The Botany of Indulgence: The Temptation of Chocolate

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) has been used for centuries as a beverage and as the delicacy we know as chocolate. From pre-Columbian Mayan and Aztec cultures who used cacao seeds ceremonially and as currency to European chocolate houses and the mass-produced commercial products of today, chocolate has a long, storied past. Learn the natural history of cacao and its many current and historic uses as well as the sustainable way of producing chocolate. Discover the neurobiology of theobromine, the active ingredient of cacao that is responsible for the feeling of "being in love" after consuming it. Sample several different varieties and forms of cacao.

Members $28, Non-members $31. Tickets available in advance.