Name/Title
Legrand & Limoges Hot Chocolate SetEntry/Object ID
2022.2.85.92Description
Spanish explorers brought chocolate back from the Americas in the 17th century. The drink didn't really resemble what we think of today. It was crushed cacao beans mixed with water, sugar, and spices. The drink also needed frothed, unlike other hot beverages.
In order for that to happen, the chocolate pot included a hole in the lid so that the heat could be retained while a molionet--a stick used specifically for whipping hot chocolate--whipped the drink. This hole, sometimes with a hinged or sliding cover, differentiates the chocolate pot from pots used to serve tea or coffee.
This set comes from Limoges, France. The region is known for the fine quality of their porcelain. F. Legrand & Co. began in 1865, although it was not yet called Legrand. This occurred in 1904 and came from Frédéric Legrand. The company expanded into electrical equipment, still using porcelain, and they continue to produce electrical equipment today.
