patties or mint chocolate chip ice cream.

The History of Chocolate Mint

Okay, we admit that we couldn’t find the origins of National Chocolate Mint Day. We searched far and wide, but we just couldn’t find anyone who took credit for creating it. Fortunately, we did find plenty of history that explains when chocolate and mint were first combined, and that’s exactly what we’re going to provide in this section.

It’s believed that the first people to combine mint and chocolate were Europeans during the 16th century. At that time, chocolate was used in a hot drink that would often be flavored with ingredients such as mint and cinnamon to make it more palatable, as it was a bitter drink. This practice continued until Victorian England, when many companies began to mass-produce chocolate mints.

In 1940, Henry Kessler and his York Cone Company invented and sold the first Peppermint Patty. In 1951, chocolate mints (thin mints) were one of three cookies sold by the Girl Scouts. And in 1973, culinary student Marilyn Ricketts invented mint chocolate chip ice cream. Since then, hundreds, if not thousands, of chocolate mint candies and cookies have been introduced to the public.

Interesting Facts About Mint

As we explore the combination of chocolate mint foods and drinks, let’s examine the mint part of the equation a little more closely.

• Mint is one of the most popular flavors in the entire world.
• Raccoons hate the smell of peppermint.
• Mint is very easy to grow.

Interesting Facts About Chocolate

Since we can’t conclude the discussion of chocolate mint without talking about the chocolate part of the equation, we’re going to leave our readers with some interesting facts about chocolate.

• To make one pound of chocolate, you need 400 cocoa beans.
• West Africa is home to an estimated 1.5+ million cocoa farms.
• 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa.
• Cacao trees produce about 2,500 beans each.
• Most cocoa farms are owned by chocolate companies.
• The Aztec emperor Montezuma allegedly drank 50 cups of cacao a day.
• It’s estimated that 50 million people around the world depend on cocoa for their livelihood.

Observing National Chocolate Mint Day

The only rule for observing National Chocolate Mint Day is to enjoy some kind of sweet treat that features the chocolate/mint combination. This can be ice cream, cookies, cakes, or any other dessert you can think of enjoying on this day. It’s also a good idea to use the hashtag #NationalChocolateMintDay on your social media accounts to let everyone know how you’re celebrating the day.