Although most chocolate lovers would agree that chocolate is worth all the effort that goes into producing it, few of us really know how many different steps are involved in its production. The chocolate bar begins with a tropical tree, an evergreen called Theobroma cacao . Appropriately enough, the name Theobroma means "food of the gods"in Greek.Seed pods from the Theobroma tree are harvested twice a year and shipped to chocolate factories. On arrival, the beans are cleaned, roasted, and chopped into bits. Next they are heated and turned into a liquid that can be mixed with such ingredients as sugar, fat, milk substitutes, and preservatives. This step in the chocolate- making process lasts several days because the liquid must become a fine, smooth syrup. Once the liquid is hot and smooth enough, it is poured into a bar-shaped mold. After the bars cool and can be removed, they are ready for shipping and the really important part-eating. Topic :__________________________________________________________________________